JAMES

See also:

• BAIRD, HENRY MARTYN (1832—1906)
• JAMES BAIRD (1802—1876)
• BAIRD, SIR DAVID (1757—1829)
• BAIRD, SPENCER FULLERTON (1823--1887)

BAIRD (1802—1876)  Scottish iron-master, was born at Kirkwood, Lanarkshire, on the 5th of December 18oz, the son of a coal-master . In 1826 his father, two brothers and himself leased coalfields at Gartsherrie and in the vicinity, and in 1828 iron mines near by, and in 1830 built blast furnaces . In this year the father retired, the firm of William Baird & Co. was organized, and James Baird assumed active control . His improvements in machinery largely increased the output of his furnaces, which by '864 had grown in number to nearly fifty, producing 300,000 tons annually and employing Io,000 hands . The brothers became great land-owners, and James was M.P. for the Falkirk burghs in 1851-185 2 and 1852—1857 . He died at his estate near Ayr on the aoth of June 1876, leaving property valued at three million pounds . He had been during his life a great public benefactor, founding schools and the Baird Lectures (1871) for the defence of orthodox theology, and in 1873 the Baird Trust of £500,000 to enable the Established Church of Scotland to cope with the spiritual needs of the masses: He was twice married but left no children .