The firm was established in 1847 when James and George Thomson set up an engine and boiler works at Clyde Bank Foundry, Finneston, Glasgow, Scotland . Four years later they commenced shipbuilding with the establishment of the Clyde Bank Iron Shipyard at Cessnock Bank, Govan, Glasgow . In 1871 this yard moved to a greenfield site down river and in 1884 the engineering works also moved to this site, which had given its name to the burgh, which grew up around it, Clydebank. In 1890 the firm was incorporated as a limited liability company, James & George Thomson Ltd . It changed its name to the Clydebank Engineering & Shipbuilding Co Ltd in 1897 and two years later was taken over by John Brown & Co Ltd , steel manufacturers, Sheffield, England and was renamed John Brown Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd . The company had a long association with the Cunard company, building the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth in the 1930s .
With effect from 31 December 1953 a new subsidiary, John Brown & Co (Clydebank) Ltd was set up to operate the Clydebank works. The engineering side of the business was separated in 1963 with the creation of John Brown Engineering (Clydebank) Ltd and John Brown Shipbuilding (Clydebank) Ltd. In 1968 the shipyard became the Clydebank Division of Upper Clyde Shipbuilders Ltd , but following the recommendations of the Geddes Committee of Enquiry into the Shipbuilding Industry (1965). Following the collapse of Upper Clyde Shipbuiders in 1972 the yard was taken over by Marathon Shipbuilding Co (UK) Ltd for the building of oil rigs. In 1980 UIE Shipbuilding (Scotland) Ltd succeeded Marathon in the yard. The yard finally closed in 2000 and was scheduled for regeneration.
Ritchie, L A (ed), The shipbuilding industry: A guide to historical records , (1992, Manchester)
From the guide to the Records of Upper Clyde Shipbuilders Ltd, Clydebank Division, shipbuilders, Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, 1846-1973, (Glasgow University Archive Services)
