Kirby Laing

Sir William "Kirby" Laing (21 July 1916 – 12 April 2009) was a British civil engineer.

Career Laing was born in Carlisle in 1916. He was a member of the Laing Family, famous in the British construction industry for running John Laing plc. He was the son of Sir John Laing and the brother of Sir Maurice Laing. Kirby Laing learnt about the construction industry from his father and would visit the company's construction sites with him during the school holidays. He was a member of the fifth generation of the Laing family to join the firm. During the Second World War Laing served in the Royal Engineers, receiving his commission as a Second lieutenant on 2 January 1944. He resigned his commission as a Lieutenant in the Territorial Army Reserve of Officers on 13 July 1955, although he was permitted to retain the honorary title of lieutenant.

In 1946 he became joint managing director of Laing (the parent company of John Laing plc) and from 1956 to 1976 he was chairman of the Laing Group. He also served as president of the Institution of Civil Engineers from November 1973 to November 1974 and was an honorary member of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Laing returned to military service by being invited to join the Engineer and Railway Staff Corps, an unpaid, voluntary Territorial Army unit which advises the British Army on engineering matters. He joined as a Major on 14 October 1966, was commissioned Lieutenant-Colonel on 23 December 1967 and Colonel on 17 May 1971. He became the corps' commanding officer on 12 January 1978 and retired from the army on 4 August 1997.

In 1977 Laing was elected to the Fellowship of Engineering. He was also president of the National Federation of Building Trades Employers and of the London Master Builders Association. He was also chairman of the Construction Industry Research and Information Association and the National Joint Council of the Building Industry. He was a member of the Royal Albert Hall Council from 1970, served as their president from 1972 to 1992 and then remained their vice-president. He served as a Justice of the Peace for Middlesex and was made Deputy Lieutenant of London on 12 June 1978. Laing was made Deputy Lieutenant of Hertfordshire on 8 April 1987. He established the Kirby Laing Foundation as a charity to make grants and donations to charitable causes. Laing was married to Lady Isobel Laing and both were trustees of the foundation.