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In 1828 Robert Napier expanded his operations to the nearby Vulcan
Foundry re-equipping it, two years later handing over Camlachie to one of his brothers. Eight years later he leased (then in 1841 he bought) his cousin David Napier's Lancefield Quay Foundry and Docks on the north side of the Clyde.
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to the
Admiralty's specification. Father and sons failed to agree on the business's future. In 1871 there was a forced sale of Parkhead Forge and then Robert Napier was persuaded to enter full retirement and the brothers were able to achieve financial stability.
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After Robert Napier's death in 1876 the plant and goodwill were sold by auction in March 1877 and purchased by a group of engineers led by the previous manager, A C Kirk. It continued to build ships and engines until 1900 when it was incorporated in
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The whole Clyde, every engineer and shipbuilder in it, was considered to have benefitted from the firm's achievements and celebrity. By the 1840s it was universally recognised as the finest in
Britain. Many firms were founded by former employees.
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their own iron-hulled vessels, river-steamers at first, instead of contracting out for the supply of wooden hulls. Parkhead Forge was bought in 1848 to supply wrought iron plates and forgings. Steel hulls were introduced in the early 1880s.
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of
Greenock. In 1850 Napier's began to build iron-hulled river steamers then deep sea vessels and in 1852 launched a screw steamship for the Peninsular and Oriental Steamship Company.
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in 1826 and four years later for the vessels of the
Glasgow Steam Packet Company. In 1834 they won the contract to supply engines to the Dundee and London Shipping Company.
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Between 1843 and 1864 the firm built 114 vessels and by 1864 employed more than 3,000 men. The yard built the first Cunard Line ships and later added many more.
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James Napier took over active management of Napier's after his father nominally retired in 1852 but left it to younger brother John in 1857. Elder brother
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with a three crank triple expansion engine and delivered in 1881. It was designed for the
Australia trade passing through the Suez canal.
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in 1823. David Elder designed many of his engines. Contracts were won for the supply of engines to a steamer called
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in 1826. It was moved to Govan for more space in 1841. His sons James and John were taken into partnership in 1853.
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was one of the most distinguished marine engineers of his time. However Napier's began to lose its technical lead.
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These ships were all armour-clad with a tonnage of 26,938 tons and the engines together represent 5,450 horsepower
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The
History of the Indian Navy (1613–1863), Bentley, London, 1877 reprinted by Cambridge University Press 2012,
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Engines for a further 52 vessels were supplied to the Royal Navy as well as for the vessels listed below
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110:). They made city water pipes then a stationary engine. They built Napier's first marine engine for
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was the prototype of thousands of triple expansion engines constructed in the following decades.
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The Trust's database of Clyde-built ships lists 256 vessels built by Robert Napier and Sons.
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1852, the Navy's largest warship (her Napier engines were transferred from the frigate
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Financial difficulties arose in 1859 brought on by difficulties in constructing HMS
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Alexander
Carnegie Kirk born Barry, Forfarshire 1830, died Glasgow 5 October 1892
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596:, Seaforth, 2010 in association with The Royal Institution of Naval Architects.
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to the Allan Line. It was the first steel-hulled vessel to cross the
Atlantic.
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229:) firing a gun salute in Portsmouth Harbour during her time as flagship there.
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had an iron hull. Sold to Turkey in 1906 it was eventually scrapped in 1919.
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From 1842 Robert Napier and Son built at a new yard across the Clyde at
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set himself up in his own smith business in
Glasgow's Greyfriars Wynd
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Two ships, monitor Tijger (1868) and coast defence ship Buffel (1868)
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After Robert Napier's death new partners led by marine engineer
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Between 1840 and 1855 Napier's supplied engines for the entire
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was built for the Japanese government as a lighthouse tender.
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Ships and Shipbuilders: Pioneers of Design and Construction
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Engines were "extensively" employed by private shipowners
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paddle fleet, the timber hulls were made for Napier's by
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Three of 4,000 tons each with engines of 400 horsepower
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In 1800 Glasgow had no shipbuilding firms. Aged 23,
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102:foundry and works and for his works manager chose
614:A Short History of Naval and Marine Engineering
240:Engines were supplied to 29 foreign governments
840:Manufacturing companies disestablished in 1900
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576:Michael S. Moss, Napier, Robert (1791–1876)
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835:Manufacturing companies established in 1826
870:Engine manufacturers of the United Kingdom
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616:, Cambridge University Press, 1938. 2013
261:Ships built for the Royal Navy included:
890:British companies disestablished in 1900
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578:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
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825:Companies based in West Dunbartonshire
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94:In 1821 he took over his first cousin
860:British companies established in 1826
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46:shipbuilders and marine engineers at
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26:engine designed by Napier, from PS
850:1900 disestablishments in Scotland
666:Caledonian Maritime Research Trust
465:Caledonian Maritime Research Trust
324:One turret ship, Rolf Krake (1863)
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494:Manchester University Press 1996
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427:the previous manager, built for
845:1826 establishments in Scotland
580:, Oxford University Press, 2004
106:(1795–1866) (in 1824 father of
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865:1900 mergers and acquisitions
855:Defunct companies of Scotland
68:William Beardmore and Company
490:ed. W H Fraser and I Maver.
450:In late 1881 they delivered
820:Marine engine manufacturers
523:The late Mr Robert Napier.
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885:Companies based in Glasgow
30:(1823), on display at the
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32:Scottish Maritime Museum
211:Naval engines and ships
167:Hulls of Iron and Steel
125:There in 1836 he built
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492:Glasgow: 1830 to 1912
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133:John Wood and Company
42:was a famous firm of
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550:Charles Rathbone Low
408:New partnership 1877
192:of Port Glasgow and
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96:David Napier
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34:in Dumbarton
27:
15:
830:River Clyde
319:Danish Navy
309:Northampton
186:Cunard Line
104:David Elder
54:founded by
809:Categories
779:John Brown
500:0719036925
473:References
446:Innovation
388:Management
380:Meiji Maru
295:Invincible
245:Royal Navy
108:John Elder
84:Gallowgate
74:Beginnings
24:side-lever
789:Beardmore
764:Henderson
739:Fairfield
631:Footnotes
288:Audacious
220:HMS
201:RMS
190:John Wood
157:Stromboli
155:HMS
148:HMS
141:HMS
100:Camlachie
86:in 1815.
880:Parkhead
734:Stephens
724:Lithgows
719:Ferguson
459:Aberdeen
452:Parisian
440:Aberdeen
435:Aberdeen
433:SS
418:Aberdeen
355:Orhaniye
341:Osmaniye
150:Vesuvius
128:Berenice
784:Lobnitz
754:Connell
744:H&W
425:Dr Kirk
348:Aziziye
302:Hotspur
137:Zenobia
116:Eclipse
90:Engines
52:Glasgow
38:Messrs
769:Inglis
749:Yarrow
729:Scotts
643:define
620:
600:
558:
498:
281:Hector
267:Erebus
227:Simoon
203:Persia
180:Cunard
22:Early
875:Govan
794:Seath
774:Denny
703:Clyde
173:Govan
143:Akbar
112:Leven
48:Govan
44:Clyde
28:Leven
618:ISBN
598:ISBN
556:ISBN
496:ISBN
253:HMS
416:SS
377:SS
98:'s
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585:^
567:^
552:,
532:^
506:^
481:^
160:.
70:.
50:,
694:e
687:t
680:v
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