1857.E2.80.931912 Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company

map circa 1872, showing victoria docks, royal victoria dock, bow creek , thames ironworks , shipbuilding company

the company s chief creditors moved keep company in operation, , 2 employees, joseph westwood , robert baillie appointed works managers. main figure in saving company peter rolt, mare s father-in-law , conservative mp greenwich. rolt timber merchant , descendant of pett shipbuilding family. supported in venture company director, lord alan spencer-churchill.

rolt took control of company s assets , in 1857 transferred them new limited company, named thames ironworks , shipbuilding , engineering company ltd.. had capital of £100,000 in 20 shares of £5000 each, 5 of held rolt main shareholder , chairman of board.

the new company largest shipbuilder on thames, premises described mechanics magazine in 1861 leviathan workshops . large scale ordnance survey maps of 1860s show yard occupying large triangular site in right-angled bend on east bank of bow creek railway thames wharf on third side, , smaller site on west bank. main yard had quay 1,050 feet (320m) long. south-east yard occupied north bank of thames east of bow creek, 2 slips giving direct access main river. today site crossed a1020 lower lea crossing , docklands light railway south of canning town station.

by 1863 company had capacity build 25,000 tons of warships , 10,000 tons of mail steamers simultaneously. 1 of first admiralty contracts hms warrior, launched in 1860, @ time world s largest warship , first iron-hulled armoured frigate. hms minotaur followed in 1863, 400 feet (120 m) long , 10,690 tons displacement.

work on vessels such minotaur performed on canning town side of lea, , thames ironworks expanded less 10 acres (4.0 ha) in 1856 30 acres (12 ha) 1891. while old site @ orchard place still company s official address until 1909, presence there minimal, late 1860s company having 5 acres (2.0 ha) site there.

general shipbuilding on thames came under great pressure due cost advantages of northern yards closer supplies of coal , iron, , many yards closed following 1866 financial crisis. of survivors, thames ironworks specialised in warships , liners.

stern view of hms sans pareil ready launching

following success of hms warrior , hms minotaur, orders placed navies on world, , vessels built denmark, greece, portugal, russia, spain , ottoman empire. yard built prussian navy s first iron-hulled warship, sms könig wilhelm in 1868 , cruiser afonso de albuquerque portugal in 1884.

in 1890s philanthropist arnold hills became managing director. had joined board of directors in 1880 @ age of 23. hills 1 of first business directors voluntarily introduce eight-hour day workers @ time when 10- , 12-hour shifts more common in industrial work.

in 1895 hills helped set football club works employees, thames ironworks f.c. , within first 2 years had entered fa cup , london league. result of committee s desire employ professional players, thames ironworks f.c. wound in june 1900 , west ham united f.c. formed month later.

merged engine builder john penn , sons in 1899 thames iron works, shipbuilding , engineering co.

during lifetime yard produced 144 warships , numerous other vessels. in 1911 hills petitioned winston churchill, first lord of admiralty, regarding lack of new orders. unsuccessful, , yard forced shut in 1912. within 2 years united kingdom @ war german empire, yard s last major ship taking part in battle of jutland.