Archibald Barr

LLD Legum Doctor (Latin: “teacher of the laws”) (LL.D.) or, in English, Doctor of Laws, is a doctorate-level academic degree in law or an honorary degree, depending on the jurisdiction. The double “L” in the abbreviation#Plural forms, abbrev ...

, FRS

FRSE Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE) is an award granted to individuals that the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland's national academy of science and letters, judged to be "eminently distinguished in their subject". This soci ...

(18 November 1855, Glenfield House,

Paisley, Renfrewshire Paisley ( ; sco, Paisley, gd, Pàislig ) is a large town situated in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. Located north of the Gleniffer Braes, the town borders the city of Glasgow to the east, and straddles the banks of the White Cart Wate ...

– 5 August 1931) was a Scottish scientific engineer, inventor and businessman. He was a co-founder of

Barr & Stroud Barr & Stroud Limited was a pioneering Glasgow optical engineering firm. They played a leading role in the development of modern optics, including rangefinders, for the Royal Navy and for other branches of British Armed Forces during the 20th c ...

, and invented the Barr & Stroud Rangefinder.

Early life and education

Barr was born in Glenfield House in Abbey, near Paisley, the third son of Archibald Barr, a

yarn Yarn is a long continuous length of interlocked fibres, used in sewing, crocheting, knitting, weaving, embroidery, ropemaking, and the production of textiles. Thread is a type of yarn intended for sewing by hand or machine. Modern manufact ...

merchant, and Jeanie Stirrat, Barr was educated at

Paisley Grammar School Paisley Grammar School is a secondary school in Paisley, the largest town in Renfrewshire, Scotland. The school was founded in 1576 by royal charter of King James VI and is situated on Glasgow Road. The school is recognised as one of Scotland's ...

and apprenticed as an engineer to A F Craig & Co in Paisley before attending

University of Glasgow , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

to study engineering.

Academic career

Barr first worked as assistant to James Thomson,

Regius Professor of Civil Engineering and Mechanics The Regius Chair of Civil Engineering and Mechanics at the University of Glasgow was founded in 1840 by Queen Victoria. In 1872 the endowment was increased by the bequest of Isabella Elder in memory of her husband, John Elder. The name of the ch ...

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 ...

, a post Barr was to attain himself later in his career. In 1884 he was appointed to the chair of Civil and Mechanical Engineering at the Yorkshire College (which became the

University of Leeds , mottoeng = And knowledge will be increased , established = 1831 – Leeds School of Medicine1874 – Yorkshire College of Science1884 - Yorkshire College1887 – affiliated to the federal Victoria University1904 – University of Leeds , ...

in 1904). In 1889 he returned to Glasgow as Regius Professor of Engineering. In 1898 he successfully campaigned for a new chair in Electrical Engineering at

Glasgow University , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

. In 1901 he raised £54,000 to build and equip the James Watt Engineering Building at

Glasgow University , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

Other activities

Barr was a motoring enthusiast and as a member of the Scottish Automobile Club, he participated as an organiser of Scotland's first motor car reliability trials in 1901. He also helped to form the Scottish Aeronautical Club in 1909, becoming its president, and was a promoter of Scotland's first aviation meeting, held at

Lanark Lanark (; gd, Lannraig ; sco, Lanrik) is a town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, located 20 kilometres to the south-east of Hamilton. The town lies on the River Clyde, at its confluence with Mouse Water. In 2016, the town had a population of 9 ...

in 1910. He served as 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 ...

in 1910–11. Barr was also a governor of the Royal Scottish National Institution for the care of those with learning difficulties. He also gifted £8,000 towards the cost of a new organ for

Paisley Abbey Paisley Abbey is a parish church of the Church of Scotland on the east bank of the White Cart Water in the centre of the town of Paisley, Renfrewshire, about west of Glasgow, in Scotland. Its origins date from the 12th century, based on a for ...

Honours

Barr was awarded the

honorary degree An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hono ...

Doctor of Laws A Doctor of Law is a degree in law. The application of the term varies from country to country and includes degrees such as the Doctor of Juridical Science (J.S.D. or S.J.D), Juris Doctor (J.D.), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), and Legum Doctor (LL. ...

(LLD) by

upon his retirement in 1915. He was elected a

Fellow of the Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the judges of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural science, natural knowledge, incl ...

(FRS) in 1923.

Marriage

Barr married Isabella Young in 1885.

Death

Barr died at his home, Westerton of

Mugdock Mugdock is a hamlet in Stirlingshire, Scotland. It lies to the south of the village of Strathblane, and was in the civil parish. In the past the hamlet had more significance. It was considered the main village of the civil parish of Strathblane. ...

, near

Milngavie Milngavie ( ; gd, Muileann-Ghaidh) is a town in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland and a suburb of Glasgow. It is on the Allander Water, at the northwestern edge of Greater Glasgow, and about from Glasgow city centre. It neighbours Bearsden. Milngav ...

, near Glasgow, on 5 August 1931 at the age of 75.

Positions held

*President of the Royal Philosophical Society (Glasgow) *President of the

*President of the Scottish Aeronautical Society *President of the Optical Society, London

References

External links

The Dreadnought Project – Archibald Barr
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barr, Archibald People educated at Paisley Grammar School Alumni of the University of Glasgow Academics of the University of Glasgow Presidents of the Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland Engineers from Paisley, Renfrewshire 1855 births 1931 deaths Scottish inventors Scottish businesspeople Fellows of the Royal Society Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Academics of the University of Leeds