Weir, Lord William Douglas (1877-1959: 1st Viscount Weir of Eastwood, industrialist and public servant: Giffnock, Scotland)

William Douglas Weir was born in Glasgow on 12 May 1877 , the son of James Weir of Over Courance, Dumfriesshire and Mary Douglas of Kilmarnock. He was educated at Allan Glen‰??s School and Glasgow High School, and entered the family engineering firm of G & J Weir Ltd, where he served an apprenticeship in all departments of the business. He became a Director in 1898 at the age of 21, Managing Director in 1902 ; and succeeded his father as Chairman in 1912 . In 1904 he married Alice Blanche, daughter of John Machonnachie of Glasgow. They had two sons and one daughter.

Weir had a great interest in motor cars which led to his association with the French based motor manufacturing company managed by Alexandre Darracq, and to G & J Weir Ltd becoming involved in development work on steam driven buses. This venture was largely unsuccessful, and in 1912 he severed the connection with Darracq. His interest in motor cars continued with his involvement in the Royal Scottish Automobile Club of which he had been a founder member, later becoming President. With the outbreak of World War I Weir began to look for ways in which his company could become involved in the war effort. The company became involved in the production of shells, setting up factories at their premises in Cathcart, Glasgow. In July 1915 Weir became Scottish Director of Munitions for the Government's Ministry of Munitions. The shell production work was transferred to Cardonald in 1917, leaving space at Cathcart for the introduction of aeroplane manufacture. The company became the largest Clydeside producer of military aircraft. Although he remained Chairman of the company, 1917 was also the year in which Weir went to London as Controller of Aeronautical Supplies and a Member of the Air Board. He went on to serve as Air Minister ( 1918 ) then Secretary of State for Air Forces and President of the Air Committee until 1919 . He was knighted in 1917 and created a Baron and Privy Councillor in 1918. He was appointed Chairman of the House of Lords Advisory committee on Civil Aviation in 1919.

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