Engineer and Inventor James Weir was co-founder of G & J Weir, engineers, Holm Foundry, Cathcart; and 1 Billiter Buildings, Billiter Street, London which remains one of the most important manufacturers in Glasgow.

Weir was born near Airdrie in Lanarkshire and moved to Glasgow with the rest of his family when their father died. His first job was in the offices of Hamilton & Grandison, consulting engineers, 9 Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow. Then in 1860 he was formally apprenticed as an engineer to Randolph. Elder & Co., millwrights, engineers, founders, and shipbuilders, 12 Centre Street, Glasgow. His apprenticeship was served under both Randolph and Elder who, encouraged by his inventiveness and skill, allowed him to patent a new marine governor and to supervise its construction at Smith Bros & Co., engineers, millwrights. agricultural implement makers, founders, boilermakers, smiths and weighing machine makers, 82 Kinning Street, Glasgow. This was Weirs first Invention and was fitted onboard the SS Garland. The original model was subsequently exhibited by the Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland.

His apprenticeship ended in 1865 and he took up the position of engineer aboard the Sligo steamer 'Liverpool' and then the Bibby Line steamer 'Arabian' that sailed between Liverpool and the Mediterranean. In 1870 he joined the 'Oporto' and then the 'Princess Royal'. The engineer onboard the 'Princess Royal' was his elder brother George. His last sea voyage was as first engineer onboard the 'Queen Anne' owned by R & J Craig of Glasgow.

While working onboard the 'Princess Royal' he had taken out patents for improvements to steam machinery and in 1871 he went into partnership with his brother George to establish G & J Weir & Co., consulting engineer. They were first based in Liverpool but returned to Glasgow in 1872 and worked from 81 Pollok Street unil1875 when they found premises at 71 Hydepark Street.

James Weir was a genius at inventing and designing auxiliary devices that solved problems and then marketing them to the shipbuilding industry. An 1874 invention to promote circulation in engine boilers and reduce the time it took to produce steam remained in use for sixty years. From 1880 to 1886 he produced three major inventions that laid the foundations for the company's success.

In 1886 the company relocated to Holm Foundry in Cathcart and could for the first time manufacture all their inventions and designs at their own factory - prior to this date all work was subcontracted out - which was among the first to make use of electricity in running its machines.

In 1895 G & J Weir became a private limited company with James remaining chairman and the largest shareholder. Relations with his brother had soured and George took advantage of the changes at the company to sell his shares to James and retire to Australia. In 1910 James Weir sold his share in the company to his son William and retired as chairman. Holm Foundry had grown from a single building employing 40 men to a large works covering 13 acres and employing 1450 men.

He retired to the estate Over Courance in Dumfriesshlre which he bought In 1903 and where he built a house to his own design and where he passed away on 10th July 1920.

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