# James George Weir

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James George Weir Born (1887-05-23)23 May 1887 Cambuslang, Scotland Died 7 November 1973(1973-11-07) (aged 86) Allegiance United Kingdom Branch British Army (1906–1918) Royal Air Force (1918–1920) Service years 1906–1920 Rank Air Commodore Conflicts First World War Awards Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George Commander of the Order of the British Empire Officer of the Order of the Crown of Italy Officer of the Legion of Honour (France) Other work Director of the Bank of England

[Air Commodore](/source/Air_Commodore) **James George Weir**, [CMG](/source/Companion_of_the_Order_of_St_Michael_and_St_George), [CBE](/source/Commander_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire) (23 May 1887 – 7 November 1973) was an early Scottish [aviator](/source/Aviator) and [airman](/source/Airman). He was a successful industrialist who financed [Juan de la Cierva](/source/Juan_de_la_Cierva)'s development of the [autogiro](/source/Autogiro).

## Biography

Weir was born in [Cambuslang](/source/Cambuslang), Lanarkshire, Scotland in 1887 the son of James Weir of [G. & J. Weir Ltd.](/source/Weir_Group) and younger brother of [William Douglas Weir](/source/William_Weir%2C_1st_Viscount_Weir). Both were involved in the family engineering firm.

Weir was commissioned on 24 February 1906 as an officer in the 3rd (Renfrewshire) Volunteer Battalion, Princess Louise's ([Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders](/source/Argyll_and_Sutherland_Highlanders)).[1] On 1 April 1908 he transferred to the 3rd Highland (Howitzer) Brigade, [Royal Field Artillery](/source/Royal_Field_Artillery).[1]

On 27 June 1911 Weir was found guilty of striking and knocking down on 13 April 1911 a former fiancé of his sister after he had broken off their engagement.[2]

Weir was awarded the 24th [Royal Aero Club](/source/Royal_Aero_Club) aviators certificate after flying a [Bleriot Monoplane](/source/Bl%C3%A9riot_XI) at [Hendon](/source/RAF_Hendon) on 8 November 1910. In 1914 he was transferred to the [Royal Flying Corps](/source/Royal_Flying_Corps).[1] He retired from the Royal Air Force on transfer to the [Territorial Force](/source/Territorial_Force).

In 1926 he helped form and became chairman and managing director of the [Cierva Autogiro Company](/source/Cierva_Autogiro_Company).[3] He later, in 1935, became a Director of the [Bank of England](/source/Bank_of_England).[4] He was also deputy director of the family engineering company, G. & J. Weir Ltd.[5] Weir commuted to work daily in an [autogiro](/source/Autogiro), and [Alfred Hitchcock](/source/Alfred_Hitchcock) worked the aircraft into the [film The 39 Steps](/source/The_39_Steps_(1935_film)).[6]

## Mora Weir

Weir married Mora (nee Morton) ib [St Giles](/source/St_Giles'_Cathedral) in 1915[7]

Mora was the first woman to ba awarded a rotorcraft licence, and wiuld regulsarly pilot her husband from their home on Skeldon House, [Ayrshire](/source/Ayrshire) to the Weir factory in [Cathcart](/source/Cathcart), [Glasgow](/source/Glasgow).[8] Mora is amongst the women aviation pioneers listedi in [List of women aviators](/source/List_of_women_aviators)

## Honours and awards

- 1 January 1918 Major (Temp./Lt. Col.) James George Weir, RFA, was appointed a [Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George](/source/Companion_of_the_Order_of_St_Michael_and_St_George) (CMG) in recognition of valuable services in connection with the War.[9]

- 8 November 1918 Lt.Col ) (A./Brig.-Genl.) James George Weir, CMG, (RFA) was appointed an Officer of the [Order of the Crown of Italy](/source/Order_of_the_Crown_of_Italy).[10]

- 3 June 1919 appointed a [Commander of the Order of the British Empire](/source/Commander_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire) (CBE)

- 11 July 1919 – Lt.-Col. (A./Brig.-Genl.) James George Weir, CMG, CBE (RA, TF) was appointed an Officer of the [Légion d'honneur](/source/L%C3%A9gion_d'honneur) by the President of the French Republic.[11]

## See also

- [Cierva W.9](/source/Cierva_W.9)

- [Cierva Air Horse](/source/Cierva_Air_Horse)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-rafweb_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-rafweb_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-rafweb_1-2) [Air Commodore J G Weir](http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Weir_JG.htm)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-assault_2-0)** "A Glasgow Assault Case. A Broken-Off Engagement". Law. *The Times*. No. 39623. London. 28 June 1911. col. c, p. 7.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-cierva_3-0)** "The Auto-Gyro. English Company Formed". News. *The Times*. No. 44232. London. 29 March 1926. col. c, p. 21.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-boe_4-0)** "Bank Of England Board A New Candidate For Election". Business and Finance. *The Times*. No. 47013. London. 15 March 1935. col. F, p. 23.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-gaj_5-0)** "G. & J. Weir Limited". Business and Finance. *The Times*. No. 50355. London. 21 January 1946. col. A, p. 7.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Travelling at the edge of space"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120310093203/http://ewds.strath.ac.uk/space/OnDemandSeminar/tabid/4560/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/288/Travelling-at-the-edge-of-space--10-March-2010.aspx). [University of Strathclyde](/source/University_of_Strathclyde). 10 March 2010. Archived from [the original](http://ewds.strath.ac.uk/space/OnDemandSeminar/tabid/4560/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/288/Travelling-at-the-edge-of-space--10-March-2010.aspx) on 10 March 2012. Retrieved 8 December 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Results for Weir"](https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/record-results/53612682692b3bf6e74ab). *ScotkandsPeople*. 29 November 2025. Retrieved 29 November 2025.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: url-status ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_url-status))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Winton, Cameron (27 June 2025). ["Glasgow Southside in aviation history – G&J Weir and the Autogiro"](https://sghet.com/project/glasgow-southside-in-aviation-history-gj-weir-and-the-autogiro/). *SGHET*. Retrieved 29 November 2025.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: url-status ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_url-status))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-cmg_9-0)** ["No. 30450"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30450/supplement/8). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)* (Supplement). 1 January 1918. p. 8.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-coi_10-0)** ["No. 30999"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30999/supplement/13200). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)* (Supplement). 8 November 1918. p. 13200.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ldh_11-0)** ["No. 31457"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31457/supplement/8986). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)* (Supplement). 15 July 1919. p. 8986.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [James George Weir](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_George_Weir) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_George_Weir?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.