Walter Montgomerie Neilson
Encyclopedia
Walter Montgomerie Neilson (28 November 1819 – 8 July 1889) was a Scottish locomotive engineer and manufacturer.
He was born in Glasgow
, the son of James Beaumont Neilson, inventor of the hot blast furnace. Walter was trained as an engineer in the Oakbank Foundry run by his uncle John Neilson. He also worked in the St Rollox Engine Works
in Glasgow.
In 1843, he took over the running of a family business originally called Neilson & Mitchell, then Neilson & Co
. The company was based in Hydepark Street in central Glasgow before expanding to include nearby Finnieston Street. The company started by building ship engines but quickly expanded to building locomotives, at the time a fledging industry, but with the British empire still expanding a very lucrative one. Neilson locomotives were exported all over the world and examples still exist in far off places like India, South Africa and New Zealand.
On the death of his father in 1865, Walter inherited the Queenshill property in Kirkcudbright
, the property was named after the resting spot of Mary, Queen of Scots, fleeing to safety after the defeat of her army at Langside in 1568.
Walter married Janet Ellen Henderson in 1867, in Livorno
, Italy, Janet came from a Scottish family long associated with trading from the Tuscany region. They had two children, Elena Marion Montgomerie Neilson born in 1876 and Walter Montgomerie Neilson in 1877.
The locomotive business flourished and when Walter finally retired in the late 1870s, the name changed again, this time to Neilson, Reid & Co. James Reid had been associated with the company for a long period and even though Reid and Neilson had a falling out, the company went on to merge with others into North British Locomotive Co. Ltd.
Walter also supplied expertise and advice to the French builders of the Suez Canal
. Walter retired to Queenshill and spent the harsh British winters at his property called Monte Picini near Florence, Italy. Walter was involved in local politics in Scotland and was also the Freemasons Grandmaster of Glasgow.
He served as the second President of The Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland
from 1859 to 1861.
Neilson died in Florence
, Italy
on 8 July 1889, aged 69 years.
He was born in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, the son of James Beaumont Neilson, inventor of the hot blast furnace. Walter was trained as an engineer in the Oakbank Foundry run by his uncle John Neilson. He also worked in the St Rollox Engine Works
St. Rollox railway works
St. Rollox Locomotive Works and St Rollox Carriage and Wagon Works were built in 1856 in Springburn, an area in the north-east of Glasgow, for the Caledonian Railway, moving away from their works at Greenock...
in Glasgow.
In 1843, he took over the running of a family business originally called Neilson & Mitchell, then Neilson & Co
Neilson and Company
Neilson and Company was a locomotive manufacturer in Glasgow, Scotland.The company was started in 1836 at McAlpine Street by Walter Neilson and James Mitchell to manufacture marine and stationary engines...
. The company was based in Hydepark Street in central Glasgow before expanding to include nearby Finnieston Street. The company started by building ship engines but quickly expanded to building locomotives, at the time a fledging industry, but with the British empire still expanding a very lucrative one. Neilson locomotives were exported all over the world and examples still exist in far off places like India, South Africa and New Zealand.
On the death of his father in 1865, Walter inherited the Queenshill property in Kirkcudbright
Kirkcudbright
Kirkcudbright, is a town in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.The town lies south of Castle Douglas and Dalbeattie, in the part of Dumfries and Galloway known as the Stewartry, at the mouth of the River Dee, some six miles from the sea...
, the property was named after the resting spot of Mary, Queen of Scots, fleeing to safety after the defeat of her army at Langside in 1568.
Walter married Janet Ellen Henderson in 1867, in Livorno
Livorno
Livorno , traditionally Leghorn , is a port city on the Tyrrhenian Sea on the western edge of Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of approximately 160,000 residents in 2009.- History :...
, Italy, Janet came from a Scottish family long associated with trading from the Tuscany region. They had two children, Elena Marion Montgomerie Neilson born in 1876 and Walter Montgomerie Neilson in 1877.
The locomotive business flourished and when Walter finally retired in the late 1870s, the name changed again, this time to Neilson, Reid & Co. James Reid had been associated with the company for a long period and even though Reid and Neilson had a falling out, the company went on to merge with others into North British Locomotive Co. Ltd.
North British Locomotive Company
The North British Locomotive Company was created in 1903 through the merger of three Glasgow locomotive manufacturing companies; Sharp Stewart and Company , Neilson, Reid and Company and Dübs and Company , creating the largest locomotive manufacturing company in Europe.Its main factories were...
Walter also supplied expertise and advice to the French builders of the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
. Walter retired to Queenshill and spent the harsh British winters at his property called Monte Picini near Florence, Italy. Walter was involved in local politics in Scotland and was also the Freemasons Grandmaster of Glasgow.
He served as the second President of The Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland
Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland
The Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland is a professional body for engineers and shipbuilders in Scotland.-Founding:The inaugural meeting of the Institution of Engineers in Scotland was held on 1 May 1857...
from 1859 to 1861.
Neilson died in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
on 8 July 1889, aged 69 years.