George Young Blair
Encyclopedia
George Young Blair was a Scottish marine engineer, who specialised in the building of triple expansion engines at his factory Blair & Co., Ltd. in Stockton-on-Tees
.
Blair's management led to the firm's specialising in marine engines. The 700 employees grew to 2 000, and the works covered seven and a half acres. Blair produced the first compound engine built on the Tees in January 1869 and fitted it to the Glenmore built by Backhouse & Dixon
. This was followed in 1884 by its first triple expansion engine, fitted to the Burgos which had been built by Richardson, Duck and Company
.
In 1887 Blair constructed massive sheerlegs next to the Tees. These were capable of lifting 100 tons of marine engine into new ships. By 1914 the yard had turned out some 1 400 marine engines, followed by 75 during World War I
. After the War the firm was taken over by Gould Steamships and Industrials in 1919.
, Anstruther
, Fife
, Scotland, and married Margaret Borrie (1836–1888), daughter of Peter Borrie and Jean Simson, on 4 September 1862 at St. Hilda's Church, Middlesbrough
, Yorkshire, North Riding, England.
He constructed the family home, Drumrauch Hall, and bought Linden Grove, also at Hutton Rudby
in Yorkshire
. In 1862 his residence was at 149 High Street, Stockton-on-Tees. He acted as Justice of the Peace
for County Durham
.
The children of George Young Blair and Margaret Borrie were:
Stockton
-Places:Australia:*Stockton, New South WalesNew Zealand:*Stockton, New ZealandUnited Kingdom:*Stockton, Cheshire*Stockton, Norfolk*Stockton, Warwickshire*Stockton, Wiltshire*Stockton-on-Tees*Stockton-on-Teme*Stockton-on-the-ForestUnited States:...
.
Business life
In 1855 George Blair was appointed manager of Fossick & Hackworth, becoming a partner in 1865. The firm was renamed Fossick, Blair & Co. on Hackworth's retirement, and when Fossick died in 1866 it became Blair & Co.Blair's management led to the firm's specialising in marine engines. The 700 employees grew to 2 000, and the works covered seven and a half acres. Blair produced the first compound engine built on the Tees in January 1869 and fitted it to the Glenmore built by Backhouse & Dixon
Sir Raylton Dixon
Sir Raylton Dixon , was a shipbuilder at Middlesbrough on the River Tees. He was one of the seven children of Jeremiah Dixon and Mary Frank of Cockfield, County Durham who were married on 21 July 1833 in St. Cuthberts, Darlington...
. This was followed in 1884 by its first triple expansion engine, fitted to the Burgos which had been built by Richardson, Duck and Company
Richardson, Duck and Company
Richardson, Duck and Company was a shipbuilding company in Thornaby-on-Tees, England that traded between 1855 and 1925.-History:The yard was founded as the South Stockton Iron Ship Building Co in 1852. Its premises were the former yard of engine builders Fossick of Stockton and its first vessel was...
.
In 1887 Blair constructed massive sheerlegs next to the Tees. These were capable of lifting 100 tons of marine engine into new ships. By 1914 the yard had turned out some 1 400 marine engines, followed by 75 during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. After the War the firm was taken over by Gould Steamships and Industrials in 1919.
Personal life
George Young Blair was born at Drumrauch Farm, PittenweemPittenweem
Pittenweem is a small and secluded fishing village and civil parish tucked in the corner of Fife on the east coast of Scotland. According to the 2006 estimate, the village has a population of 1,600. At the 2001 census, the parish had a population of 1,747....
, Anstruther
Anstruther
Anstruther is a small town in Fife, Scotland. The two halves of Anstruther are divided by a small stream called Dreel Burn. Anstruther lies 9 miles south-southeast of St Andrews. It is the largest community on the stretch of north-shore coastline of the Firth of Forth known as the East Neuk,...
, Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
, Scotland, and married Margaret Borrie (1836–1888), daughter of Peter Borrie and Jean Simson, on 4 September 1862 at St. Hilda's Church, Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
, Yorkshire, North Riding, England.
He constructed the family home, Drumrauch Hall, and bought Linden Grove, also at Hutton Rudby
Hutton Rudby
Hutton Rudby is a village and civil parish situated west of the market town of Stokesley in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It is joined to the village of Rudby by a bridge spanning the River Leven.-External links:...
in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
. In 1862 his residence was at 149 High Street, Stockton-on-Tees. He acted as Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
for County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
.
The children of George Young Blair and Margaret Borrie were:
- Peter Borrie Blair 1866-1891 StocktonStockton-Places:Australia:*Stockton, New South WalesNew Zealand:*Stockton, New ZealandUnited Kingdom:*Stockton, Cheshire*Stockton, Norfolk*Stockton, Warwickshire*Stockton, Wiltshire*Stockton-on-Tees*Stockton-on-Teme*Stockton-on-the-ForestUnited States:...
(typhoid) - Mary Young Blair 1867-1935 x Percy Sadler, eldest son of industrialist Sir Samuel Sadler
- Florence Jean Blair c 1869-1917 (never married)
- Margaret Amy Blair 1870-1907 x 1899 Smollett Clerk Thomson, a Scottish bank agent