Wilfred Lennox Coats was born in Paisley on 27 May 1897 . His father, James Watson Coats, had been a laundry proprietor, but had died prior to him attending university. Wilfred attended the University of Glasgow from 1919-1922 , taking classes in Mathematics, Natural Philosophy, Chemistry and Physics Laboratory in his first year; Engineering I and III, Engineering Laboratory, Naval Architecture I and Mathematics II in his second, and Natural Philosophy (Higher), Engineering IV, Electrical Engineering I and II, Engineering Laboratory and Drawing in his third and final year. He was awarded third prize and Engineering I and a first class certificate in Natural Philosophy (Ordinary) in 1920; the junior class prize for Naval Architecture I and second prize for Engineering II in 1921, and the George Harvey prize for Engineering IV, the Walker Prize for Engineering and a first class certificate in Drawing in 1922. He graduated with a BSc with special distinction in Engineering and Drawing in April 1922 and subsequently became an Engineer. After working abroad with Shell-Mex and BP Ltd from 1953-1958, he was then appointed as a lecturer at a Scottish university. He died in Melrose, Roxburghshire, on 9 October 1994 .
From the guide to the Papers of Wilfred Lennox Coats, 1897-1994, engineering graduate, University of Glasgow, Scotland, 1921-1922, (Glasgow University Archive Services)
