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Shipyards in Greenock

 

The rise of Greenock as a shipbuilding area started in the eighteenth century. John Scott established his yard in 1711 at the site of the Westburn East yard. In 1764 the first square rigged vessel built in the area, named the 'Greenock', was launched from the shore at the bottom of Charles Street by the builder, Mr. McKirdy. The first warship built by Scott's was the 'Prince of Wales' in 1806. The firm of Caird & Co., which started as a foundry in 1809, established a shipyard at the Cartsdyke Mid Yard in 1840 and was one of the pioneers of metal shipbuilding.

 

Robert Steele & Co. became world famous when they  turned to the building of Tea Clippers in the late 1850's .The period 1875 - 1914 saw the fullest development of the shipbuilding industry. Firms such as George Brown & Co. at the Garvel Yard concentrated on coasters, tugs, motor yachts and other specialised vessels. In the years after the First World War depression hit the industry. This resulted in the disappearance of many yards as they closed or were absorbed by other firms. Scott's continued to produce outstanding vessels but others were less fortunate. Caird's, Duncan's & Hamilton's were some of the famous names to either disappear or be taken over. 

 

1. GARVEL YARD

1898 - 1900   TAYLOR &  MITCHELL

1900 - 1963   GEORGE BROWN & CO.

 

2. CARTSDYKE EAST YARD

1851 - 1934    SCOTT

1934 - 1966   GREENOCK DOCKYARD CO.

1966 - 1970   SCOTT

1970 - 1979   SCOTT LITHGOW

 

3. CARTSDYKE MID YARD

1840 - 1867  CAIRD

1867             BARCLAY

1867 - 1869  ROBERTSON

1874 - 1879  J.E.SCOTT

1879 - 1900  RUSSELL

1900 - 1918  GREENOCK & GRANGEMOUTH CO.

1918 - 1934  GREENOCK DOCKYARD

1934 - 1970    SCOTT

1970 - 1979    SCOTT LITHGOW

 

4. CARTSDYKE WEST YARD

1820                McTAGGART

1820 - 1840    McKIRDY

1840 - 1842    THOMSON & SPIERS

1844 - 1847    J. BARNHILL

1851               McMILLAN

1851 - 1883    STEELE & CO.

1889               SCOTT & CO.

1896 - 1900   CHAMBERS  BROTHERS & CARMICHAEL & MCLEAN

1899 - 1925   ROSS & MARSHALL

1926 - 1970   SCOTT & CO.

1970 -            SCOTT-LITHGOW

 

5. CARTSIDE YARD

1810 - 1812 & 1818 - 1853   WILLIAM SIMONS

1860            SCOTT, McGILL & DUNCAN

1861             A.G. CAMERON

1863 - 1867  KIRKPATRICK &  MCINTYRE

1869 - 1871  LYON & FOSTER

1871             GUSH

1871 - 1877  C. McBRIDE

1877             McINTYRE

1881             R. FOSTER

1883 - 1970  SCOTT

1970 -           SCOTT-LITHGOW

 

6. RUE END YARDS

Late 18th Century  P. LOVE

ca. 1780 - 1810   J. WOOD

1816 - 1855   R. STEELE & SON

1820              T. NICHOL

1826              MCDONALD

1826 - 1863   MCMILLAN &  HUNTER

                      MCMILLAN & DUNCAN

1860              W. SMITH

 

7. WESTBURN EAST YARD

 

1711 - 1863    SCOTT

1863 - 1918    CAIRD

[ca. 1921/22   SCOTTISH  CONCRETE S.B. CO.]

1918 - 1928   HARLAND & WOLFF

 

8. WESTBURN WEST YARD

 

1740 - 1760   S. HALLIDAY

1740 - 1760   PORTER & MORGAN

1760 - 1820   J. MUNN

1831              MURRIES

1832 - 1844   MURRIES & CLARK

1855 - 1861   MCMILLAN

1863 - 1871   MCNAB

1871 - 1918   CAIRD

1918 - 1928   HARLAND & WOLFF

 

9. BAY OF QUICK YARD

 

1740 - 1760   MACPHERSON & MACLACHLAN

1786 - 1816   STEELE & CARSEWELL

1816 - 1832   R. & A. CARSEWELL

1833 - 1836   REID & HANNAH

1836 - 1841   JOHNSTON

1855              D. MCLEOD

1861              CRAWFORD

1862 - 1864   MCMILLAN

1865 - 1867   CRAWFORD MCMILLAN & MCDONALD

 

10.

1915 - 1920   SCOTTISH CONCRETE

Shipyards in Port Glasgow

 

 

This map is intended as a rough outline showing the general locations of the shipyards

 

The rise of Port Glasgow as an important shipbuilding area has its roots in the eighteenth century. By the 1780's John Wood's yard was in operation in Port Glasgow. As the area became a flourishing shipbuilding area many other builders and associated industries came to the area such  Ropeworks &  canvas manufacturers. The initial idea for the building of the Comet came from Henry Bell. In 1811 he ordered a vessel from Messrs John Wood and Sons of Port Glasgow. The keel was laid in October of that year. The location of John Wood's shipyard was in Shore Street, Port Glasgow on the site of what later became the yard of Robert Duncan & Co. The Comet was launched on 24th July 1812. It was the first steam powered vessel in Europe to carry fare paying passengers. John Wood's yard in Port Glasgow followed their success with the 'Comet' by producing a notable list of steam vessels in later years.

 

The period 1875 - 1914 saw the fullest development of the shipbuilding industry. Ferguson Brothers at Port Glasgow's Newark Yard specialised in ferries, coaster and specialist vessels. Another specialist was Murdoch & Murray who operated from their yard at Brown Street in Port Glasgow. During the Amazonian rubber boom before the First World War they built small steamers for the rubber traders. The rise of the Russell, Rodger & Lithgow partnership and the subsequent emergence of Lithgow's was one of the most notable changes in this period. It was to become the largest privately owned shipyard in the world. Throughout the period before the First World War Lithgow's yards were frequently the top Clyde yard producing more tonnage than any other. During the period 1912 - 1914 the yard's tonnage was some 232,000 tons.

 

 

1. LADYBURN

 

1853 - 1855     BOURNE

1858 - 1859     TAYLORSON

1864 - 1866     CLYDE CO.

1865 - 1867     MARINE INVESTMENT

1867 - 1868     RUSSELL

ca. 1882          WATSON

 

2. INCH YARD

 

1853 - 1869     LAWRENCE HILL

1871 - 1882     CARLIFFE & DUNLOP

1882 - 1911     D.J. DUNLOP

1911 - 1918     DUNLOP BREMNER & CO.

1918 - 1969     LITHGOW

 

3. KINGSTON YARD

 

1866 - 1882       HENRY MURRAY & O.

1882 - 1918       RUSSELL

1918 - 1969       LITHGOW

1969 -                SCOTT LITHGOW

 

4. GLEN YARD

 

1786 - 1815    STEELE & CARSWELL

1839 -             JOHN REID & CO.

1863 - ca. 1865     J. REID

 - 1890           J. REID

1890 - 1963   W. HAMILTON

1919 - 1969   LITHGOW (the yard continued to operate under the name: WILLIAM HAMILTON & CO.)

 

5. BROWN STREET YARD

 

1875 - 1912     MURDOCH & MURRAY

1912 - 1923     PORT GLASGOW CO.

 

6. EAST YARD

 

ca.1810 - 1853 J. WOOD (West)

1846 - 1863     J. REID (East)

1863 - 1915     R. DUNCAN

1915 - 1972     LITHGOW

 

7. BAY YARD

 

1840 - 1844     PETER MURCHIE

1856 - 1862     THOMAS WISHART

1863 - 1865     KIRKPATRICK & MCINTYRE

1872 - 1874     MCFADYEN

1874 - 1892     RUSSELL, RODGER & LITHGOW

1892 - 1912     RODGER

1912 -1918      RUSSELL

1918 - 1935     LITHGOW

 

8. NEWARK YARD

 

1780               THOMAS MCGILL

1830 - 1840   MCDONALD BROTHERS

1869 - 1871  McCULLOCH &  PATERSON

1873 - 1902   W. HAMILTON

1903 - 1974   FERGUSON BROTHERS

 

9. CASTLE YARD

 

1817 onwards MESSRS. ALEXANDER & JAMES MARTIN

1860 - 1885    BLACKWOOD & GORDON

1900 - 1928    CLYDE SHIPBUILDING CO.

1930 - 1949     J. LAMONT

 

10. KELBURN

 

1930's             SMITH & HOUSTON

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