LAST Thursday’s page looked back to 1903 and the first launch after four Ferguson brothers acquired Port Glasgow’s Newark shipyard.

The vessel was the tug Flying Swift for the Clyde Shipping Company, launched on October 26 of that year.

Pictured is the former Clyde yard with Newark Castle identifying its location to the east of Ferguson’s.

In 1929 the yard was taken over by James Lamont & Company, whose origins went back to 1870.

Lamont’s built and repaired ships in Port Glasgow while its operation at Greenock’s East India Harbour concentrated on repairing vessels.

Today’s image dates to March 17, 1977, when the sludge disposal vessel Garroch Head, built for Strathclyde Regional Council, went down the slipway.

The scene appears strangely quiet but the photograph was taken before the launch platform would be occupied by dignitaries and senior management for the official ceremony.

Lamont’s Clyde yard closed in 1980. The last ship built was the Divis II, another sludge vessel, launched in 1979 and completed the following year.

The company continued ship-repairing at the East India Harbour until 1989.