Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company
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The Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Limited was a British shipbuilding company in the famous Govan area on the Clyde in Scotland. Fairfields, as it is often known, was a major warship builder, turning out many vessels for the Royal Navy and other navies through the First World War and the Second World War. It also built many transatlantic liners, including record breaking ships for Cunard and the Canadian Pacific. At the other end of the scale Fairfields built fast cross channel mail steamers and ferres for locations arounf the world. These included ships for the Bosphorus crossing in Istanbul and some of the early ships used by Thomas Cook for developing tourism on the River Nile
Some of the better-known ships built by Fairfield's include:
- Revisions and sourced additions are welcome.
- Battle cruisers:
- Battleships:
- HMS Commonwealth
- HMS Valiant
- HMS Howe
- Aircraft carriers:
- Passenger liners:
- SS Campania
- SS Lucania
- Clyde paddle steamer:
- Jeanie Deans, 1931
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[edit] History
Company began as Randolph & Elliot building engines and machinery in the Tradeston district of Glasgow.
Started shipbuilding as Randolph, Elder and Company at Govan Old Shipyard in 1860 (partners Charles Randolph and John Elder) First ship built in 1861 as No 14.
Moved to new yard at Fairfield Farm (1868) and traded as John Elder and Company from 1870 to 1886 (John Elder died in 1869).
Company reconstituted as Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company in 1886 (owned by Sir William Pearce).
In 1919 Company became part of the Northumberland Shipbuilding Group, the largest in the world at the time.
Fairfield West Yard added in 1920s but closed after 10 years due to severe recession (demolished 1934).
Fairfield was taken over by Lithgows Ltd of Port Glasgow in 1935.
Fairfield West yard used by United States Army in 1944 to build four landing craft.
Enginebuilding merged with David Rowan & Company' to form Fairfield Rowan Ltd in 1963
Company placed in receivership in 1965 but reconstituted as Fairfield (Glasgow) Ltd (Chairman Ian Stewart of Thermotank).
Fairfield Rowan closed in 1966.
The following year Fairfields and the other major yards of the Upper Clyde - Alexander Stephen and Sons, Charles Connell and Company, Yarrow Shipbuilders Limited and John Brown and Company - were merged to form Upper Clyde Shipbuilders (UCS). UCS collapsed amid much controversy in 1971, and as part of the recovery deal, Fairfields was formed into Govan Shipbuilders which was nationalised as part of British Shipbuilders. On the breakup of British Shipbuilders under denationalisation, the former Fairfields yards were sold to the Kværner group, as Kværner (Govan). In 1999 the yard passed to BAE Systems via the incorporation of Marconi Marine from GEC-Marconi. It is now part of BAE Systems Naval Ships.
In total the company built almost 700 shps.
[edit] References
[edit] See also
- Ocean liners built for Canadian Pacific Steamships:
[edit] External Links
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