William Denny and Brothers

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The Flag of William Denny & Bros.
The Flag of William Denny & Bros.

William Denny and Brothers Limited, and often referred to simply as Denny, were a Scottish shipbuilding company founded in 1840 and based in Dumbarton, on the River Clyde. They had the highest output of any Clyde shipbuilder in terms of numbers of vessels built (over 1500 of a total in excess of 22,000).[citation needed]

Denny built all types of ships but were particularly well known as producers of fine cross-channel steamships and ferries. Peter Denny developed the companies interests in ship owning and operation with principal interests in the British & Burmese Steam Navigation Company, Glasgow, the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company and La Platense Flotilla. Denny were pioneers in development of the ship's stabiliser in conjunction with Edinburgh-based Brown Brothers & Company. Denny also undertook pioneering experimental work in hovercraft and helicopter-type aircraft.

A subsidiary company, Denny & Company, also based in Dumbarton, manufactured a wide range of types of steam and diesel marine engines.

William Denny & Company went into voluntary liquidation in 1963.

Although the Denny yard was situated near the junction of the River Clyde and the River Leven, the yard was on the Leven.[1] Dennys were always innovators and were one of the first commercial shipyards in the world to have their own experimental testing tank. This is now open to the public as a museum.[2]

Contents

[edit] Denny-built vessels

Some Denny-built vessels remain in existence including;

  • The former Clyde turbine steamer TS Queen Mary, now a floating restaurant in London
  • The veteran steamship SS Sir Walter Scott on Loch Katrine, Scotland
  • The former Mersey ferry MV Royal Iris, berthed at Woolwich, London
  • The former Denny-owned tug /tender The Second Snark on the River Clyde
  • Cutty Sark which was completed by Denny's after the liquidation of her contracted builders, Scott & Linton, is preserved in a dry dock at Greenwich, London
  • Delta Queen, built 1924-1926[3]
  • The paddle steamer PS Ryde is the world's last sea-going coal-fired paddle steamer and was built by Denny for the Southern Railway and launched in 1937. Ryde was the last coal-fired sea-going paddle steamer in the world when taken out of service in 1969.[4]

[edit] Company flag

A white flag, with a blue elephant. The flag was unusual in having for its emblem an elephant. This image was taken from the civic arms of Dumbarton, and it also served to symbolise the strength and solidity of the company's products.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ The Leven-built CUTTY SARK. Shipping & Shipbuilding News, Ayr (22 May 2007). Retrieved on 2007-09-19.
  2. ^ Dumbarton - Denny Ship Model Experiment Tank. Scottish Maritime Museum, Irvine.
  3. ^ "Campaign to save paddle steamer", BBC News Scotland, 19 September 2007
  4. ^ Clydebuilt Ships Database - ships and shipbuilders on the River Clyde Clydebuilt Ships Database

[edit] External links



Shipyards of the Clyde


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