Robert Gailey

Born: March 13, 1929;

Died: December 28, 2014.

Dr Robert Gailey, who has died aged 85, was a research scientist and chemist who became research and development manager of the thread manufacturers J&P Coats based in St Vincent Street, Glasgow. In his early career he discovered a new process for lengthening the life of cotton goods. Later, he worked on the design and manufacture of products used by vascular and cardiovascular clinicians around the world.

He was born in Paisley and had two brothers, Ian and George, and a sister, Ada, and was dux of John Neilson Higher School in Paisley. In 1943, he joined 8th Paisley Company of the Boys Brigade (The Mighty Eighth) and remained a member of the organisation for 45 years. He became a lieutenant and although he retired from the BB in 1988, he continued to assist in various ways such as producing a newsletter and helping to organise the centenary in 1993.

One of the earliest influences in his life was his aunt Ada, a chemist, and the young Robert went on to study the subject at Glasgow University. He completed a Bachelor of Science in 1950 with first class honours and a PHD in 1954 in organic chemistry. In 1951, along with two other fellow students at Glasgow University, Robert, who was then 22, was injured in an explosion losing the sight of one eye, having been badly cut around the eye with glass fragments.

After his graduation, he was offered an academic position at Cambridge University which he turned down partly due to settling down and starting a family but partly because he wanted to work in industry and also his heart was in Paisley and Scotland. He took a position with J&P Coats, where he had worked as a student, and in the mid-1970s, became research and development manager at the firm, although his heart was in research chemistry.

Tom Sayers, the head of research at J&P, suggested that Dr Gailey should work on methods of determining from the raw cotton what strength properties there would be in the finished thread and to predict tensile strength in different cottons. Dr Gailey identified what he believed to be misconceptions in this area and challenged the idea that it was fibre length that influenced strength.

In a newspaper article in 1969, with the headline "Paisley scientist's discovery a boon to housewives and the thread industry", the extent of his success as an inventor and research scientist was made evident. The discovery was, in the words of the article, a revolutionary new process that lengthens the life of cotton goods. The process involved untreated cotton thread being passed through a bath of liquid ammonia at a temperature of 33C then through boiling water for a fraction of a second. Dr Gailey discovered the process in 1960 saying "it came to me in a flash like all ideas do but not without a good deal of preparation". A huge plant was built at Anchor Mills to house the machinery.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, when the UK textile industry was in decline, Dr Gailey used his inventive mind to develop ways of creating new ideas. A new venture group in Coats was established and out of this group one idea became very successful and led to the creation of a company called Vascutek, now a multinational Vascutek Turemo and a world leader in the design and manufacture of products that address the needs of vascular and cardiovascular clinicians throughout the world.

In retirement in 1993, he continued research and developed a process for the production of internally bonded sewing threads.

His work took him across the world, including the USA, the Philippines, Czechoslovakia and China, but on his return, he would always quote Sir Walter Scott from the Lay of the Last Minstrel: "Breathes there the man with soul so dead, Who never to himself hath said. This is my own my native land! Whose heart hath ne'er within him burn'd. As home his footsteps he hath turn'd, From wandering on a foreign strand."

Dr Gailey's general knowledge was exceptional aided by his excellent memory. When studying at university he would re-write his notes again and again until they were perfect. He also used techniques such as storytelling to aid his memory. He was very interested in developing such techniques and also ways of generating new ideas.

He loved his home, not just Scotland but the heart of his home and his family.

When he retired while he continued to develop scientific ideas and read the New Scientist every week and research the internet for patents. He adored and was adored by all his grandchildren as he was by his children.

Robert and May both gave their retirement years to looking after the family.

Dr Gailey is survived by his wife May, four children and 11 grandchildren and three great grandchildren.