Thomas Orr Leith OBE, FRAE (23 March 1926 – 7 November 2005) was a leading Scottish mechanical engineer and industrialist.

Biography

Thomas Orr Leith was born on 23 March 1926 in

Cathcart Cathcart ( sco, Kithcart, gd, Coille Chart)
is an are ...

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

, youngest son in a family with seven brothers and sisters. He attended Holmlea Primary School in Cathcart (now closed) before being evacuated to

Troon Troon is a town in South Ayrshire, situated on the west coast of Ayrshire in Scotland, about north of Ayr and northwest of Glasgow Prestwick Airport. Troon has a port with freight services and a yacht marina. Up until January 2016, P&O Ferrie ...

in 1939 at the start of the

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. In 1942 he returned to Glasgow to join Weir Pumps Ltd in Cathcart, Glasgow (then called G. and J. Weir Ltd) as an Apprentice Marine Engineer. While an apprentice he also studied for the Higher National Certificate exams at

Langside College Langside College was a further and higher education college located in the Mount Florida / Battlefield region of Glasgow. It was established in 1947 and enrols over 5,000 students every year of whom many are from countries outwith the European ...

Mount Florida Mount Florida ( gd, Cnoc Florida) is an area in the south-east of the city of Glasgow, Scotland. Origins The Glasgow district of Mount Florida originated on the "Lands of Mount Floridon", which were described in detail when offered for sale a ...

and, following this, left Weirs to study full-time at the

Royal Technical College The Royal College of Science and Technology was a higher education college that existed in Glasgow, Scotland between 1887 and 1964, and is the predecessor institution of the University of Strathclyde. Its main building on George Street now serve ...

, Glasgow (now the

University of Strathclyde The University of Strathclyde ( gd, Oilthigh Shrath Chluaidh) is a public research university located in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded in 1796 as the Andersonian Institute, it is Glasgow's second-oldest university, having received its royal chart ...

). He graduated with a BSc in

Mechanical Engineering Mechanical engineering is the study of physical machines that may involve force and movement. It is an engineering branch that combines engineering physics and mathematics principles with materials science, to design, analyze, manufacture, and ...

in 1950, and was winner of the Montgomerie Neilson Gold Medal and Prize (awarded to the first ranked graduating student in Mechanical Engineering). He rejoined Weir Pumps and in 1954 he became Head of Steam Turbine and Gearing Design, in 1962 was made Chief Designer and in 1966 Director and General Manager of the Pump and Turbine Division (later renamed the Energy Division). In 1980 he became Director, Contracts Division at Weir Pumps before moving in 1988 to take up the Managing Director role at Weir Westgarth Ltd until his retirement in 1991. He was Chairman of Clairmont Plc from 1992 to 1994. He was an inventor or co-inventor of a number of improvements to centrifugal pumps and level control, during the period 1956 to 1962 at G. and J. Weir Ltd. He was a

Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering Fellowship of the Royal Academy of Engineering (FREng) is an award and fellowship for engineers who are recognised by the Royal Academy of Engineering as being the best and brightest engineers, inventors and technologists in the UK and from aroun ...

, President of the

Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland The Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland (IESIS) is a multi-disciplinary professional body and learned society, founded in Scotland, for professional engineers in all disciplines and for those associated with or taking an interes ...

from 1987 to 1989, Fellow of the

Institution of Mechanical Engineers The Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) is an independent professional association and learned society headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that represents mechanical engineers and the engineering profession. With over 120,000 member ...

and Fellow of the Institution of Marine Engineers. He was conferred Honorary Fellowship of the

in 200

img title="ThomasLeithPlaque"; style="text-decoration: none; height:150px;float: left; padding: 0px 3px 0px 0px;"src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/ThomasLeithPlaque.JPG" > Thomas Leith was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire OBE in the 1988 New Year's Honours for Services to Export. Thomas Leith was active in the local community. He was Chairman of the Community Council in

Newton Mearns Newton Mearns ( sco, The Mearns; gd, Baile Ùr na Maoirne ) is a suburban town and the largest settlement in East Renfrewshire, Scotland. It lies southwest of Glasgow City Centre on the main road to Ayrshire, above sea level. It has a popu ...

and, following a move to

Strathaven Strathaven (; from gd, Strath Aibhne ) is a historic market town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland and is the largest settlement in Avondale. It is south of Hamilton. The Powmillon Burn runs through the town centre, and joins the Avon Water to the ...

Lanarkshire Lanarkshire, also called the County of Lanark ( gd, Siorrachd Lannraig; sco, Lanrikshire), is a historic county, lieutenancy area and registration county in the central Lowlands of Scotland. Lanarkshire is the most populous county in Scotl ...

on his retirement in 1991, was actively involved in the Avondale Civic Society of which he was chairman from 1998 to 2004. A plaque near Strathaven Castle was raised by Avondale Civic Society to commemorate his contribution.

Selected papers

# # #

References

External links

Thomas Leith Engineer who bridged gap between experience and modernism, Obituary, The Herald, 7 November 2005

Weir Westgarth Ltd

Weir Pumps Ltd
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leith, Thomas 1926 births Officers of the Order of the British Empire Presidents of the Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland Fellows of the Royal Academy of Engineering Scottish mechanical engineers 20th-century Scottish inventors Engineers from Glasgow 2005 deaths Alumni of the University of Strathclyde Scottish industrial designers 20th-century Scottish businesspeople