Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company was a Scottish shipyard and marine engineering firm on the south bank of the Clyde at Govan, Glasgow. It grew from the millwright and engine-building business of Charles Randolph, whose later partner John Elder helped make the firm famous for the economical compound marine steam engine, and it began building hulls in 1861 before moving to the former Fairfield farm site in 1864. Renamed John Elder and Company in 1869 and reorganised as a limited company under its Fairfield name in 1886, it became one of the great British builders of Royal Navy warships, including battlecruisers and battleships, and of Atlantic liners for Cunard and Canadian Pacific, among them the Blue Riband sisters Campania and Lucania. It also turned out cross-channel steamers, Bosphorus ferries, Clyde paddle steamers and yachts. The yard passed through ownership by Northumberland Shipbuilding, Lithgows and Upper Clyde Shipbuilders, and its site is now part of BAE Systems Surface Ships.
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Source Battle-class destroyer (Wikipedia)
Source Naval Encyclopedia: Cressy class armoured cruisers (Naval Encyclopedia)
Source Grace's Guide: HMS Diadem (Grace's Guide)
Source Naval-history.net: Royal Navy ships of 1914 to 1919, Dittmar and Colledge (Naval-history.net)
Source Naval Encyclopedia: Implacable class aircraft carriers (Naval Encyclopedia)
Source Naval Encyclopedia: Indefatigable class battlecruisers (Naval Encyclopedia)
Source Naval Encyclopedia: Invincible class battlecruisers (Naval Encyclopedia)
Source HMS Commonwealth (Wikipedia)
Source Naval Encyclopedia: King George V class battleships (Naval Encyclopedia)
Source MaritimeQuest: Queen Elizabeth Class Battleships Class Overview (MaritimeQuest)
Source MaritimeQuest: Renown Class (1915) Battlecruisers Class Overview (MaritimeQuest)
Source RMS Campania, Wikipedia
Source RMS Empress of Ireland (Wikipedia)
Source Naval Encyclopedia: Tribal class destroyer (Naval Encyclopedia)
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Source Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company (Wikipedia)LeadQuote, Lead
The Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Limited, was a Scottish shipbuilding company in the Govan area on the Clyde in Glasgow.
Sources
1. Grace's Guide to British Industrial History: Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Co (Grace's Guide)
Grace's Guide to British Industrial HistoryHistory, 1885 registration as a limited company
In 1885 the business was registered as a limited company Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company
History, 1966 merger into Upper Clyde Shipbuilders
the Fairfield yard became the Govan yard of UCS
View the Source Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company (Wikipedia)
LeadQuote, Lead
The Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Limited, was a Scottish shipbuilding company in the Govan area on the Clyde in Glasgow.
View the Source Grace's Guide to British Industrial History: Northumberland Shipbuilding Co (Grace's Guide)
Grace's Guide to British Industrial HistoryPart Of: Northumberland Shipbuilding Company, History, 1918 combineQuote, Part Of: Northumberland Shipbuilding Company, History, 1918 combine
acquired majority holdings in William Doxford and Sons of Sunderland, followed by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Co of Govan
View the Source RMS Empress of Ireland (Wikipedia)
Has Vehicles: RMS Empress of Ireland, LeadQuote, Has Vehicles: RMS Empress of Ireland, Lead
Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering built Empress of Ireland and her sister ship, Empress of Britain, at Govan on the Clyde in Scotland.
View the Source RMS Campania, Wikipedia
Has Vehicles: RMS Campania, LeadQuote, Has Vehicles: RMS Campania, Lead
RMS Campania was a British ocean liner owned by the Cunard Line, built by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company of Govan, Scotland, and launched on Thursday, 8 September 1892.
View the Source Naval Encyclopedia: Implacable class aircraft carriers (Naval Encyclopedia)
Naval EncyclopediaHas Vehicles: Implacable-class aircraft carrier, Builders of the classQuote, Has Vehicles: Implacable-class aircraft carrier, Builders of the class
Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Co., Govan, Scotland for HMS Implacable
View the Source Naval Encyclopedia: Invincible class battlecruisers (Naval Encyclopedia)
Naval EncyclopediaHas Vehicles: Invincible-class battlecruiser, Builders of the classQuote, Has Vehicles: Invincible-class battlecruiser, Builders of the class
The Three Invincible were laid down respectively in Fairfield, Clydebank and Elswick
View the Source MaritimeQuest: Renown Class (1915) Battlecruisers Class Overview (MaritimeQuest)
MaritimeQuestHas Vehicles: Renown-class battlecruiser, Builders of the classQuote, Has Vehicles: Renown-class battlecruiser, Builders of the class
Renown Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Ltd. Govan, Scotland Mar. 4, 1916
View the Source Naval Encyclopedia: Cressy class armoured cruisers (Naval Encyclopedia)
Naval EncyclopediaHas Vehicles: Cressy-class cruiser, Builders of the classQuote, Has Vehicles: Cressy-class cruiser, Builders of the class
HMS Cressy was laid down by Fairfield Shipbuilding, Govan, Scotland on 12 October 1898
View the Source MaritimeQuest: Queen Elizabeth Class Battleships Class Overview (MaritimeQuest)
MaritimeQuestHas Vehicles: Queen Elizabeth-class battleship, Builders of the classQuote, Has Vehicles: Queen Elizabeth-class battleship, Builders of the class
Valiant Fairfield Shipbuilding Ltd. Govan, Scotland Nov. 4, 1914
View the Source Naval Encyclopedia: Tribal class destroyer (Naval Encyclopedia)
Naval EncyclopediaHas Vehicles: Tribal-class destroyer (1936), Builders of the classQuote, Has Vehicles: Tribal-class destroyer (1936), Builders of the class
Gurkha (F20) was laid down at Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Company in Govan on 6 July 1936
View the Source HMS Commonwealth (Wikipedia)
Has Vehicles: King Edward VII-class battleship, Lead, builder (make)Quote, Has Vehicles: King Edward VII-class battleship, Lead, builder (make)
Commonwealth was built at the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, and was laid down in June 1902, launched in May 1903, and completed in March 1905.
View the Source Battle-class destroyer (Wikipedia)
Has Vehicles: Battle-class destroyer, Orders and construction, FairfieldQuote, Has Vehicles: Battle-class destroyer, Orders and construction, Fairfield
Camperdown and Finisterre (with Fairfield, Govan)
View the Source Naval Encyclopedia: King George V class battleships (Naval Encyclopedia)
Naval EncyclopediaHas Vehicles: King George V-class battleship (1939), Construction, HMS HoweQuote, Has Vehicles: King George V-class battleship (1939), Construction, HMS Howe
As for HMS Howe (ex-Beatty) she was laid down at Fairfield, Govan on 1.6.1937
View the Source Grace's Guide: HMS Diadem (Grace's Guide)
Grace's GuideHas Vehicles: Diadem-class cruiser, Page body, builderQuote, Has Vehicles: Diadem-class cruiser, Page body, builder
Constructed by The Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Co.
View the Source Naval-history.net: Royal Navy ships of 1914 to 1919, Dittmar and Colledge (Naval-history.net)
Naval-history.netHas Vehicles: Forward-class cruiser, FORESIGHT entry, builderQuote, Has Vehicles: Forward-class cruiser, FORESIGHT entry, builder
8.10.04 Fairfield. 2,850 tons, 379(oa),
View the Source Naval Encyclopedia: Indefatigable class battlecruisers (Naval Encyclopedia)
Naval EncyclopediaHas Vehicles: Indefatigable-class battlecruiser, New Zealand, builderQuote, Has Vehicles: Indefatigable-class battlecruiser, New Zealand, builder
New Zealand was ordered from Fairfield, Govan
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