Sir Thomas Glen-Coats, 2nd Baronet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Medal record |
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| Sailing | ||
Representing  Great Britain |
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| Olympic Games | ||
| Gold | 1908 London | 12 metre class |
Sir Thomas Coats Glen Glen-Coats (born May 5, 1878, in Paisley – died March 7, 1954, in Glasgow) was a Scottish sailor. He is famous for winning a gold medal at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. He competed in the 12-metre sailing class for the Royal Clyde Yacht Club.
Thomas was the son of Sir Thomas Glen-Coats, 1st Baronet. A Baronet is a special title, like a knight, that can be passed down in a family. His father was also a Member of Parliament, which means he was elected to help make laws for the country.
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Olympic Sailing Champion
Sir Thomas was not just a sailor; he also designed the boat that won the gold medal! The boat was named Hera. He was the main person steering Hera during the race.
He learned a lot from a famous boat designer named Alfred Mylne. Mylne even sailed with Thomas on Hera to help him.
The Heatherbell Yacht
Another important boat in his life was the 12-metre yacht called Heatherbell. Thomas Glen-Coats helped design Heatherbell for Major Andrew Coats. It was built in 1907.
Heatherbell was special because it was the very first yacht of its kind built in the United Kingdom. The Coats family was well-known for their textile (fabric and thread) business in Paisley. They were also famous for racing other boats called 8-Metres.
Interestingly, Heatherbell later sailed for Finland in the 1912 Helsinki Summer Olympics.
Family and Legacy
When his father passed away in 1922, Thomas became the 2nd Baronet. This meant he inherited his father's special title.
Sir Thomas Glen-Coats died on March 7, 1954. He is buried in Woodside Cemetery in Paisley, near another family member, Sir James Coats.
Lady Glen-Coats: A Political Figure
On April 5, 1935, Sir Thomas married Louise Hugon. She was the daughter of Emile Hugon. Lady Glen-Coats was also very active and interested in politics.
In 1938, she planned to run for Parliament as a Liberal candidate for the Orkney & Shetland area. A general election was expected soon, but World War II started, which put the election on hold.
She continued to be a potential candidate. However, in 1945, she decided to step aside for Jo Grimond, who later won the seat. Instead, Lady Glen-Coats ran for Parliament in Paisley. The Glen-Coats family was very important in Paisley because of their factories there.
From 1946 to 1948, Lady Glen-Coats was the leader of the Scottish Liberal Party. She passed away suddenly in Jersey on September 19, 1967.
When Sir Thomas died, his Baronet title ended because he did not have a son to pass it on to.
