David Colville (1860-1916)
David Colville, Junior (1860–1916) of David Colville and Sons
1860 March 10th. Born at Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, the third son of David Colville
1887 August 18th. Married Katherine Harvey, daughter of Robert Greenlees, distiller, and they had one son and one daughter.
1916 Obituary [1]
DAVID COLVILLE died at his residence, Jerviston House, Motherwell, on October 16, 1916, after an illness lasting only three days. He was the youngest of the three sons of the late Mr. David Colville, who founded the Dalzell Works at Motherwell in 1871. The three brothers were all trained to the business, and Mr. David Colville entered it as a young man about the time (in 1880) when a steel-making plant was being added to the Dalzell Works. His exceptional ability and training justified the confidence reposed in him in connection with the superintendence of this addition to the works.
He had visited America and several Continental countries, studying plant and practice in connection with the production of metals. He was a close student of steel-making practice generally, and subsequently became managing director of the company. He was broad-minded, and readily adopted any developments which led to improvement of the firm's products, to economy in manufacture, or to the lessening of fatigue by the workers, and under him the firm gained a high reputation for the manufacture of steel of all kinds, notably bars and plates for merchant and war ships.
The demands in connection with the war resulted in the firm taking over the Glengarnock Iron and Steel Works and the Clydebridge Works (both in the West of Scotland) in order to increase their supplies to the British and Allied Governments.
He became a member of the Iron and Steel Institute in 1883, and served as a Member of the Council from 1905 to 1909.