James Baird (industrialist)

James Baird (5 December 1802 in Old Monkland, Lanarkshire – 20 June 1876 in Cambusdoon) was a Scottish industrialist.

After a farming beginning, his father took out a lease on coal reserves on the Rochsolloch Estate between Coatbridge and Airdrie.

By 1864, he had grown his blast furnaces to nearly fifty, producing 300,000 tons of iron annually, and employing 10,000 people.

As the first Scot to introduce the chain-driven coal-cutters his companies had major advantages over his rivals who still dug by hand.

When his childless younger brother Robert (1806-1856) predeceased him, he also inherited the Auchmedden estate, which had belonged to another line of Bairds in previous centuries, though the connection between the two families is unsure.

It funds both church extension projects, mission work and gives help to misters and their families.

The original sum, a staggering £500,000 was overseen from 1873 by a board of trustees from the Church of Scotland including Rev Archibald Scott.