Hugh Miller MacMillan

Hugh Miller MacMillan was born in Glasgow and was educated at Allan Glen's School and at the University, where he graduated B.Sc. in 1900. His apprenticeship was served with the Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd, Govan, and then at the age of 24 he became chief draughtsman with Wigham, Richardson & Co. Ltd., Wallsend, Northumberland. He was subsequently appointed general manager of the company. Thereafter and until just prior to the 1914-18 war he was shipyard manager with Workman, Clark & Co., Belfast. During the war years he held the position of shipbuilding manager and director of the Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd. Whilst with Fairfield he had a very lucky escape from death when the submarine K 13 sank whilst on trials in the Gareloch. He had just disembarked before her last fatal dive to have lunch on the ship tendering to the submarine.

In 1919 he purchased an 11-acre site at Scotstoun, Glasgow, and founded the Blythswood Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., of which he was chairman and managing director until his death. His interest in the construction of tankers was such that at a very early stage in the life of the new company he patented, jointly with Dr. J. Montgomerie, a former Chief Surveyor of Lloyd's Register of Shipping, a system for the construction of oil tankers and was thus early in the field with modern methods for ensuring structural strength for this type of vessel.

Hugh MacMillan was associated with many shipbuilding organizations, having been a member of the London Committee of Lloyd's Register of Shipping, and of the Scottish Committee. He was also a member of the Policy Committee and the Executive Committee of the Shipbuilding Conference, the Executive Committee of the Clyde Shipbuilders' Association, and the Central Board of the Shipbuilding Employers' Federation.

Hugh MacMillan joined the Institution as a Member in 1900. He died in Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire, on 4th October, 1957. He was about 80 years of age. His four daughters endowed an annual memorial lecture and dinner.