Archibald Denny (1860-1936)
Sir Archibald Denny, Bart. (1860-1936) of William Denny and Brothers
1860 February 7th. Born at Dumbarton the fourth son of Peter Denny and his wife Helen daughter of James Leslie, of Dumbarton
Educated at Dumbarton Academy
1874 Went to the école cantonale at Lausanne, Switzerland, where he spent two years studying science, mathematics, and languages.
c1876 Served apprenticeship at the family shipbuilding company William Denny and Brothers
Studied at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich
Worked for a short time at the Liverpool office of Lloyd's Register of Shipping.
1883 Denny became a partner in William Denny and Brothers
1883 Involved in the development of the ship model experiment tank at the Leven shipyard, the world's first hydromechanics laboratory set up by a commercial shipyard
1885 Married Margaret the daughter of John Tulloch. They had five sons and one daughter.
1886 Birth of son Maurice Edward Denny
1900 Member of Inst Civil Engineers
1913 Made a Baronet
1915 Member of the Departmental Committee on Bulkheads
In 1921 he moved to London and represented the shipyard interests in the City
1936 May 29th. Died in London
1936 Obituary [1]
SIR ARCHIBALD DENNY, Bart., LL.D., was born on 7 February, 1860, and died in London on 29 May, 1936. He was edu- cated at the Academy, Dumbarton, the Ecole Cantonale at Lausanne, and the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, into which he passed after having served a 3 years’ apprenticeship at his father’s shipyard. He was then for a few month on the staff of Lloyds’ Registry at Liverpool and returned to Dumbarton in 1883 to take up a partnership in the family firm. He was almost at once placed in charge of the scientific and technical departments and played an important part in the many improvements introduced by his firm until his retirement. These included the development of cross-Channel steamers and similar craft, and of the use of the turbine engine in commercial shipbuilding.
In recognition of his life of public service a baronetcy was conferred on him in 1913. He was given the honorary degree of LL.D. by the University of Glasgow in 1911 and by the University of Cambridge in 1927.
Sir Archibald was elected a Member of The Institution of Civil Engineers in 1900, a Member of Council in 1914, and Vice-President in 1923. He was obliged to decline nomination to the Presidency in 1928, owing to failing health, but his long association with The Institution was marked by continuous and active interest in its welfare. He was a Past-President of the Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland, of the Institute of Marine Engineers, and of the Junior Institution of Engineers. He was a Vice-President of the Institution of Naval Architects and Honorary President of the British Corporation for the Registration of Shipping. He was a member of the North-East Coast Institution of Engineers and Ship- builders. Among other public positions, he was chairman of the Committee on Bulkheads from 1912 to 1915, and of the British Engineering Standards Association, now the British Standards Institution, from 1918 to 1927. He also presided over the Conference on Safety of Life at Sea which was held in 1913-14.
Sir Archibald married in 1885, Margaret., daughter of Mr. John Tulloch, engineer, of Dumbarton, by whom he had five sons and one daughter. He is succeeded in the title by his eldest son, Maurice Edward, born in 1886.
See Also
Sources of Information
- Biography, ODNB [1]