Westwood, Baillie facts for kids
| Industry | Shipbuilding, Engineering |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1856 |
| Headquarters | London Yard, Cubitt Town, London, UK |
|
Key people
|
Joseph Westwood Robert Baillie |
| Products | Naval ships Tugs Bridges |
Westwood, Baillie and Co was an important engineering and shipbuilding company from the Victorian era. It was located at London Yard in Cubitt Town, London, in the United Kingdom.
The company started in 1856. It was founded by two men, Robert Baillie and Joseph Westwood. Before this, they had worked as managers at another shipyard called Ditchburn and Mares.
Around 1866, the company faced some money problems. This was partly because fewer people needed ships and engineering work at that time. During this tough period, Westwood and Baillie worked as managers for another company, the London Engineering & Iron Shipbuilding Company Ltd. They managed to get their company back in 1872.
Contents
Building Amazing Bridges and Ships
For most of its time, Westwood, Baillie and Co was known for building large iron and steel structures, especially for bridges. They built some truly impressive projects around the world.
Famous Bridges They Built
In 1887, the company built the huge metal parts for the Lansdowne Bridge. This bridge crosses the Indus River and was the longest bridge of its kind in the world at that time!
They also worked on smaller, but still important, projects. One example is a railway footbridge that you can still see today at Romford railway station. In 1879, they built special swing bridges for the Royal Albert Dock. These bridges could swing open to let ships pass through.
The company also helped build the Attock Khurd Bridge in 1880. This bridge is in what is now Pakistan and is still in great shape. It's a popular spot for tourists and people interested in history. Another railway footbridge they built can be found in Wymondham, Norfolk.
Ships and Other Structures
Westwood, Baillie and Co also built many ships. They were especially good at making strong tugboats. These powerful boats are used to pull or push other ships.
The End of the Company
The company closed down in 1893. A couple of years later, in 1895, Robert Baillie faced financial difficulties. Joseph Westwood, however, continued working in business. He started a new company called Joseph Westwood and Co at Napier Yard. You can find a large monument dedicated to him in Tower Hamlets Cemetery.
After Westwood, Baillie and Co closed, the London Yard where they worked was taken over by another famous shipbuilding company, Yarrows.
What Westwood, Baillie and Co Built
Here are some of the notable things this company constructed:
- Tugboat Powerful, built in 1857
- River Chenab Bridge in Chiniot District, Punjab, Pakistan
- Taptee Bridge in India, built in 1858
- HMS Resistance, a warship built in 1861
- HMS Valiant, another warship built in 1863 (finished by Thames Ironworks)
- Iron clipper ship Royal Edward, built in 1864
- Tugboats Robert Bruce (1865), Scotia (1874), and Granville (1876)
- Jervois Swing Bridge in Port Adelaide, South Australia, built in 1878
- Attock Bridge over the Indus River in Pakistan, built in 1880
- Colesberg Bridge over the Orange River in South Africa, built in 1885
- Barkly Bridge over the Vaal River in South Africa, built in 1885
- Colenso Bridge over the Tugela River in South Africa, built in 1879
- Lansdowne Bridge over the Indus River in Pakistan, built in 1887-88
- Motueka River (Kohatu) Bridge in New Zealand, built in 1888
- Puente ferroviario Birris over the Birris River in Costa Rica, built in 1889
- Tugboats Mabel (1890) and Donovan (1890)
