James Keith (1849-1921) of the Blackman Ventilating Co
1922 Obituary [1]
JAMES KEITH was born at Arbroath in 1849, being the eldest son of ex-Provost George Keith, at whose works his apprenticeship was served.
After visiting Canada and the United States for the purpose of gaining further engineering experience, he started in business in 1868 in his native town.
He was the inventor of numerous hydraulic, heating, ventilating, and other appliances, and was the originator of the modern type of sectional boiler for hot-water heating.
In 1900 his business was amalgamated with that of the Blackman Ventilating Co., Ltd., and he became managing director of the combined firms, a position which he occupied to the time of his death.
He was the pioneer in Scotland in the Engineering Trade of the 51-hour — and later the 48-hour — working week.
His death took place in London on 23rd February 1921, at the age of seventy-two.
He became a Member of this Institution in 1904.
1921 Obituary [2]
JAMES KEITH died on February 23, 1921, at his residence in London, at the age of seventy-two. He was the managing director of James Keith & Blackman Co., Ltd., engineers, of Arbroath and London. He served his apprenticeship in his father's works, and after visiting Canada and the United States he started in business on his own account, this business being subsequently amalgamated with that of the Blackman Ventilating Co., Ltd., in 1900.
He was the inventor of numerous hydraulic heating, ventilating, and other appliances, and amongst the earliest of these inventions was the apparatus for the manufacture of mineral oil gas. He was also the originator of the modern type of sectional boiler for hot-water heating.
He was an associate member of the Institution of Civil Engineers, a member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, and was elected a member of the Iron and Steel Institute in 1903.