William George Nicholson Geddes
Encyclopedia
William George Nicholson Geddes, CBE DSc FRSE FEng (29 July 1913 – 10 November 1993) was a Scottish
civil engineer
.
George Geddes was born in Oldhamstock, East Lothian
and studied civil engineering at Edinburgh University, gaining a "blue" in football. He worked for the City Engineer in Edinburgh, then Sir William Arrol
& Company, and F.A. Macdonald & Partners under William Fairhurst
, before joining Babtie Shaw and Morton in 1942. He became a partner of the firm in 1950 and senior partner from 1976 to 1978. His specialist experience was structural engineering which led to an interest in hydro-electric projects, dams, shipyards, docks and industrial developments.
One of Geddes' most notable projects, under the overall direction of James Arthur Banks
and later constructed by the contractor Marples Ridgway, was his contribution to the design of the Allt-na-Lairige dam in Argyllshire in the 1950s. This was the first concrete dam in Western Europe, and possibly the World, to be prestressed by using high tensile steel bars, bolted either end, to compress the structure.
Later Geddes was in charge of Backwater Dam, the first in the UK to use a chemical grout cut-off. One of his outstanding achievements was the major shipbuilding dock at the head of the Musgrove Channel in Belfast for Harland and Wolff
. The dock was the largest in the World when it was completed in 1970, having been designed and built scarcely two years after the decision was taken to proceed.
As well as being active in Scottish branches of professional institutions, he was elected President of all three of the Institutions in which he took a keen interest: Institution of Structural Engineers
in 1971-72, Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland
1977-79, and the Institution of Civil Engineers
between November 1979 and November 1980. In 1975, he was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1978. In 1980 he received an Honorary Doctorate of Science from the University of Edinburgh.
Geddes was an accomplished footballer and played for Queen's Park F.C.
, serving from 1985 to 1988 as their President and eventually becoming a Patron of the Club, the oldest in Scotland.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
civil engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
.
George Geddes was born in Oldhamstock, East Lothian
East Lothian
East Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy Area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Midlothian. Its administrative centre is Haddington, although its largest town is Musselburgh....
and studied civil engineering at Edinburgh University, gaining a "blue" in football. He worked for the City Engineer in Edinburgh, then Sir William Arrol
William Arrol
Sir William Arrol was a Scottish civil engineer, bridge builder, and Liberal Party politician.The son of a spinner, he was born in Houston, Renfrewshire, and started work in a cotton mill at only 9 years of age. He started training as a blacksmith by age 13, and went on to learn mechanics and...
& Company, and F.A. Macdonald & Partners under William Fairhurst
William Fairhurst
Dr. William Albert Fairhurst CBE was an English-born bridge designer and chess master of world renown. Unusually, he was highly accomplished in both disciplines and for many years successfully divided his time between two distinguished careers...
, before joining Babtie Shaw and Morton in 1942. He became a partner of the firm in 1950 and senior partner from 1976 to 1978. His specialist experience was structural engineering which led to an interest in hydro-electric projects, dams, shipyards, docks and industrial developments.
One of Geddes' most notable projects, under the overall direction of James Arthur Banks
James Arthur Banks
James Arthur Banks CVO, OBE, FRSE was a Scottish civil engineer.Banks was born in Glasgow in 1897. He initially trained as a structural engineer and then joined Babtie, Shaw and Morton in 1921 to train as a civil engineer. He worked in England and the USA and returned to Babtie, Shaw and Morton in...
and later constructed by the contractor Marples Ridgway, was his contribution to the design of the Allt-na-Lairige dam in Argyllshire in the 1950s. This was the first concrete dam in Western Europe, and possibly the World, to be prestressed by using high tensile steel bars, bolted either end, to compress the structure.
Later Geddes was in charge of Backwater Dam, the first in the UK to use a chemical grout cut-off. One of his outstanding achievements was the major shipbuilding dock at the head of the Musgrove Channel in Belfast for Harland and Wolff
Harland and Wolff
Harland and Wolff Heavy Industries is a Northern Irish heavy industrial company, specialising in shipbuilding and offshore construction, located in Belfast, Northern Ireland....
. The dock was the largest in the World when it was completed in 1970, having been designed and built scarcely two years after the decision was taken to proceed.
As well as being active in Scottish branches of professional institutions, he was elected President of all three of the Institutions in which he took a keen interest: Institution of Structural Engineers
Institution of Structural Engineers
The Institution of Structural Engineers is a professional body for structural engineering based in the United Kingdom. It has 27,000 members in 105 countries. The Institution provides professional accreditation for structural engineers...
in 1971-72, Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland
Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland
The Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland is a professional body for engineers and shipbuilders in Scotland.-Founding:The inaugural meeting of the Institution of Engineers in Scotland was held on 1 May 1857...
1977-79, and the Institution of Civil Engineers
Institution of Civil Engineers
Founded on 2 January 1818, the Institution of Civil Engineers is an independent professional association, based in central London, representing civil engineering. Like its early membership, the majority of its current members are British engineers, but it also has members in more than 150...
between November 1979 and November 1980. In 1975, he was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1978. In 1980 he received an Honorary Doctorate of Science from the University of Edinburgh.
Geddes was an accomplished footballer and played for Queen's Park F.C.
Queen's Park F.C.
Queen's Park Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland. The club are currently the only amateur club in the Scottish League; their amateur status is reflected by their motto, Ludere Causa Ludendi – to play for the sake of playing.Queen's Park are the oldest...
, serving from 1985 to 1988 as their President and eventually becoming a Patron of the Club, the oldest in Scotland.