Andrew Weir, 1st Baron Inverforth, PC (24 April 1865 – 17 September 1955) created and headed the firm of Andrew Weir and Co. shipowners of

Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

. In the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

he served as a minister in the coalition government: he was Surveyor General of Supplies from 1917 to 1919, and Minister of Munitions from 1919 to 1921.

Life

Andrew Weir was born in Kirkcaldy, Fife the eldest son of William Weir and his wife Janet. Both William Weir and his father were cork merchants. Weir married Anne Dowie (d. 1941) in 1889, daughter of Thomas Kay Dowie. They had five daughters and one son, all born between 1891 and 1902. After attending the Kirkcaldy High School, Andrew went to work for the Commercial Bank of Scotland. He soon moved to

. Shortly after his twentieth birthday, he bought a sailing ship, the barque ''Willowbank'', which he employed in the coasting trade. The next year Weir began building sailing ships of modern design and within a few years had built up a fleet of 52. In 1896 Weir moved to London and started converting his fleet from sail to steam. In 1905 he established the Bank Line, which became the leading British shipping line. During the

in March 1917 Weir was asked to report on the commercial organization of the supply branches of the army. Weir recommended the appointment of a surveyor-general of supply, with a seat on the army council, to take over the task of supplying the army with all its stores and equipment other than munitions. His recommendations were accepted and he was given the job. In January 1919, after the war had ended, he was appointed Minister of Munitions to close down the supply operation and dispose of unwanted materiel. He remained in office until March 1921. For his services Weir was raised to the peerage as Baron Inverforth, of Southgate in the County of

Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, former county in South East England, now mainly within Greater London. Its boundaries largely followed three rivers: the River Thames, Thames in the south, the River Lea, Le ...

on 5 February 1919, and received the American Distinguished Service Medal.War Department, Congressional Medal of Honors
''pg. 993''
/ref> After the war Lord Inverforth invested in diesel-powered ships. He also broadened his business interests, becoming involved in the Marconi group of companies. He was also chairman of the Anglo-Burma Rice Company and of the Wilmer Grain Company, and was also on the board of Lloyds Bank. Inverforth continued to go to the office four days a week, into his ninety-first year. He died at his home, Inverforth House in Hampstead, on 17 September 1955..

Arms

Biography

* G. K. S. Hamilton-Edwards, "Weir, Andrew, first Baron Inverforth (1865–1955)", rev., ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004.

References

* Burkes Peerage
''Internet Site''
* The London Gazette
''Internet Site''
* United Kingdom House of Parliament
''Internet Site''
* War Department
''Congressional Medal of Honor(s)''
Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1919.

Footnotes

External links

Ships of Andrew Weir & Co built on the Clyde
{{DEFAULTSORT:Inverforth, Andrew Weir, 1st Baron Inverforth, Andrew Weir, 1st Baron Inverforth, Andrew Weir, 1st Baron People from Kirkcaldy Nobility from Fife People educated at Kirkcaldy High School Scottish businesspeople in shipping Ship owners Scottish company founders 19th-century Scottish businesspeople 20th-century Scottish businesspeople Inverforth, Andrew Weir, 1st Baron Foreign recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (United States) Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) Barons created by George V