# Caird of Greenock



## zelo1954 (Apr 5, 2005)

It fascinates me that a builder who served P&O with great distinction delivered their last vessel in 1920 - just when one would have thought the industry would be in full swing. 
Can anyone say what went wrong - or did they just lose interest in the business? What became of their site? did Scotts or Lithgow take it over?
Cheers, Geoff


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## surfaceblow (Jan 16, 2008)

Caird Shipyard Recent Page Trail: 

Caird & Co began in 1890, as a family firm in Greenock, operating initially as an iron foundry, developing into general and marine engineering. 

James Tennant Caird joined the family business in 1833, which later moved into shipbuilding following the acquisition of the Cartsdyke yard in 1842. Together with shipbuilding, the yard was also involved in the construction of a number of locomotives for Scottish railway companies. The company became Caird & Co Ltd in 1888, and was acquired by Harland & Wolff Ltd of Belfast in 1916, but was still known as Caird's until 1922. Lord Pirre, Head of Harland & Wolff, began an expansion programme for Caird's yard, involving the removal of the Old West Kirk and its adjacent burial ground which contained the remains of Mary (Margaret) Campbell, better known as Robert Burns' Highland Mary, and memorialised in a famous statue which overlooks the Clyde from Castle Hill, above Dunoon. The shipbuilding magnate got his way, even succeeding in blocking a Parliamentary Bill, and the Old West Kirk was removed and rebuilt, stone by stone, on a new site, and the remains of Mary Campbell were similarly removed and re-interred. 

Unfortunately, Lord Pirrie died in 1924, and with him went the expansion plan. Caird's former engine works in Arthur Street had already been sold in 1919, and the Cartsdyke yard ceased production in 1928. Sold sold to National Shipbuilding Security Ltd, London, in 1935, the yard finally went into voluntary liquidation in 1937. 

The yard stood empty and abandoned until World War II, when it was taken over and utilised by Scottish Aviation Ltd, as part of RAF Greenock, the Flying Boat Maintenance Unit (FBMU) formed there in 1940. 
From Secret Scotland wiki
http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/index.php/Secrets/CairdShipyard


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## zelo1954 (Apr 5, 2005)

Thanks for that. I look at the Miramar Index and note that Harland & Wolff moved into the upper Clyde round about the same time (1914) on what looks to be the former London & Glasgow yard. I wonder what the real story of these H&W takeovers is?


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## BillH (Oct 10, 2007)

zelo1954 said:


> Thanks for that. I look at the Miramar Index and note that Harland & Wolff moved into the upper Clyde round about the same time (1914) on what looks to be the former London & Glasgow yard. I wonder what the real story of these H&W takeovers is?


Two books that may help explain

Shipbuilders to the World by Moss & Hume (The story of Harland & Wolff)

A business of national Importance ny Moss & Hume (The rise, collapse and aftermath of Pirrie's Royal Mail Group)


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