William Robertson Copland
{{short description|British civil engineer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2018}}
File:William Robertson Copland c.1890 (enhanced).jpg
Sir William Robertson Copland MICE LLD (1838–1907) was a 19th-century British civil engineer, specialising in drainage and water supply.
Life
File:The grave of Sir William Robertson Copland, Glasgow Necropolis.jpg
He was born in Stirling in central Scotland in 1838, the son of John Copland a merchant tailor who was later Chairman of Glasgow Technical College.{{cite web|url=http://www.glasgowwestaddress.co.uk/1909_Glasgow_Men/Copland_Sir_William_Robertson.htm|website=glasgowwestaddress.co.uk|title=Sir. William Robertson Copland|access-date=2018-03-18}}
He was educated at Stirling High School then studied Engineering at Glasgow University. He was then apprenticed to David Smith from 1850 to 1856. He then joined the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway Company before becoming Burgh engineer to Paisley.{{cite web|url=https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/William_Robertson_Copland|website=gracesguide.co.uk|title=William Robertson Copland|access-date=2018-03-18}}
Copland was involved in the renovation of Dunoon Pier in the second half of the 19th century.[http://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB26450 DUNOON PIER WITH WAITING ROOMS AND PIER MASTER'S OFFICE, SIGNAL TOWER AND ADJOINING TEAROOM, TICKET LODGE, PIER RAILINGS] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190620000852/http://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB26450 |date=20 June 2019 }} – Historic Environment Scotland
In later life he was heavily involved in the Glasgow Technical College and its expansion.{{cite web|url=http://www.theglasgowstory.com/image/?inum=TGSS00024|website=theglasgowstory.com|title=TheGlasgowStory: Sir William Copland|access-date=2018-03-18}} He became Chairman of the Board of Governors in 1897.
He had premises with his firm Copland & Foulis at 146 West Regent Street. He was knighted by King Edward VII in 1906 and received an honorary doctorate (LLD) from Glasgow University in 1907.{{cite journal|url=https://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/doi/abs/10.1680/imotp.1907.17266|title=OBITUARY. SIR WILLIAM ROBERTSON COPLAND, LLD, 1838-1907. | Minutes of the Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers|website=icevirtuallibrary.com|doi=10.1680/imotp.1907.17266|access-date=2018-03-18|doi-access=free}}
He died of a heart attack at his home, 20 Sandyford Place,Glasgow Post Office Directory 1907 in Glasgow on 19 August 1907 and is buried in Glasgow Necropolis, near the summit.{{cite web|url=https://billiongraves.com/grave/William-Robertson-Copland/13886673|title=Sir William Robertson Copland LLD (-1907) Grave Site|website=BillionGraves|access-date=2018-03-18}}
Family
He was married to Elizabeth Jane Donaldson (died 1908).Grave inscription, Glasgow Necropolis They had one daughter and five sons.
Their eldest son, John Pearson Copland, was also a civil engineer. For some time they practiced jointly as W R Copland & Sons.Engineering (journal): vol 85 p.301
References
{{reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Copland, William Robertson}}
Category:Alumni of the University of Glasgow
Category:British civil engineers
Category:Burials at the Glasgow Necropolis
{{UK-engineer-stub}}