Alexander Stephen and Sons facts for kids

Alexander Stephen and Sons Limited, often called Alex Stephens or just Stephens, was a famous Scottish company that built many ships. It was based in Linthouse, Glasgow, on the River Clyde in Scotland. The company also had shipyards on the east coast of Scotland in its early days. For over 200 years, they built all sorts of ships, from passenger liners to warships.

History of the Shipyard

The red brick former offices of Alexander Stephen and Sons are now used as commercial offices.

The grave of Alexander Stephen (1832–1899) and his family in Glasgow Necropolis.

The story of Alexander Stephen and Sons began in 1750. That's when Alexander Stephen (1722–1793) started building ships in a place called Burghead on the Moray Firth.

Later, in 1793, his descendant William Stephen (1759–1838) opened another shipbuilding business in Footdee, Aberdeen. In 1813, another family member, also named William (1789–1829), began building ships in Arbroath.

A third generation family member, Alexander Stephen (1795–1875), brought the Aberdeen and Arbroath businesses together in 1828. He closed the Aberdeen yard in 1829. Then, in 1842, he moved the main production to the Panmure yard in Dundee.

In 1850, Alexander Stephen leased a shipyard in Kelvinhaugh, Glasgow. This yard is now where Yorkhill Quay is located. The Arbroath yard finally closed in 1857.

Because the Kelvinhaugh yard was too small and the lease was ending, the Glasgow business moved to a new, larger site in Linthouse in 1870. The Dundee shipyard was sold to another company in 1893.

A very sad event happened in 1883. A steamer ship called the Daphne flipped over after it was launched from the Linthouse yard. Tragically, 124 workers lost their lives in this accident.

In 1968, Alexander Stephen and Sons became part of a larger group called Upper Clyde Shipbuilders. The company closed down after this group faced problems in 1971. However, the parts of Alexander Stephen & Sons that focused on engineering and ship repair continued until 1976. The company officially closed for good in 1982.

The ship repair business was located at the Govan Graving Docks [de], which the company had bought in 1967.

We don't know about the very first ships built by the company. But we do know about the last 153 ships built on the East Coast. On the River Clyde, the company built 697 ships. Of these, 147 were built at the Kelvinhaugh shipyard, and the rest were built at Linthouse.

The famous comedian Billy Connolly actually worked at Stephens shipyard as a boilermaker when he was younger. In 1992, he visited the site of the shipyard, which had been taken down. He shared how much the place meant to him, saying it was a "hive of activity" where he learned a lot about people and Glasgow humor.

Today, part of the old shipyard site is used by a company called Thales Optronics. The former main office building has been turned into offices for rent. The old Engine Shop, which is a special historic building, was saved by the Scottish Maritime Museum in 1991 and rebuilt at their site in Irvine.

Notable Ships Built

Alexander Stephen and Sons built many different types of ships over the years. These included passenger ships, cargo vessels, and warships for navies around the world.

Some of the interesting ships they built include:

• The CSS Shenandoah, launched in 1863. It was first a fast merchant ship, but later became a famous Confederate cruiser during the American Civil War.
• The luxurious passenger liner RMS Viceroy of India, launched in 1929.
• The aircraft carrier HMS Ocean, launched in 1945. This was an important warship for the Royal Navy.
• The passenger vessel MV Princess of Vancouver, launched in 1955.

The University of Glasgow Archives has many records and plans for ships built by Alexander Stephen.

See Also

• Upper Clyde Shipbuilders

Images for kids

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  MV Princess of Vancouver, launched 1955