Records of Ailsa Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Troon, East Ayrshire, Scotland

Reference
- GB 248 GD 400
Dates of Creation
- 1887-1986
Name of Creator
- Ailsa Shipbuilding Co Ltd (shipbuilders: 1901-1981: Troon, East Ayrshire, Scotland)
Physical Description
- 21.7 metres
  None which affect the use of this material

Scope and Content

Minute books 1901-1976
Board papers 1957-1965
Shareholding records 1901-1978
Financial records 1926-1942
Cost books 1910-1919, 1950-1964
Workmen's houses rent rolls 1925-1938
Valuation books 1906-1966
Salaries books 1909-1965
Letter books 1949-1971
Subject files 1918-1963
Agreements, specifications and guidence drawings for hulls nos. 472-524
Builder's certificates 1919-1957
Licensing records 1951-1961
Shareholding records, financial records and project subject files for Barclay & Company (Kilmarnock) Ltd 1933-1971
Company diaries 1887-1947
Data books 1887-1949
Particular books 1883-1910
Launcing particular books 1921-1953
Offsets from loft 1922-1968
Wood and spar books 1901-1910
Engineer's record book 1910-1982
Estimate books 1954-1980
Publicity material and press cuttings 1883-1986
Photographs 1940-1964
Instruction manuals 1891-1980

Administrative / Biographical History

The company was established in 1870 by the 3rd Marquess of Ailsa ( 1847-1938 ) as the Culzean Steam Launch and Yacht Works , Culzean, South Ayrshire, Scotland . From there it moved to Girvan, South Ayrshire , in 1883 and subsequently to Troon, South Ayrshire , in 1886 . The Troon yard had been established in 1810 by the 4th Duke of Portland . From 1886 , the company was known as Ailsa Shipbuilding & Engineering Co , taking its name from the Marquess of Ailsa who was a famous yachtsman and partner in the company and who designed and built many of his own yachts. The partnership was registered in 1901 as Ailsa Shipbuilding Co Ltd with the Marquess as Chairman.

In 1902 it took over the Ayr, South Ayrshire shipyard of S McKnight & Co Ltd which had been founded in 1883 . Activity in Ayr ceased after th first World War, but it was revived briefly from 1945 until 1947 when the yard was sold to Ayr Engineering & Construction Co Ltd . After the Marquess of Ailsa's death the company came under the control of the Hutchison family but was nationalised as part of British Shipbuilders in June 1978 and linked with Ferguson Brothers (Port Glasgow) Ltd as Ferguson-Ailsa Ltd . In 1986 the yard was purchased by Australian entrepreneur Greg Copley of the Perth Corporation . In 1991 the yard traded as Ailsa-Perth Shipbuilders Ltd , a subsidiary of Perth Corporation (Holdings) Ltd .

The company built many different kinds of vessels including cargo and passenger ships, paddle steamers, pleasure yachts, minesweepers, corvettes, frigates and other war ships, ferries, oil and petrol tankers and dredgers. In 1907 an engine shop for the manufacture of reciprocating steam engines enabled the company to be independent of outside engine builders and 200 sets of this kind of machinery were built. Later, the Ailsa Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd obtained a licence from William Doxford & Sons for the construction of opposed piston oil engines in order to meet tonnage demands. A subsidiary company Barclay & Co (Kilmarnock) Ltd , Kilmarnock, was, in 1967 , producing and marketing laminated plastic sheeting for use in the manufacture of table tops and other furniture.

Ritchie, L A (ed),The shipbuilding industry: A guide to historical records, (1992, Manchester)

Arrangement

This material is arranged into series, which consist of numbers of items related by function and/or format. With series, the items are generally arranged chronologically.