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Engineering Laboratory

Glasgow University Archive Services, Building Photographs

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Engineering Laboratory

Laboratory in the University of Glasgow's James Watt Engineering Building, 1960.

Engineering has been taught at the University of Glasgow since 1840, when Queen Victoria founded a Chair of Civil Engineering and Mechanics, the first engineering chair in Britain. The department was assigned to the Faculty of Arts and (grudgingly!) given attic accommodation. However, the energy and professional achievements of professors such as Macquorn Rankine, James Thomson and Archibald Barr raised the profile of the department throughout the world. A degree of BSc specialising in Engineering was introduced in 1872. A chair of Naval Architecture founded in 1883 and other chairs followed. The magnificent James Watt Engineering Building was opened in 1901 and the Faculty of Engineering was founded, belatedly, in 1923.

During the 20th century the study of engineering has evolved to meet the challenges of rapid technological progress. By the beginning of the 21st century the department possessed a ship model test tank (the largest in Europe) and new degree courses had been introduced in subjects such as Electronics with Music, Product Design Engineering and Technological Education.

Reference: Glasgow University Archive Services, PHU13/2/12

University of Glasgow

Keywords:
Civil Engineering and Mechanics, classrooms, interiors, James Watt Building, James Watt Engineering Building, James Watt South Engineering Building, laboratories, University of Glasgow buildings, workshops



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