The early shipbuilders were known as shipwrights, whose principal skill was woodworking. Subsequently, Scotlands main contribution to the Industrial Revolution was the building of steel-hulled ships. Shipbuilding in Scotland, and especially on the River Clyde, increased dramatically in the final decades of the 19th century. By 1913, 18% of the worlds ships were built and the term Clyde-built became a by-word for quality and reliability. Many famous ships were built in the Clydes yards, including Cunard liners such as the celebrated Queens, warships such as the ill-fated HMS Hood and the former floating royal residence, RY Britannia. One reason for this success was the competitive tenders offered by Scottish shipbuilding firms, made possible, in part, by the low wages paid to their employees. This was not the only problem the workers had to contend with. There were virtually no permanent jobs as employment was dependent on contracts to build specific ships. During the First World War, the Admiralty took over the local shipyards due to the strategic requirement for both warships and merchant ships. The economic depression following the war hit Scotlands shipbuilders very badly because of the high level of over-capacity. At one stage in the 1930s, two-thirds of the shipbuilding work force was unemployed. Unfortunately, few archival records relating, for example, to employment, remain, either at national or regional level. There are however some excellent books, documents and photographs in the Mitchell Library in Glasgow relating to all aspects of the industry. Place to visit The Mitchell Library and Glasgow City Archives Riverside Museum, Glasgow Scottish Maritime Museum, Irvine, Ayrshire Aberdeen Maritime Museum RSS Discovery, Dundee
Posted on: Sun, 10 Nov 2013 11:50:15 +0000