WEIR, WILLIAM DOUGLAS WEIR 1ST VISCOUNT (1877— ), British politician and business man, was born May 12, 1877, the son of James Weir of Over Courance, Dumfriesshire. He was successively Scottish director of munitions (1915), mem ber of the Air Board (1917), Air minister (1918), and chairman of the advisory committee on civil aviation. His firm of G. & J.
Weir, Ltd., Glasgow, constructed the "Weir" steel houses which caused controversy in 1925. He was knighted 1917, sworn P.C. and created a baron 1918, created G.C.B. 1934 and a viscount 1938.