William George Weaver, mechanical engineer, completed an apprenticeship in a British railway works and then studied at the Central Technical Schools in Birmingham. Afterwards he started teaching as a lecturer in mechanical engineering at the Technical College, Bradford, but also gained extensive practical experience. He became an associate member of the (British) Institution of Mechanical Engineers in 1910. In August 1913 he was appointed lecturer in mechanical engineering at the South African College (from 1918 the University of Cape Town). There he remained, later as senior lecturer, until 1954. From 1919 to 1954 he worked under Professor Duncan McMillan*. Though he had wide interests, he did not excel as a researcher. He was married to Helena Maud Fortune, with whom he had two sons.

List of sources:

FamilySearch: William George Weaver. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGR5-4QGF?lang=en AND http://www.s2a3.org.za/bio/Biograph_final.php?serial=3074

Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Record: W.G. Weaver. Retrieved on 26 April 2021 from http://archivecat.imeche.org/calmview/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=IME/7/27/3/118

Phillips, H. The University of Cape Town, 1918-1948: The formative years. Cape Town: University of Cape Town, 1993.

Ritchie, W. The history of the South African College, 1829-1918. Cape Town: T Maskew Miller, 1918.

Compiled by: C. Plug

Last updated: 2026-03-02 12:41:23