The Guardships of the Royal Navy, lying off the Tail-of-the-Bank and Greenock, were a constant reminder of Britannia’s role in ruling the waves. These Guardships, found in most ports and important estuaries, were generally part of the reserve fleet, but maintained with a crew, and able to join the Home Fleet on a few hours’ notice. They participated in exercises and gunnery practice, and underwent a regular schedule of refitting and maintenance.
The ships that served on the Clyde became the object of interest of the local populace, and their comings and goings were followed in the newspapers. In the early 1870s, H.M.S. Aurora was the Guardship. She was a wooden screw frigate, and was replaced about 1875 by the Ironclad, HMS Iron Duke.
Boys from the C.T.S. Cumberland on H.M.S Aurora
The ironclads, H.M.S Hercules, H.M.S Warrior, and H.M.S. Shannon, followed, into the early 1880s.
H.M.S Warrior with an Anchor Liner in the background
After H.M.S. Shannon, the Guardships were early vessels equipped with gun-turrets. H.M.S. Neptune, followed by H.M.S. Ajax, that gained notoriety as a result of her bombardment of Innellan.
H.M.S Ajax
“Departure of H.M.S. Ajax from the Clyde.—Alarming incident at Innellan.—Shortly before ten o’clock yesterday morning, H.M.S. Ajax, guardship at the Tail of the Bank, under command of Captain Durant, left the anchorage off Greenock, en route for Chatham, where she will undergo extensive alterations regarding torpedo boats, guns, rudder, &c., and will therefore join the Channel Squadron previous to returning to Greenock, probably towards the end of summer. It was arranged that on the way round the crew should be practised at the big guns, the usual quarterly ammunition failing to be fired before the 1st of March. The armament of the Ajax, as is well known, is the heaviest used on board many of the first-class ships in H.M. Navy. The projectiles discharged therefrom carry from seven to eight miles, and they weigh from 100 lb. to 120 lb. each. Hitherto the gun practice of the Ajax since coming to the Clyde has been carried on outside the Cumbrae Heads, the great range of the guns necessitating the utmost care being taken in order to prevent damage being done to property. It would appear, however, that yesterday this necessary precaution had not been adopted, for on the ironclad reaching Wemyss Bay about 10.30 o’clock fire was opened from one of her six-inch guns on the starboard side, the shot therefrom landing in the grounds of Ashgrove House, which is situated on the hill below in Innellan Pier, and occupied by Mr. George W. Paton, sugar merchant, Greenock. Mrs Paton and a servant, besides a jobbing plumber, were in the house at the time. Great destruction was done to the property, the house ornamental grounds, and conservatory being completely wrecked, while the shot lies buried about eight feet in the ground. Mrs Paton fortunately he escaped uninjured, but the plumber was somewhat seriously injured, and the girl got some damage to one of her hands. The greenhouse at Ashgrove which was newly erected, was entirely wrecked, while the house itself was damaged to an extent which has rendered it uninhabitable. The shot landing in the grounds tore up the earth to a depth of six or seven feet, and some large old trees were carried away. A quantity of earth and stones estimated to weigh about two tons was raised and landed on the roof of the house, which is bulged in. In the drawing-room a large stone came right through the window and passed out at the other side. The rhones and drains are also wrecked. Mr. Paton, who was at his business in Greenock at the time of the occurrence, and who at once returned home on learning of it, says that on reaching Innellan, he found his wife and the other occupants of the house in a state of great alarm. Throughout the village also the greatest excitement prevailed, as the Ajax continued to fire two more guns, but fortunately the projectiles went seaward and did no damage. The Ajax is due at Sheerness on Monday night.”—Glasgow Weekly Herald, February 19, 1887
In the early 1890s, the Guardship was H.M.S. Superb, and in 1894, she was replaced by H.M.S. Benbow.
H.M.S Benbow
Visits by the Channel Fleet were also regular occurrences, flying the flag around the ports.
In September 1887, there was a visit by the Channel Squadron. The Capital ships were the flagship, H.M.S. Minotaur, H.M.S. Sultan, H.M.S. Monarch, H.M.S. Agincourt, and H.M.S. Curlew.
H.M.S Agincourt
“The whole of the Fleet at the Tail-of-the-Bank were thrown open yesterday to the public from ten o’clock in the forenoon till half-past six o’clock in the evening. Better weather for visiting the vessels could hardly have been desired, and the various steamers engaged in conveying passengers to and from the Fleet were well patronised during the day. As on former occasions, the bulk of the traffic was at Princes Pier, where the crowd at times was large. A considerable number arrived from Glasgow by train, but anything like real bustle about the quays is not expected before Saturday afternoon, when the working-classes will then doubtless avail themselves of the opportunity of visiting the warships. The facilities for visiting the squadron are, however, most ample, and there is no risk of people being disappointed in getting on board. The Admiral’s ship, the Minotaur, was greatly run upon, and the courtesy and kindness with which the visitors are received on this and the other vessels makes the visit both pleasant and profitable. One or two of the river steamers yesterday sustained some damage to their topmasts when going alongside of the ironclads, but nothing of a serious kind took place. Large numbers of liberty men thronged the streets last night, and the conduct of both seamen and marines was very orderly. The following are the steamers plying today to and from the Fleet from the undernoted piers: Customhouse Quay: Windsor Castle, Admiral, Athole, Vanguard, Elaine, Athole, Madge Wildfire, Princes Pier: Sultan, Cumbrae, Marquis of Bute, Vivid, Victoria, Samson, Meg Merrilees.”—Greenock Telegraph, September 14, 1887
H.M.S. Sultan, and other members of the Channel Squadron off the Tail-of-the-Bank. The Great Eastern had arrived in July. And spent some months on the Clyde.
In May 1896, there was a brief visit by the battleships H.M.S. Majestic, H.M.S. Magnificent, H.M.S. Royal Sovereign, H.M.S. Repulse, H.M.S. Resolution, H.M.S. Empress of India, and the cruisers, H.M.S. Blake, H.M.S. Bellona, and the gunboat H.M.S. Halcyon. The torpedo-boat destroyers H.M.S. Lightning, H.M.S. Surly, H.M.S. Decoy, H.M.S. Sunfish, H.M.S. Hardy, and H.M.S. Sturgeon were also with the fleet.
H.M.S. Royal Sovereign with MacBrayne’s Hero. With the extensive spars on the masts of the warships, it is easy to see how a visiting steamer might have her masts damaged.
In September 1898, there was a visit from five members of the Coastguard Squadron—H.M.S. Nile, H.M.S. Trafalgar, H.M.S. Sans Pareil, H.M.S. Thunderer, and the dispatch vessel, H.M.S. Spanker.
H.M.S. Nile with a provisioning puffer from Greenock.
While these activities were taking place in the Clyde Estuary, in the upper reaches of the river, there were steady advances being made in building the front lines of Britain’s Naval Bulwark.
The book, “Warshipbuilding on the Clyde,” by Hugh B. Peebles, (John Donald, Edinburgh, 1987) is one that has helped me understand the ups and downs of shipbuilding on the Clyde. It is a bit of an academic study, and does not seem to have been very popular—I picked up my copy in a pile remaindered in a bookshop in Chicago—possibly because it lacks the illustrations one might expect when dealing with a topic where “Clydebuilt” is the standard of good design and high quality acclaimed throughout the world. It details the development of the industry from the middle of the 1800s until the beginning of the second world war—the heyday of the Clyde—in rather stark economic terms, concentrates on just eight of the major shipyards that produced the bulk of the naval orders, and weaves them into a fabric that includes the major commercial shipping ties as well. I found it very readable, and will attempt to follow some themes of the book with photographic material that I have in my collection.
In the mid-Victorian period, the yard of Robert Napier & Sons developed a pre-eminent reputation for iron shipbuilding, in connection with the Cunard Company’s Arabia, Persia and Scotia. When the Admiralty ventured beyond the Naval Dockyards for construction of new capital ships, the Napier yard was an obvious choice, and the first illustration is the 7630 ton, armoured cruiser, H.M.S. Northampton, laid down in 1874, just two years before Robert Napier’s death. She was commissioned in 1878.
H.M.S. Northampton, ready for launch in November 1876. Messrs Napier were responsible for the construction of the hull.
H.M.S. Northampton served as flagship of the West Indies station and was placed in reserve in 1886. After a spell as a training ship, she was refitted for a recruiting cruise around the west coast of Britain. She was broken up in 1905.
H.M.S. Northampton on a recruiting cruise at Campbeltown in 1901.
H.M.S. Northampton dressed overall at Campbeltown with Queen Alexandra in 1902
John Elder, manager of the drawing office in Napier’s joined with Charles Randolph in 1852 to form Messrs Randolph & Elder, marine engineers. They acquired a green-field site at Fairfield in 1864 laid out a new shipyard, completed in 1871. John Elder died in 1869, but with John Ure, J. L. Jamieson manager of the Engine works, and William Pierce, former manager of Robert Napier & Sons, as the new partners, the Company continued as Messrs John Elder & Company. They constructed several Naval vessels, including the engines for H.M.S. Inflexible. In 1886, the firm became a limited liability company, Fairfield.
H.M.S. Inflexible
The 1889 Navy Defence Act ushered in new opportunities for warship building in Clyde shipyards, and it became more common for shipyards to be awarded contracts for the hull and engines combined.
H.M.S. Gibraltar, a 7,700 ton, Edgar-class protected cruiser, was another product of Messrs Napier’s yard, laid down in December 1889, and launched in 1892. She was commissioned in 1894, and served mainly overseas in African waters. In the first world war, she was depot ship for the Northern Patrol, based in Shetland. She was broken up in 1923.
H.M.S. Gibraltar
The London & Glasgow Engineering and Iron Shipbuilding Company was formed in 1864 with capital from London, and the Glasgow engineer James Rodger, and occupied premises in Govan, adjacent to the Napier yard. In September 1889, they laid down the 3,600 ton Apollo-class cruiser, Indefatigable, one of six allotted to shipyards on the Clyde; three to the London & Glasgow, and three to Messrs J. & G. Thomson, Clydebank.
After commissioning in 1892, H.M.S. Indefatigable served in the North American and West Indies station. She was renamed H.M.S. Melpomene in 1910, and scrapped in 1913.
The firm of Messrs J. & G. Thomson was formed by two brothers who had been engineers with Messrs Robert Napier & Sons, and began shipbuilding at Cessnock in 1851. Work on broadening the Clyde forced a move to Clydebank in 1871. In 1899, the yard was taken over by Messrs John Brown & Company, the Sheffield steelmakers.
The Powerful-class protected cruiser, H.M.S. Terrible, at 14,200 tons, was laid down by Messrs J. & G. Thomson, Clydebank, in February 1894, and launched on 27th May, 1895.
“Yesterday afternoon H.M.S. Terrible was successfully launched by Messrs James & George Thomson (Limited) from their shipbuilding yard at Clydebank. There was an unprecedentedly large number of spectators. Lady Overtoun performed the “christening” ceremony. At the luncheon which followed Mr Janes Dunn, one of the chief constructors for the Admiralty, in replying to the toast of “Success to the Terrible,” said they had that day witnessed the launch of the biggest and most powerful cruiser ever built for any nation. She was fully 100 feet longer than the largest warship built for the British Navy, and would have a very heavy armament. There was every prospect of the Terrible being completed and able to take her place in line of battle months before the expiration of the contract date; and the breaking of the record was due to the foresighted policy, judgment, and skill of the builders. In replying for the builders, Mr James Thomson said the Terrible was a new departure, being built on the lines of large Atlantic liners, and very much after the Paris and New York, and he had no doubt that the Terrible would roam the seas at a speed which was never anticipated before in a cruiser.”—Glasgow Herald, May 28, 1895
Crowds assembled across the River Clyde awaiting the launch of H.M.S. Terrible from the Clydebank yard
Activity in the river awaiting the launch of H.M.S. Terrible
In this close-up of the previous photograph, the launch boat with the banner ‘Launch’ is seen to the left of the scene. Two steamers, Isle of Arran, and Edinburgh Castle ran sailings from the Broomielaw to view the launch. The Edinburgh Castle can be seen on the left at the fitting-out basin.
H.M.S. Terrible leaves the ways.
H.M.S. Terrible under the control of tugs
After completion in 1894, the H.M.S. Terrible was used in the South African campaign and in the Boxer Rebellion in China. She was placed in the reserve fleet in 1904, and served as a depot ship in the first world war, before being sold for scrap in 1932.
H.M.S. Terrible on trials on the Clyde (Adamson)
H. M. S. Terrible (Robertson)
The Fairfield yard was allocated two Highflyer-class cruisers, H.M.S. Hermes, and H.M.S. Highflyer, while the London & Glasgow obtained the order for the H.M.S. Hyacinth. The H.M.S. Hermes was laid down in April 1897, and launched a year later.
“Launch of Clyde-built Cruiser.—The second-class protected cruiser Hermes which has been built by the Fairfield Shipbuilding Company for the British Government, was launched at Govan yesterday. The Hermes, which has a displacement 5,600 tons, is 360 feet long and 54 feet broad, and has been specially constructed for foreign service and long cruises. She is built of Siemens-Martins steel, and her hull has been sub-divided by longitudinal and transverse bulkheads, the shutting off of which is entirely controlled from the main deck. She has a powerful ram, and arrangements have been made to secure steadiness for gunfire. She will have a crew of five hundred men, and will carry eleven 6-inch 12-pounder quick-firing marine guns, all fully protected. There are two submerged torpedo tubes. The Hermes, which will have a speed of twenty knots, was christened in pouring rain by Lady Kelvin.”—Greenock Telegraph, April 8, 1898
H.M.S Hermes dressed for her launch at Fairfield
Final instructions for the launch
H.M.S. Hermes leaving the ways
H. M. S. Hermes afloat
H.M.S. Highflyer was launched from the same yard two months later
H.M.S. Highflyer in her native element
H.M.S. Highflyer launched in the Clyde
H. M. S. Hermes
After commissioning, H.M.S. Hermes sailed to the Bahamas and West Indies but had mechanical difficulties and had to return to Britain to have her boilers replaced. She then served on the east coast of Africa until 1913 when she returned to home waters and was converted as a seaplane carrier. During the first world war, she was ferrying aircraft and stores to France when she was torpedoed by on 31st October, 1914 in the Straits of Dover, with the loss of 21 of her crew.
Armoured cruisers became somewhat of a specialty on the Clyde during this period. The Fairfield yard laid down the 12,000 ton Cressy class cruisers H.M.S Cressy and H.M.S Aboukir in October and November 1898. The Clydebank yard also received orders for Cressy class cruisers, H.M.S. Sutlej, and H.M.S. Bacchante.
H.M.S Aboukir
H.M.S. Aboukir
After commissioning in 1902, H.M.S. Aboukir joined the Mediterranean Fleet until placed in reserve 1912. During the first world war, she took part in the action at Heligoland Bight. Later, on September 1914, she was torpedoed and sunk by U-9 in the North Sea off Harwich, with great loss of life.
“Launch of an armoured cruiser.—The Fairfield Shipbuilding Company this afternoon launched the first-class armoured cruiser Aboukir for the British Government. She is of the Creasy type, and an improvement the Diadem class. Her dimensions are: length, 440 feet by 69½ feet, with 12,000 tons displacement. The engines will develop 21,000 horse-power, giving 21 knots per hour. Her armour is six inches thick, and steam will be supplied by thirty water-tube Belleville boilers in four groups. Her armarment consists of two 9.2-inch guns, twelve 6-inch, and seventeen smaller quick-firing guns. The complement of crew is 750. Mrs Digby Morant performed the christening ceremony”—Greenock Telegraph, May 16, 1900
The larger Drake-class cruisers H.M.S. Good Hope for Fairfield and H.M.S. Leviathan for Clydebank, were laid down in September and November 1899 respectively.
“Launch of two warships on the Clyde.—For the first time in the history of Clyde shipbuilding, two cruisers for the British navy were launched on the Clyde yesterday afternoon. At the same hour the Fairfield Company launched the first-class cruiser Good Hope, and Messrs John Brown & Company the new armoured cruiser of the Cressy type named Bacchante. There was no ceremony at either launch. The Good Hope is the first the Drake class be launched. Her tonnage is 14,100 tons and horse-power 30,000. Mrs Chamberlain, wife the Colonial Secretary, was to have performed the launching ceremony of the Good Hope, but the death the Queen altered circumstances, and the sending off was unofficial. The Good Hope, which is one of the heaviest warships of the cruiser class in the world, will steam twenty-three knots, and her armament consists two 9.2 breech-loading guns, sixteen six-inch guns, fourteen twelve pounders, and nine Maxims.
“In the case of the Bacchante, Messrs Brown, following their usual custom, dispensed with ceremony. The vessel’s displacement is 12,000 tons, her indicated horse-power being 21,000, and speed 21 knots. Her main armament will embrace one 9.2-inch gun, a 22-ton gun firing ahead and one firing astern, with twelve 6-inch quick-firing guns, twelve 12-pounder and usual complement machine guns.”—Greenock Telegraph, February 22, 1901
H.M.S. Good Hope
H.M.S Good Hope in Rothesay Bay with a visit from Duchess of York
H.M.S. Good Hope
After commissioning, H.M.S Good Hope was flagship of the Cruiser Squadron of the Atlantic Fleet, before being placed in the reserve in 1913. During the first world war, she was employed off the South American coast, and was sunk off Coronel, Chile, by a superior German force, with all hands on November 1, 1914
Orders for 9,800 ton Monmouth-class armoured cruisers were placed with the Fairfield and London & Glasgow yards in 1899 and 1900. H.M.S. Bedford and H.M.S. Donegal with Fairfield, and H.M.S. Monmouth and H.M.S. Cumberland with the London & Glasgow. The Beardmore yard also received an order for the hull of H.M.S. Berwick.
H.M.S Donegal had various postings but in the first world war was used mainly for convoy escort duties. She was sold for scrap in 1920.
“Launch of a cruiser at Govan.—The first-class cruiser Cumberland was launched yesterday afternoon from the yard of the London & Glasgow Shipbuilding Co., Govan. The Cumberland has a length of 440 feet, a breadth of 56 feet, and depth of 24 feet 6 inches at load draught. The displacement is 9,800 tons, and the i.h.p. 22,000, the estimated speed being 23 knots. Her armament is of the most modern type. She is the fourth of the same class launched from the Govan yards, the Donegal from Fairfields, the Monmouth from the London & Glasgow Shipbuilding Coy.’s yard, and the Berwick from the adjoining yard of Messrs Beardmore & Co., being the others.”—Greenock Telegraph, December 17, 1902
Fitting out of H.M.S. Cumberland took two years
H.M.S. Cumberland became a landmark for steamers passing Govan
H.M.S. Cumberland
H.M.S. Cumberland
H.M.S. Cumberland was completed and commissioned two years later, in December 1904, and joined the Channel Fleet. She became a training ship in 1908, and captured ten German merchantmen just after the start of the first world war. Thereafter, she was on convoy duties and was sold for scrap in 1921.