Records of Ailsa Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Troon, East Ayrshire, Scotland
- Reference:GB 248 GD 400
- Dates of Creation:1887-1986
- Name of Creator:
- Physical Description:21.7 metresNone 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.
Access Information
Requests for access for legal, business or commercial purposes must be referred to the Keepr of the Records of Scotland
Acquisition Information
National Archives of Scotland : 9 August 1984
Held under the charge and superintendence of the Keeper of the Records of Scotland
Addition deposit : Ferguson-Ailsa Ltd : 1986-1988
Private loan : 1992
Other Finding Aids
Manual file level list available in searchroom
Manual file level list available at the National Registers of Archives in Edinburgh (NRA(S)2512) and London (NRA18721).
Alternative Form Available
The Ailsa ship plans originaly held on aperture cards have now been digitised.
Conditions Governing Use
See separate copyright regulatations
Appraisal Information
This material has been appraised in line with National Archives of Scotland procedures
Custodial History
Records held by Appledore-Ferguson Ltd prior to their acquisition by the National Archives of Scotland
Accruals
Accruals possible
Related Material
See source list on Shipping and Shipbuilding Industry available via the Glasgow University Archive Services homepage
GB 248 GD 321 Records of Ferguson Brothers (Port Glasgow) Ltd
GB 1505 Ships plans 1887-1964 (Scottish Maritime Museum)
Bibliography
There are no known publications using this material
Additional Information
This material is original
Fonds level description compiled by Alison Jasper , Archives Assistant, 26 June 1998
Completed by Moira Rankin, Senior Archivist, August 1998
Updated by Jenny Bunn, Assistant Archivist, 10 April 2000
Updated by David Powell, Hub Project Archivist, 8 October 2001
Subjects
Corporate Names
Geographical Names
Troon, Scotland