David White Finlay Finlay was born on 1 September 1840 to James Finlay (died 13/5/1849) and Isabella White. He had 4 brothers, John (1830-1854), Alexander (1833-1895), James (1836-1910) and William Neilson (1842-1903). John died aged 23 in Malta when on a trip to the Holy Land. Alexander was a Seascape Painter. James was a GP in Helensburgh when A J Cronin (writer of Dr. Finlay's Casbook) was in his youth in Helensburgh. In Aug 1878 in Marylebone, London David married Catherine Mary Thompson, daughter of the shipowner, Stephen Thompson. They had four sons and four daughters viz. Ronald Stephen (1879-1884), Brenda Mary (1880-1952),
William Finlay, 2nd Viscount Finlay d'honneur and was made an Officer of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus. After the war, Finlay returned to the bar, often appearing in front of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. On at least one occasion he appeared in the House of Lords before his father, who was sitting judicially. He served as Commissioner of Assize for the Northern Circuit in 1921 and for the Midland and Oxford circuits in 1922. Finlay also served as the British representative on the International Blockade Commission in 1920–21. He was elected a bencher of the Middle Temple in November 1924.