“Shipbuilders to the World” Harland and Wolff Installation is what they were. This place echoes with stories of maritime innovation. Harland and Wolff is a name synonymous with shipbuilding. The London site played a crucial role in the company’s history.
Did you know Harland and Wolff was not just a Belfast story? It had a significant presence right here in London. From the 1920s to the 1970s Harland and Wolff operated several sites in London’s docks. They built smaller vessels and repaired ships.
Harland and Wolff’s story began in 1861. Edward James Harland and Gustav Wilhelm Wolff founded it. Harland bought a small shipyard in Belfast. Wolff joined him as a partner. The company quickly gained prominence.
Harland and Wolff became famous for building ocean liners. They constructed most of the White Star Line ships. This included the Olympic-class trio. There was the RMS Olympic, RMS Titanic, and HMHS Britannic. Beyond the White Star Line they built HMS Belfast.
Harland and Wolff expanded its operations beyond Belfast. In 1911 they acquired a shipyard on the River Clyde in Glasgow. Around that time they opened ship repair yards around the United Kingdom. There were sites at Liverpool and Southampton.
London was Britain’s largest commercial port. A series of major docks were created either side of the river. Harland and Wolff seized the opportunity. They created ship-repair facilities at the new dock. This was at North Woolwich connected to the Royal Albert Dock.
The North Woolwich yard became the largest in London. Six other Harland and Wolff repair yards were dotted along the Thames. These were at London Docks, Surrey Docks, Millwall Docks, King George Dock and Tilbury. The machine shop could produce long shafting. It could produce crank shafts. There were workshops for upholstery and sail making. There was boiler making and a foundry.
Harland and Wolff built vessels for the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company. These were the Small Woolwich class and the Big Woolwich class. They built steam ships and working boats. The yard also worked on refits for major vessels including warships.
One of the last vessels built by Harland and Wolff here was the Blue Circle. It was a bulk cement carrier launched in 1971. This 1000-ton vessel was built for Associated Portland Cement Manufacturers Ltd.
Today only a remnant remains of Harland and Wolff. It is the original ornamental wrought iron gates. They were installed in Lyle Park in 1994 as a decorative feature. Harland and Wolff on the Thames is part of London’s rich maritime past. It is a testament to the city’s importance in global shipbuilding.