Hugh Baird

Hugh Baird (10 September 1770 – 24 September 1827) was a Scottish civil engineer, who designed and oversaw the building of the Union Canal.

Life

Born at Westertown, Bothkennar, Stirlingshire, he was the son of Nicol Baird, surveyor to the Forth and Clyde Canal, and was a younger brother of engineer Charles Baird.

In 1799 he was a Burgess of Glasgow town council and is listed with his brother as "H & R Baird Enginners" at Hamilton Hill on the Old Canal Basin.

His father, Nicol Baird died in 1807, and Hugh Baird succeeded him as surveyor to the canal. In 1810 he put forward designs for extending Grangemouth docks, although nothing was built. Baird was appointed resident engineer to the Forth and Clyde Canal in 1812, on a salary of £250 a year. as well as earlier proposals by Ainslie and Whitworth (1797).

Artistic recognition

He was portrayed by Daniel Macnee RSA.