John Thomas Wight
John Thomas Wight (1882-1942)
1942 Obituary [1]
JOHN THOMAS WIGHT, F.R.S.E., was well known in Scotland as a teacher of engineering and also as a prominent engineer. He was born in 1882 and received his technical education at the Heriot-Watt College, Edinburgh. After serving his apprenticeship from 1900 to 1904 with Messrs. McTaggart, Scott and Company, Ltd., Loanhead, he remained with that firm for a few months as leading draughtsman and then joined the staff of the Heriot-Watt College as senior demonstrator in engineering.
In 1908 he was placed in charge of the department of design, and in 1910 was appointed lecturer, becoming assistant professor of mechanical engineering in 1914. Four years later he was appointed manager of the Hydraulic Gear Company, Ltd., of London, where he developed the inventions of Dr. Hele-Shaw and was responsible for the machinery covered by those patents. In 1923 he returned to Messrs. McTaggart, Scott and Company, and later became managing director. About a year before his death, which occurred on 18th March 1942, he accepted an appointment with Messrs. William Simons and Company, Ltd., engineers, of Renfrew.
Mr. Wight was elected an Associate Member of the Institution in 1913 and was transferred to Membership in 1917. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.