James George Weir
Encyclopedia
Air Commodore James George Weir CBE
CMG
(1887–1973) was an early Scottish aviator
and airman
. He was a successful industralist who financed Juan de la Cierva
's development of the autogyro
.
.
Weir was commissioned on 24 February 1906 as an officer in the 3rd (Renfrewshire) Volunteer Battalion, Princess Louise's (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
). On 1 April 1908 he transferred to the 3rd Highland (Howitzer) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
.
On 27 June 1911 Weir was found guilty of striking and knocking down on 13 April 1911 a former fiancee of his sister after he had broken off their engagement.
Weir was awarded the 24th Royal Aero Club
aviators certificate after flying a Bleriot Monoplane
at Hendon on 8 November 1910. In 1914 he was transferred to the Royal Flying Corps
. He retired from the Royal Air Force on transfer to the Territorial Force
.
In 1926 he helped form and became Chairman and Managing Director of the Cierva Autogiro Company
. He later, in 1935, became a Director of the Bank of England
. He was also deputy director of the engineering company G & J Weir Limited
.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
CMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(1887–1973) was an early Scottish aviator
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
and airman
Airman
An airman is a member of the air component of a nation's armed service. In the United States Air Force and the Royal Air Force , it can also refer to a specific enlisted rank...
. He was a successful industralist who financed Juan de la Cierva
Juan de la Cierva
Juan de la Cierva y Codorníu, 1st Count of De La Cierva was a Spanish civil engineer, pilot and aeronuatical engineer. His most famous accomplishment was the invention in 1920 of the Autogiro, a single-rotor type of aircraft that came to be called autogyro in the English language...
's development of the autogyro
Autogyro
An autogyro , also known as gyroplane, gyrocopter, or rotaplane, is a type of rotorcraft which uses an unpowered rotor in autorotation to develop lift, and an engine-powered propeller, similar to that of a fixed-wing aircraft, to provide thrust...
.
History
Weir was born in Cambuslang, Lanarkshire, Scotland in 1887 the son of James Galloway WeirJames Galloway Weir
James Galloway Weir was Liberal MP for Ross and Cromarty from 1892 to his death. In December 1910 he was returned unopposed....
.
Weir was commissioned on 24 February 1906 as an officer in the 3rd (Renfrewshire) Volunteer Battalion, Princess Louise's (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland....
). On 1 April 1908 he transferred to the 3rd Highland (Howitzer) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
Royal Field Artillery
The Royal Field Artillery of the British Army provided artillery support for the British Army. It came into being when the Royal Artillery was divided on 1 July 1899, it was reamalgamated back into the Royal Artillery in 1924....
.
On 27 June 1911 Weir was found guilty of striking and knocking down on 13 April 1911 a former fiancee of his sister after he had broken off their engagement.
Weir was awarded the 24th Royal Aero Club
Royal Aero Club
The Royal Aero Club is the national co-ordinating body for Air Sport in the United Kingdom.The Aero Club was founded in 1901 by Frank Hedges Butler, his daughter Vera and the Hon Charles Rolls , partly inspired by the Aero Club of France...
aviators certificate after flying a Bleriot Monoplane
Blériot XI
The Blériot XI is the aircraft in which, on 25 July 1909, Louis Blériot made the first flight across the English Channel made in a heavier-than-air aircraft . This achievement is one of the most famous accomplishments of the early years of aviation, and not only won Blériot a lasting place in...
at Hendon on 8 November 1910. In 1914 he was transferred to the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
. He retired from the Royal Air Force on transfer to the Territorial Force
Territorial Force
The Territorial Force was the volunteer reserve component of the British Army from 1908 to 1920, when it became the Territorial Army.-Origins:...
.
In 1926 he helped form and became Chairman and Managing Director of the Cierva Autogiro Company
Cierva Autogiro Company
The Cierva Autogiro Company was a British developer of autogyros established in 1926.It was set up to further the designs of Juan de la Cierva with the financial backing of James George Weir, a Scottish industrialist and aviator.-History:...
. He later, in 1935, became a Director of the Bank of England
Bank of England
The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694, it is the second oldest central bank in the world...
. He was also deputy director of the engineering company G & J Weir Limited
Weir Group
The Weir Group plc is an engineering company headquartered in East Kilbride, Scotland. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.-History:...
.
Honours and awards
- 1 January 1918 Major (Temp./Lt. Col.) James George Weir, RFA, was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG)Order of St Michael and St GeorgeThe Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
in recognition of valuable services in connection with the War. - 8 November 1918 Lt.Col ) (A./Brig.-Genl.) James George Weir, CMG, (RFA) was appointed an officer of the Order of the Crown of ItalyOrder of the Crown of ItalyThe Order of the Crown of Italy was founded as a national order in 1868 by King Vittorio Emanuele II, to commemorate the unification of Italy in 1861...
. - 3 June 1919 appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)Order of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
- 11 July 1919 - Lt.-Col. (A./Brig.-Genl.) James George Weir, CMG, CBE (RA, TF) was appointed an Officer of the Légion d'honneurLégion d'honneurThe Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
by the President of the French Republic.