Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Company

The Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Company, Limited was a major Scottish shipbuilding company based in Dundee, Scotland that traded for more than a century and built more than 500 ships.

Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Company
Company typePublic
IndustryShipbuilding
Founded1874
Defunct1981
FateClosed
HeadquartersDundee, Scotland

History edit

W.B. Thompson CBE (1837 - 1923) founded the Tay Foundry in 1866 and the WB Thompson Shipbuilding in 1874. In 1889 the company took over the Marine Engineering Works at Lilybank Foundry. In 1896 WB Thompson was restructured and the name changed to Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Company[1] in honour of the founder's first customer, the Earl of Caledon.[2]

In 1932 Caledon closed the Lilybank engine works. In 1968 Caledon merged with Henry Robb of Leith, forming Robb Caledon Shipbuilding Limited. The Caledon Shipyard built its last ships in 1980 and operations ceased there in 1981.[1][3]

The Caledon yard built a total of 509 ships, plus 20 barges and 34 launches.[1]

 
W. B. Thompson CBE, shipbuilder, Dundee

W.B. Thompson CBE and his wife Hannah Ogilvie (1836 - 1921) are interred at Western Cemetery, Dundee.

Victoria Drummond, the first woman marine engineer in the UK, completed her apprenticeship with Caledon.

Ships built by Caledon edit

Ships built by Caledon include:

Naval edit

Aircraft carriers

Frigates

Survey ships

  • HMS Hecla Royal Navy
  • HMS Herald Royal Navy

Corvettes

Landing ships

Auxiliaries

Merchant edit

Yard No Name Type Launch Owner/Notes
5 Ilala single screw iron steamship 1874 WB Thompson
7 Scotia single screw iron steamship 1875 Dundee, Perth & London Shipping Co
8 Glentrum single screw steamship 1875 James Mitchell
11 Astoria sailing ship 1876 Joseph Gibson & Co
14 Ugarte No 1 single screw iron steamship 1876 Ugarte Bros
16 Earlshall iron barque 1876 Robertson Bros
17 Lintrathen iron sailing barque 1876 Joseph Gibson & Co
18 Tulchan iron sailing barque 1876 AM Banks & Co
19 Altona single screw iron steamship 1877 Yorkshire Coal & Steam Shipping Co
20 Kaffrarian steam paddle tug 1877 Kaffrarian Steam Landing & Shipping Co
21 Rosedale twin screw iron steamship 1877 Gippsland SN Co
22 Glenisia single screw iron steamship 1878 James Mitchell
23 Fairport single screw iron coastal steamship 1877 John Smart Roy
24 Vesper single screw iron steamship 1878 RA Mudie & sons
25 Marathon single screw steamship 1878 D Scott & Son
27 Otto M'Combie single screw iron steamship 1879 J M'Combie
28 Inchcape single screw iron steam coaster 1879 JS Roy & David Linsay
29 Vasco da Gama single screw iron steamship 1879 George MacAndrew
30 Coraki twin screw shallow draught passenger steamship 1879 Clarence & Richmond SN Co
31 Dundee single screw iron steamship 1880 RA Mudie & Sons
32 Garry single screw iron steamship 1880 North Sea Steam Shipping Co
33 Countess of Cromertie single screw steamship 1880 WB Thomson
34 Kenmore single screw iron steamship 1880 Albany Shipping Co
36 Diamond single screw iron steamship 1881 Dundee Gem Line SS Co
37 Opal single screw iron steamship 1881 Dundee Gem Line SS Co
38 John Ray single screw iron steamship 1881 MA Ray & Son
40 Coxhaven single screw steamship 1882 Yorkshire Coal & Steam Shipping Co
41 Dundee iron sailing ship 1882 Charles Barrie
42 Calabria single screw iron steamship 1883 D Scott & Son
43 Goya single screw iron steamship 1882 Miguel Saenz
44 Lista single screw iron steamship 1882 Miguel Saenz
43 St Thomas single screw steel steamship 1882 Arbroath & London SS Co
47 Lauderdale single screw cargo steamship 1882 R Mackill & Co
50 Fushun single screw steel steamship 1883 WB Thompson
53 Jasper single screw steel steamship 1883 Dundee Gem Line SS Co
56 AD Bordes four-masted sailing ship 1884 AD Bordes et Fils
57 Retriever twin screw iron steam tug 1884 Retriever Steamship Co
58 Craig Burn four-masted iron sailing ship 1884 R Shankland & Co
59 Dresden single screw steel steamship 1884 Yorkshire Coal & Steam Shipping Co
60 Lanquedoc iron passenger steamship 1884 SG de Transporte Marte de Vapeur
62 Firth of Stronsa barque 1885 J Spencer & Co
63 Chili iron barque 1885 AD Bordes et Fils
64 Firth of Solway barque 1885 J Spencer & Co
65 Indra iron twin screw steam tug 1888 Ganges Steam Towing Co
68 Avocet single screw steel steamship 1885 Cork Steamship Co
71 Tarapaca four-masted iron sailing ship 1886 AD Boedes et Fils
73 Eddystone single screw cargo and passenger steamship 1886 Clyde Shipping Co
75 Dalhousie single screw iron steam trawler 1886 WB Thompson
76 Lamberton iron steam trawler 1885 Berwick Trawling Co
78 Euphrates irson steam trawler 1886 Thomas Hamling
81 Portland single screw iron steamship 1887 Clyde Shipping Co
82 Glanmire single screw iron steamship 1887 City of Cork Steam Packet Co
83 Retriever twin screw iron steam tug 1888 Turner, Morrison & Co
85 Ibis single screw steel steamship 1888 Cork Steamship Co
86 Fulmar single screw steamship 1888 Cork Steamship Co
87 Curfew single screw steamship 1888 RA Mudie & Son
88 Pladda single screw steamship 1889 Clyde Shipping Co
89 Arrow twin screw steam tug 1889 Shropshire Union Railways & Canal Co
90 Red Sea single screw steamship 1889 Dundee, Perth & London Shipping Co
91 Ailsa Craig single screw steamship 1890 Clyde Shipping Co
93 Egret three-masted single screw steel steamship 1890 Cork Steamship Co
95 Perth single screw steel steamship 1890 JW Kidd
96 Ptarmigan single screw steel steamship 1890 Cork Steam Shipping Co
98 Arranmore single screw iron steamship 1890 Clyde Shipping Co
106 Berlin single screw iron steamship 1891 Yorkshire Coal & Steam Shipping Co
107 Juteopolis steel-hulled four-masted barque 1891 Charles Barrie
112 Lawhill steel-hulled four-masted barque 24 Aug 1892 Charles Barrie
159 Californian cargo and passenger liner 26 Nov 1901 Leyland Line
177 Ardeola cargo and passenger liner 17 Jun 1904 Yeoward Brothers
189 Lanfranc passenger liner 18 Oct 1906 Alfred Booth and Company
200 Hilary cargo and passenger liner 31 May 1908 Alfred Booth and Company
209 Aguila cargo and passenger liner 6 May 1909 Yeoward Brothers
216 Andorinha cargo and passenger liner 2 Mar 1911 Yeoward Brothers
224 Viera y Clavijo cargo and passenger liner 7 Nov 1911 Compañía de Vapores Correos Interinsulares Canarios
225 Gomera-Hierro cargo and passenger liner 22 Jan 1912 Compañía de Vapores Correos Interinsulares Canarios
227 Ardeola cargo and passenger liner 17 July 1912 Yeoward Brothers
228 Dublin cargo and passenger liner 14 Aug 1912 Compañía Argentina de Nav
235 Alban cargo and passenger liner 11 Mar 1914 Alfred Booth and Company
242 Aguila cargo and passenger liner 16 Sep 1916 Yeoward Brothers
259 Perseus refrigerated cargo 1922 China Mutual SN Co
275 Alondra cargo and passenger liner 30 Nov 1921 Yeoward Brothers.
279 Avoceta cargo and passenger liner 21 Sep 1922 Yeoward Brothers
282 British Commander oil tanker 1922 British Tanker Company
283 British Commodore oil tanker 1923 British Tanker Company
309 Alca cargo and passenger liner 15 Jun 1927 Yeoward Brothers
313 British Faith oil tanker 1928 British Tanker Company
314 British Hope oil tanker 1928 British Tanker Company
376 Tambua cargo ship 1938 Colonial Sugar Refinery Co
381 NLV Hesperus[4] lighthouse tender 1939 Northern Lighthouse Board
389 RFA Gold Ranger Ranger class attendant oil tanker 12 Mar 1941 Royal Fleet Auxiliary
390 RFA Gray Ranger Ranger class attendant oil tanker 27 May 1941 Royal Fleet Auxiliary
391 RFA Green Ranger Ranger class attendant oil tanker[5] 21 Aug 1941 Royal Fleet Auxiliary
393 Empire Heywood cargo ship 21 Oct 1941 Ministry of War Transport
394 Empire Prince cargo ship 31 Mar 1942 Ministry of War Transport
395 Empire Archer cargo ship 29 Jun 1942 Ministry of War Transport
396 Empire Bard heavy lift ship 30 Dec 1941 Ministry of War Transport
409 Rhexenor single screw motor cargo ship 1945 China Mutual SN Co
410 Stentor single screw motor cargo ship 1946 Ocean SS Co
426 Rajah Brooke cargo and passenger ship 1948 Sarawak Steamship Co
471 Rossetti cargo 1950 Lamport and Holt
507 NLV Pharos[4] lighthouse tender 1955 Northern Lighthouse Board
508 Canadian Star cargo ship 1956 Blue Star Line
531 NLV Pole Star[4] lighthouse tender 1961 Northern Lighthouse Board
532 Ngakuta cargo ship 1962 Union Steamship Co
533 Ngatoro cargo ship 1962 Union Steamship Co
536 John Burns ferry 1963 Woolwich Free Ferry
537 Ernest Bevin ferry 1963 Woolwich Free Ferry
538 James Newman ferry 1963 Woolwich Free Ferry
541 Port Huon cargo ship 1965 Port Line
542 Port Albany cargo ship 1965 Port Line
543 Ngahere cargo ship 1966 Union Steamship Co
544 Ngapara cargo ship 1966 Union Steamship Co
560 Caedmon C-class ferry 3 May 1973 Sealink
561 Cenwulf C-class ferry 1 Jun 1973 Sealink
562 Cenred C-class ferry 3 Jul 1973 Sealink
564 CS Monarch cable layer 12 Feb 1975 The Post Office
570 Tucuman refrigerated cargo 24 Jan 1978 Lineas Maritimas Argentinas
572 Golden Bay bulk carrier 12 Feb 1979 Blue Circle Cement
575 Malbork II bulk carrier 5 Oct 1978 Polsteam
576 Bytom bulk carrier 19 Oct 1979 Polsteam
577 Kościerzyna cargo ship 21 Dec 1980 Polsteam
579 Countess ferry Mar 1981 British Shipbuilders

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "The Caledon Shipyard". Friends of Dundee City Archives. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  2. ^ "History". Brown & Tawse Steelstock. Archived from the original on 12 February 2019.
  3. ^ "Robb Caledon Shipyard Dundee". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). House of Commons. 19 October 1981. col. 23. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  4. ^ a b c "NLB Ships through time". Northern Lighthouse Board. Retrieved 27 June 2010.
  5. ^ "Ranger Class Attendant Tankers". 29 September 2007. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 9 January 2023.

Further reading edit