National Records of Scotland

Preserving the past, Recording the present, Informing the future

Shipbuilding

Shipbuilding

Shipbuilding was a huge industry in Scotland, especially on the river Clyde. Following the decline of shipbuilding industry, National Records of Scotland (NRS) and other Scottish archives saved the records of Upper Clyde Shipbuilders (UCS) and those of shipyards on the upper and lower Clyde, from the Ayrshire Coast and from the Estuaries of the Forth and Tay. The UCS records in particular contain tens of thousands of photographs relating to shipbuilding and specific ships, including many of the most famous ships of the 19th and 20th centuries, like RMS Queen Elizabeth, RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 and HMS Hood.

Photograph of bonding of aluminium units during construction of the Cunard liner RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 at the shipyard of John Brown & Company, Clydebank, 19 May 1967 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, UCS1/118/736/156)

Construction of the hull of the Cunard liner RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 at the shipyard of John Brown & Company, Clydebank, 19 May 1967 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, UCS1/118/736/156)

Image Gallery Reference: AAA00197

Photograph of three quarter bow view of the Cunard liner RMS Queen Elizabeth 2, with ship worker in foreground, taken from west side of dock during construction at the shipyard of John Brown and Company, Clydebank, 30 Aug 1967 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, UCS1/118/736/1155)

Three quarter bow view of the Cunard liner RMS Queen Elizabeth 2, with ship worker in foreground, taken from west side of dock during construction at the shipyard of John Brown and Company, Clydebank, 30 August 1967 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, UCS1/118/736/1155)

Image Gallery Reference: AAA00205

Photograph of the Cunard liner RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 going down the slipway at the shipyard of John Brown & Company, Clydebank, 20 Sep 1967 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland,UCS1/118/736/1356)

The Cunard liner RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 going down the slipway at the shipyard of John Brown & Company, Clydebank, 20 September 1967 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, UCS1/118/736/1356)

Image Gallery Reference: AAA00209

Photograph of the port side of the Royal Navy Powerful-Class armoured cruiser HMS Terrible at John Brown's (J & G Thomson's shipyard), Clydebank newly completed, 1895 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, UCS1/116/1/38)

The port side of the Royal Navy Powerful-Class armoured cruiser HMS Terrible at John Brown's (J & G Thomson's shipyard), Clydebank newly completed, 1895 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, UCS1/116/1/38)

Image Gallery Reference: AAA00505

Photograph one of the anchors of RMS Lusitania in the shipyard of John Brown & Co, Clydebank, 1906 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, UCS141/10)

One of the anchors of RMS Lusitania in the shipyard of John Brown & Co, Clydebank, 1906 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, UCS141/10)

Image Gallery Reference: AAA00698

Photograph of the construction of Royal Navy Battlecruiser HMS Hood at John Brown Shipyard, Clydebank, leaving Clydebank, 9 January 1920 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, UCS1/116/29/49)

The construction of Royal Navy Battlecruiser HMS Hood at John Brown Shipyard, Clydebank, leaving Clydebank, 9 January 1920 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, UCS1/116/29/49)

Image Gallery Reference: AAA01940

Photograph of the View looking down towards the bow of the deck showing guide rails for the turrets being fitted on the Royal Navy battlecruiser HMS Tiger under construction at John Brown & Co. shipyard, Clydebank, 5 December 1913 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland,UCS1/116/10/49)

The view looking down towards the stern of the deck showing guide rails for the turrets being fitted on the Royal Navy battlecruiser HMS Tiger under construction at John Brown & Co. shipyard, Clydebank, 5 December 1913 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, UCS1/116/10/49)

Image Gallery Reference: AAA02484

Photograph documenting the construction of the RMS Queen Elizabeth at John Brown Ship yard, Clydebank, 17 March 1938 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, UCS1/116/59/1)

The construction of the RMS Queen Elizabeth at John Brown Ship yard, Clydebank, 17 March 1938 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, UCS1/116/59/1)

Image Gallery Reference: AAA02606

Photograph documenting the construction of the RMS Queen Elizabeth at John Brown Ship yard, Clydebank - night time construction, 20 June 1938 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, UCS1/116/59/47)

The construction of the RMS Queen Elizabeth at John Brown Ship yard, Clydebank, 20 June 1938 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, UCS1/116/59/47)

Image Gallery Reference: AAA02650

Photograph of the view of the Royal Navy Renown-Class battlecruiser HMS Repulse in the fitting out basin at John Brown & Co. shipyard, Clydebank looking aft from the starboard side of the bow showing the forward turrets and conning tower, 14 April 1916 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, UCS1/116/20/pg22)

The view of the Royal Navy Renown-Class battlecruiser HMS Repulse in the fitting out basin at John Brown & Co. shipyard, Clydebank looking aft from the starboard side of the bow showing the forward turrets and conning tower, 14 April 1916 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, UCS1/116/20/pg22)

Image Gallery Reference: AAA03127

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Find our more about shipbuilding records or see images of HMS Inflexible and read about its role in the Battle of the Falkland Islands 1914.