Ardrossan Shipbuilding Company
The Ardrossan Shipbuilding Company in Ardrossan, North Ayrshire, Scotland existed from 1842 to 1969.
history
The shipyard was founded in 1842 as Barr and Shearer by John Barr and James Shearer. In 1870 the name was changed to Ardrossan Shipbuilding Co. In 1889 the remarkable twin-screw steam yacht Ormea was built . After the company was converted into the limited company Ardrossan Dockyard Ltd in 1891 , it was dissolved again eight years later, whereupon the shipyard was renamed Ardrossan Dry Dock & Shipbuilding Company Ltd. from 1899 . continued working.
During the First World War, the shipyard was greatly expanded and employed 2300 people. In 1916, the new South Yard construction site was completed and thus five construction workers were available. In the years 1914 to 1918, in addition to a few minesweepers and other small warships, two type "H" standard necklaces and a standard coastal freighter were completed.
From 1919 Harland and Wolff took over the management of the shipyard on behalf of the Royal Mail Group . In 1925, a new operating company, Ardrossan Dockyard Ltd. , founded. Control of the new company was later transferred to Coast Lines Ltd., part of the Royal Mail Group. and the marine engineering company John G. Kincaid and Company of Greenock , Scotland. In 1930 Ardrossans South Yard was acquired by the National Shipbuilders Security from London and closed due to the Great Depression .
During the Second World War, the shipyard was reactivated and built trawlers and net-laying machines for the Admiralty, as well as eight coastal freighters for the Coast Lines and a number of other ships for state account.
In the post-war period up to the 1950s, the shipyard delivered a number of small liner freighters to mainly Spanish customers, but also to other customers in Europe. The shipyard also built a Clyde ferry. At the beginning of the 1960s, South Yard was sold to a ship repair company. In 1962, Archibald D. Kelly acquired the company with the remaining North Yard and dry dock and tried to modernize it. In 1969, however, the company finally closed.