# Ship builders



## Lynnelle (Jul 9, 2011)

Good afternoon all - hope everyone is enjoying their Sunday afternoon? Or those overseas, their sleep!

Are there any ship builders on this site who could tell me their experiences? Before the war, or after?

When did ship building stop in the UK?

From what I understand before the war there were loads of shipping companies, so where were most of the ships built?

Lynnelle


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## Ray Mac (Sep 22, 2007)

SUNDERLAND(Whaaa)


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## Don Matheson (Mar 13, 2007)

A strange lie put about by the people of Sunderland although I will be the first to admit they did build some outstanding ships. 
The real shipbuilders for the UK and the world were based on the Clyde.
I dont feel this needs any explanation apart from the fact that they built for everyone including the UK.

Don


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## Alistair Macnab (May 13, 2008)

*British Shipbuilding*

Lynelle....
Look in the Directory section under Shipping Companies and Bank Line. This will give you an idea of where one very large British shipping company built its ships. Bank Line in the 20th Century built only in the British Isles although its true that some of their associated companies did build ships elsewhere.
Principally in Belfast and also in Sunderland (as Burned Toast says). These shipbuilding locations were pre-eminent although we have to include Harland and Wolff's Govan/Glasgow location as an extension of Belfast (apologies to Don Matheson!).


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## cunamara (Aug 9, 2005)

The longest running shipyard in the world was Scott's Shipbuilding and Engineering Co. Ltd of Greenock on the Clyde. I was there when they celebrated 250 years in the one family. Not sure when the yard was finally closed, but if they had still be in existance today they would be celebrating 300 years. I doubt if any shipyard built more ships.


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## randcmackenzie (Aug 31, 2005)

An excellent reference book with many pictures giving a detailed history of shipbuilding on the Clyde is 'Ironfighters, Outfitters and Bowler Hatters' by George C. O'Hara. Copies are available on Amazon from about £10 upwards.

Cunamara is correct, Google Scotts of Greenock to see their claim to be the world's oldest shipyard, dating from 1711.

B/R


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## Scurdie (Aug 6, 2009)

If you look at Clydesite http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/index.asp, you can access a largely complete list of the ships launched on just one river - the Clyde. The huge number of ships built was enough to supply a large number of shipping companies over the years - and of course ships were built on other rivers too.
You'll also notice that the number of ships launched each year dwindles steadily after about 1950, so that by the 1990's only a few ferries and warships are listed. A sad decline for a once massive industry.


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## sparkie2182 (May 12, 2007)

Interesting that Vickers Armstrong at Barrow-in-Furness seems to have been overlooked so far.

Builder of finest ships on earth including the vast majority of the submarines
supplied to the Royal Navy and also to Navies from overseas.

Unlike any of the above, Barrow still builds nuclear submarines, and they are still the best in the World.




P.S..........The latest poser in "Sparkies Quiz" was actually built here.


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## Pat Kennedy (Apr 14, 2007)

Here's a link which will show you a complete list of all ships built at Cammell Laird Shipbuilders and Engineers in Birkenhead from the first vessel called the Wye, in 1829, to the last, a Royal Navy submarine, HMS Ursula in 1992.
http://oceania.pbworks.com/w/page/8450793/Cammell Laird

The yard is still there, but concentrates mostly on shiprepair and conversion these days, although it is part of the consortium building the new carriers for the Royal Navy.
regards, 
Pat


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## Lynnelle (Jul 9, 2011)

Thank you everyone for kindly pointing me in the right places so I can read all about shipbuilding in the UK.

I look forward to reading all,

many thanks
Lynnelle


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## terry morrow (Jan 7, 2011)

*river tyne*

Hi all
The river tyne must have a mention as one of the finest shipbuilders
In the uk, SWAN HUNTER,CHARLTON LESLIES, RED HEADS, PALMERS
SHIPBUILDER'S, THE NEPTUNE YARD, many war ships were built on
The tyne for the ROYAL NAVY, sadly shipbuilding has declined on the
Tyne, all those skilled men, excellent trades men robbed of their
Right to earn a living.The tory government would rather give work
Away to foreign goverments,than give it to british shipbuilders, my
First ship was built on the tyne,the MV TREFUSIS,one of the HAIN
SHIPPING CO, BUILT BY REDHEADS & SON'S, most of HAINS SHIPS
Were built on the tyne.
Best Regards
Terry Morrow.(Thumb)


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## Pat McCardle (Jun 12, 2005)

Shipbuilding has taken place in Sunderland for as far back as records exist. The first record dates back to c1885 when a primitive 2000 year old canoe was found near Hylton in the River Wear.

Thomas Menville was recorded in 1346 as building ships here and by 1840 Sunderland had 65 shipyards. By the mid 1900′s the town was responsible for more than a quarter of the UK’s merchant and naval ships for WWII and was the biggest shipbuilding town in the world.

Despite this however the last shipyards were closed in 1988 amid strong opposition from workers and the entire community.

Copyright Destination Sunderland


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## Pat McCardle (Jun 12, 2005)

Don Matheson said:


> A strange lie put about by the people of Sunderland although I will be the first to admit they did build some outstanding ships.
> 
> Read the above, no lies matey only truth!!(Thumb)


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## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

Get away with you, in 1979 the Chairmen of two of the greatest and historic (going back to Sail) Shipping Companies in the World wanted a vessel built at Smith's Dock's (Tees) because of it's World wide reputation for the quality of build, those Companies were Furness Withy and Bank Line and neither of them would give way so it was decided that they would toss a coin. Lord Inverforth won the toss and the Willowbank was built on the Tees the other vessel the "Dunedin" was built on the Tyne. What would GB have done without the superb Smith's designed Corvette's in WW2.
I will admit however after serving on two Wear built ship's the Queen City and Egton that the Joinery was superb on both. Some of the same Craftsmen worked on the Warrior in Hartlepool before she went to Pompey.


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