Sir William Lorimer (1844-1922), locomotive builder and steel manufacturer.
A native of Sanquhar, Lorimer began was employed by the railway locomotive builders Dubs & Co at Polmadie in 1864 and became a partner in 1875. When Dubs merged with two other companies to form the North British Locomotive Co in 1903, Lorimer was elected chairman of what was the biggest locomotive engineering company in Europe. By 1920, the company had produced 22,000 locomotives for customers around the world.
Lorimer was involved with the Steel Company of Scotland, a Lanarkshire firm which provided steel for many Clyde shipbuilders. He was a director from 1878, and chairman from 1896 to 1918. He was also director of the Glasgow & South Western Railway; Deacon of the Incorporation of Hammermen; Justice of the Peace; Governor of Glasgow Technical College; Lord Rector's Assessor and Chancellor's Assessor at the University of Glasgow; member of the Dominions Royal Commission and a founder of the Victoria Infirmary.
Reference: Mitchell Library, GC 052 BAI
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Libraries Information and Learning
Keywords:
Dominions Royal Commission, Dubs & Co, Glasgow & South Western Railway Co, Glasgow Technical College, Incorporation of Hammermen, JPs, justices of the peace, locomitives, locomotive builders, North British Locomotive Co, railway engineering, Steel Company of Scotland, steel manufacturers, trains, University of Glasgow, Victoria Infirmary