# Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Company

The Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Company, Limited was a major Scottish shipbuilding company based in Dundee, Scotland that traded for more than a century and built more than 500 ships.

## History

W.B. Thompson CBE (1837 - 1923) founded the Tay Foundry in 1866 and the WB Thompson Shipbuilding in 1874. In 1889 the company took over the Marine Engineering Works at Lilybank Foundry. In 1896 WB Thompson was restructured and the name changed to Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Company in honour of the founder's first customer, the Earl of Caledon.
In 1932 Caledon closed the Lilybank engine works. In 1968 Caledon merged with Henry Robb of Leith, forming Robb Caledon Shipbuilding Limited. The Caledon Shipyard built its last ships in 1980 and operations ceased there in 1981.
The Caledon yard built a total of 509 ships, plus 20 barges and 34 launches.
W.B. Thompson CBE and his wife Hannah Ogilvie (1836 - 1921) are interred at Western Cemetery, Dundee.
Victoria Drummond, the first woman marine engineer in the UK, completed her apprenticeship with Caledon.

## Ships built by Caledon

* Garthpool
* Lawhill
Ships built by Caledon include:

### Naval

| Aircraft carriers HMS Activity Royal Navy Frigates HMS Loch Lomond Royal Navy HMS Loch More Royal Navy HMS Loch Arkaig Royal Navy HMS Loch Tralaig Royal Navy a further ship of this class – HMS Loch Seaforth – was cancelled. Survey ships HMS Hecla Royal Navy HMS Herald Royal Navy | Corvettes HMS Carisbrooke Castle Royal Navy HMS Dumbarton Castle Royal Navy HMS Hurst Castle Royal Navy Landing ships HMS Glengyle Royal Navy Auxiliaries RFA Bacchus Royal Fleet Auxiliary RFA Gold Ranger Royal Fleet Auxiliary RFA Green Ranger Royal Fleet Auxiliary RFA Gray Ranger Royal Fleet Auxiliary |

### Merchant

| Yard No | Name | Type | Launch | Owner/Notes |
| 5 | Ilala | single screw iron steamship | 1874 | WB Thompson |
| 7 | Scotia | single screw iron steamship | 1875 | Dundee, Perth & London Shipping Co |
| 8 | Glentrum | single screw steamship | 1875 | James Mitchell |
| 11 | Astoria | sailing ship | 1876 | Joseph Gibson & Co |
| 14 | Ugarte No 1 | single screw iron steamship | 1876 | Ugarte Bros |
| 16 | Earlshall | iron barque | 1876 | Robertson Bros |
| 17 | Lintrathen | iron sailing barque | 1876 | Joseph Gibson & Co |
| 18 | Tulchan | iron sailing barque | 1876 | AM Banks & Co |
| 19 | Altona | single screw iron steamship | 1877 | Yorkshire Coal & Steam Shipping Co |
| 20 | Kaffrarian | steam paddle tug | 1877 | Kaffrarian Steam Landing & Shipping Co |
| 21 | Rosedale | twin screw iron steamship | 1877 | Gippsland SN Co |
| 22 | Glenisia | single screw iron steamship | 1878 | James Mitchell |
| 23 | Fairport | single screw iron coastal steamship | 1877 | John Smart Roy |
| 24 | Vesper | single screw iron steamship | 1878 | RA Mudie & sons |
| 25 | Marathon | single screw steamship | 1878 | D Scott & Son |
| 27 | Otto M'Combie | single screw iron steamship | 1879 | J M'Combie |
| 28 | Inchcape | single screw iron steam coaster | 1879 | JS Roy & David Linsay |
| 29 | Vasco da Gama | single screw iron steamship | 1879 | George MacAndrew |
| 30 | Coraki | twin screw shallow draught passenger steamship | 1879 | Clarence & Richmond SN Co |
| 31 | Dundee | single screw iron steamship | 1880 | RA Mudie & Sons |
| 32 | Garry | single screw iron steamship | 1880 | North Sea Steam Shipping Co |
| 33 | Countess of Cromertie | single screw steamship | 1880 | WB Thomson |
| 34 | Kenmore | single screw iron steamship | 1880 | Albany Shipping Co |
| 36 | Diamond | single screw iron steamship | 1881 | Dundee Gem Line SS Co |
| 37 | Opal | single screw iron steamship | 1881 | Dundee Gem Line SS Co |
| 38 | John Ray | single screw iron steamship | 1881 | MA Ray & Son |
| 40 | Coxhaven | single screw steamship | 1882 | Yorkshire Coal & Steam Shipping Co |
| 41 | Dundee | iron sailing ship | 1882 | Charles Barrie |
| 42 | Calabria | single screw iron steamship | 1883 | D Scott & Son |
| 43 | Goya | single screw iron steamship | 1882 | Miguel Saenz |
| 44 | Lista | single screw iron steamship | 1882 | Miguel Saenz |
| 43 | St Thomas | single screw steel steamship | 1882 | Arbroath & London SS Co |
| 47 | Lauderdale | single screw cargo steamship | 1882 | R Mackill & Co |
| 50 | Fushun | single screw steel steamship | 1883 | WB Thompson |
| 53 | Jasper | single screw steel steamship | 1883 | Dundee Gem Line SS Co |
| 56 | AD Bordes | four-masted sailing ship | 1884 | AD Bordes et Fils |
| 57 | Retriever | twin screw iron steam tug | 1884 | Retriever Steamship Co |
| 58 | Craig Burn | four-masted iron sailing ship | 1884 | R Shankland & Co |
| 59 | Dresden | single screw steel steamship | 1884 | Yorkshire Coal & Steam Shipping Co |
| 60 | Lanquedoc | iron passenger steamship | 1884 | SG de Transporte Marte de Vapeur |
| 62 | Firth of Stronsa | barque | 1885 | J Spencer & Co |
| 63 | Chili | iron barque | 1885 | AD Bordes et Fils |
| 64 | Firth of Solway | barque | 1885 | J Spencer & Co |
| 65 | Indra | iron twin screw steam tug | 1888 | Ganges Steam Towing Co |
| 68 | Avocet | single screw steel steamship | 1885 | Cork Steamship Co |
| 71 | Tarapaca | four-masted iron sailing ship | 1886 | AD Boedes et Fils |
| 73 | Eddystone | single screw cargo and passenger steamship | 1886 | Clyde Shipping Co |
| 75 | Dalhousie | single screw iron steam trawler | 1886 | WB Thompson |
| 76 | Lamberton | iron steam trawler | 1885 | Berwick Trawling Co |
| 78 | Euphrates | irson steam trawler | 1886 | Thomas Hamling |
| 81 | Portland | single screw iron steamship | 1887 | Clyde Shipping Co |
| 82 | Glanmire | single screw iron steamship | 1887 | City of Cork Steam Packet Co |
| 83 | Retriever | twin screw iron steam tug | 1888 | Turner, Morrison & Co |
| 85 | Ibis | single screw steel steamship | 1888 | Cork Steamship Co |
| 86 | Fulmar | single screw steamship | 1888 | Cork Steamship Co |
| 87 | Curfew | single screw steamship | 1888 | RA Mudie & Son |
| 88 | Pladda | single screw steamship | 1889 | Clyde Shipping Co |
| 89 | Arrow | twin screw steam tug | 1889 | Shropshire Union Railways & Canal Co |
| 90 | Red Sea | single screw steamship | 1889 | Dundee, Perth & London Shipping Co |
| 91 | Ailsa Craig | single screw steamship | 1890 | Clyde Shipping Co |
| 93 | Egret | three-masted single screw steel steamship | 1890 | Cork Steamship Co |
| 95 | Perth | single screw steel steamship | 1890 | JW Kidd |
| 96 | Ptarmigan | single screw steel steamship | 1890 | Cork Steam Shipping Co |
| 98 | Arranmore | single screw iron steamship | 1890 | Clyde Shipping Co |
| 106 | Berlin | single screw iron steamship | 1891 | Yorkshire Coal & Steam Shipping Co |
| 107 | Juteopolis | steel-hulled four-masted barque | 1891 | Charles Barrie |
| 112 | Lawhill | steel-hulled four-masted barque | 24 Aug 1892 | Charles Barrie |
| 159 | Californian | cargo and passenger liner | 26 Nov 1901 | Leyland Line |
| 177 | Ardeola | cargo and passenger liner | 17 Jun 1904 | Yeoward Brothers |
| 189 | Lanfranc | passenger liner | 18 Oct 1906 | Alfred Booth and Company |
| 200 | Hilary | cargo and passenger liner | 31 May 1908 | Alfred Booth and Company |
| 209 | Aguila | cargo and passenger liner | 6 May 1909 | Yeoward Brothers |
| 216 | Andorinha | cargo and passenger liner | 2 Mar 1911 | Yeoward Brothers |
| 224 | Viera y Clavijo | cargo and passenger liner | 7 Nov 1911 | Compañía de Vapores Correos Interinsulares Canarios |
| 225 | Gomera-Hierro | cargo and passenger liner | 22 Jan 1912 | Compañía de Vapores Correos Interinsulares Canarios |
| 227 | Ardeola | cargo and passenger liner | 17 July 1912 | Yeoward Brothers |
| 228 | Dublin | cargo and passenger liner | 14 Aug 1912 | Compañía Argentina de Nav |
| 235 | Alban | cargo and passenger liner | 11 Mar 1914 | Alfred Booth and Company |
| 242 | Aguila | cargo and passenger liner | 16 Sep 1916 | Yeoward Brothers |
| 259 | Perseus | refrigerated cargo | 1922 | China Mutual SN Co |
| 275 | Alondra | cargo and passenger liner | 30 Nov 1921 | Yeoward Brothers. |
| 279 | Avoceta | cargo and passenger liner | 21 Sep 1922 | Yeoward Brothers |
| 282 | British Commander | oil tanker | 1922 | British Tanker Company |
| 283 | British Commodore | oil tanker | 1923 | British Tanker Company |
| 309 | Alca | cargo and passenger liner | 15 Jun 1927 | Yeoward Brothers |
| 313 | British Faith | oil tanker | 1928 | British Tanker Company |
| 314 | British Hope | oil tanker | 1928 | British Tanker Company |
| 376 | Tambua | cargo ship | 1938 | Colonial Sugar Refinery Co |
| 381 | NLV Hesperus | lighthouse tender | 1939 | Northern Lighthouse Board |
| 389 | RFA Gold Ranger | Ranger class attendant oil tanker | 12 Mar 1941 | Royal Fleet Auxiliary |
| 390 | RFA Gray Ranger | Ranger class attendant oil tanker | 27 May 1941 | Royal Fleet Auxiliary |
| 391 | RFA Green Ranger | Ranger class attendant oil tanker | 21 Aug 1941 | Royal Fleet Auxiliary |
| 393 | Empire Heywood | cargo ship | 21 Oct 1941 | Ministry of War Transport |
| 394 | Empire Prince | cargo ship | 31 Mar 1942 | Ministry of War Transport |
| 395 | Empire Archer | cargo ship | 29 Jun 1942 | Ministry of War Transport |
| 396 | Empire Bard | heavy lift ship | 30 Dec 1941 | Ministry of War Transport |
| 409 | Rhexenor | single screw motor cargo ship | 1945 | China Mutual SN Co |
| 410 | Stentor | single screw motor cargo ship | 1946 | Ocean SS Co |
| 426 | Rajah Brooke | cargo and passenger ship | 1948 | Sarawak Steamship Co |
| 471 | Rossetti | cargo | 1950 | Lamport and Holt |
| 507 | NLV Pharos | lighthouse tender | 1955 | Northern Lighthouse Board |
| 508 | Canadian Star | cargo ship | 1956 | Blue Star Line |
| 531 | NLV Pole Star | lighthouse tender | 1961 | Northern Lighthouse Board |
| 532 | Ngakuta | cargo ship | 1962 | Union Steamship Co |
| 533 | Ngatoro | cargo ship | 1962 | Union Steamship Co |
| 536 | John Burns | ferry | 1963 | Woolwich Free Ferry |
| 537 | Ernest Bevin | ferry | 1963 | Woolwich Free Ferry |
| 538 | James Newman | ferry | 1963 | Woolwich Free Ferry |
| 541 | Port Huon | cargo ship | 1965 | Port Line |
| 542 | Port Albany | cargo ship | 1965 | Port Line |
| 543 | Ngahere | cargo ship | 1966 | Union Steamship Co |
| 544 | Ngapara | cargo ship | 1966 | Union Steamship Co |
| 560 | Caedmon | C-class ferry | 3 May 1973 | Sealink |
| 561 | Cenwulf | C-class ferry | 1 Jun 1973 | Sealink |
| 562 | Cenred | C-class ferry | 3 Jul 1973 | Sealink |
| 564 | CS Monarch | cable layer | 12 Feb 1975 | The Post Office |
| 570 | Tucuman | refrigerated cargo | 24 Jan 1978 | Lineas Maritimas Argentinas |
| 572 | Golden Bay | bulk carrier | 12 Feb 1979 | Blue Circle Cement |
| 575 | Malbork II | bulk carrier | 5 Oct 1978 | Polsteam |
| 576 | Bytom | bulk carrier | 19 Oct 1979 | Polsteam |
| 577 | Kościerzyna | cargo ship | 21 Dec 1980 | Polsteam |
| 579 | Countess | ferry | Mar 1981 | British Shipbuilders |