James Sharp Tait

{{Short description|Scottish electrical engineer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}} {{Use British English|date=April 2018}} '''Sir James Sharp Tait''' (13 June 1912 – 18 February 1998) was a Scottish electrical engineer who was the first Vice-Chancellor of the City University, London.

==Life== Tait was born on 13 June 1912 in Ochiltree, Ayrshire, the son of a gardener. He left school at 14 to become an engineering apprentice and taking evening classes.<ref name=Herald>[http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/aberdeen/sir-james-tait-1.350964 ''The Herald'', 7 March 1998] Sir James Tait</ref><ref name=Indy>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/obituary-sir-james-tait-1147177.html The Independent, 27 February 1998] Obituary; Sir James Tait</ref> He obtained an engineering qualification ARTC (with a distinction in electrical engineering) at the Royal Technical College, Glasgow, and stayed on as a lecturer. While working as a lecturer, he gained a double first class honours degree in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, as an external student of London University and went on to get a PhD from Glasgow University.<ref name=Herald/>

[[File:Sir_James_Tait_plaque.jpg|thumb|Memorial plaque formerly situated in Richmond Green United Reformed Church, now in Twickenham United Reformed Church]]

He married Mary Cassidy Linton (who survived him) in 1939. They had two sons and one daughter.<ref name=Herald/><ref name=Indy/>

In 1946 he was appointed Head of the Electrical Engineering Department at Portsmouth Municipal College, but in 1947 took up the equivalent position at Northampton Polytechnic. In 1951, he became its Principal.<ref name=Herald/><ref name=Indy/> In 1957 it became a College of Advanced Technology with Tait as its Principal, and in 1966 became the City University, London, at which point Tait became its first Vice-Chancellor.<ref name=Indy/> He retired in 1974.<ref name=Herald/><ref name=Indy/> Outside work, he was an Elder of the Presbyterian Church and was active in the Scouting movement.<ref name=Indy/>

He died on 18 February 1998, in Teddington in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.<ref name=Herald/><ref name=Indy/>

==Honours== Tait was knighted in 1969 as a member of the Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor for services to education, and made Freeman of the City of London.<ref name=Herald/> He was a Chartered Engineer, and a Fellow of both the Institution of Electrical Engineers and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.<ref name=Herald/><ref name=Indy/> City University, London, awarded him an honorary Doctor of Science degree in 1974 and also named a building after him. He was awarded a Doctor of Laws by Strathclyde University, the successor to the Royal Technical College, Glasgow.<ref name=Herald/>

==References== {{reflist}}

{{s-start}} {{s-aca}} {{succession box |title=Vice-Chancellor, City University, London |years = 1966–1974 |before=''New position'' |after=Edward Parkes }} {{end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tait, James}} Category:1912 births Category:1998 deaths Category:20th-century Presbyterians Category:Fellows of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Category:Knights Bachelor Category:People from Ochiltree Category:Presidents of City, University of London Category:Scottish electrical engineers Category:Scottish Presbyterians Category:20th-century Scottish engineers