121 years today since first ship launch at Ferguson yard

Yard No 153, the 'Flying Swift', was a tug built for Clyde Shipping, registered in Glasgow.

The vessel was launched from the Newark Works on October 26, 1903 - 121 years ago.

The Flying Swift was launched on October 26, 1903. (Image: Michael Conway)

On that day, the Greenock Telegraph stated: "A special interest attaches to the launch this afternoon from the yard of Messrs Ferguson Brothers, being the first vessel completed by the new firm since they began business as shipbuilders in Port Glasgow.

"Named Flying Swift, the tug steamer is the first of two that were ordered some time ago by the Clyde Shipping Company."

The tug, with the official vessel number 119077, was 107.3 feet long and 23.1 feet wide, with a depth of 9.1 feet and a gross tonnage of 185.

The single screw steam tug was built of steel and was followed by a sister ship, the 'Flying Linnet' - the second vessel built at the yard - which entered the water on February 1, 1904.

The company was launched in 1903 as a development of Fleming and Ferguson Ltd, a Paisley-based marine engineering business, with the Ferguson brothers, Peter, Daniel, Louis and Robert, leading the firm.

King George V visited the yard in 1917. (Image: Michael Conway)The larger neighbouring firm of Lithgows gained full control of Ferguson's in 1961 before it became part of the Scott Lithgow Group.

It was nationalised in 1977 and merged with the Ailsa Shipbuilding Company, of Troon, four years later.

The Troon yard was sold by British Shipbuilders in 1986, when Ferguson's were partnered with Appledore Shipbuilders Ltd of Devon.

A model of the historic Ferguson-built tug, the Flying Swift. (Image: Michael Conway) The Port yard returned to private ownership in 1990, under the Norwegian firm Kvaerner, who sold it to Ferguson Marine plc the following year.

When Ferguson Shipbuilders went into receivership 10 years ago the yard was bought by Jim McColl's Clyde Blowers Capital and renamed Ferguson Marine Engineering Ltd.

It has been owned by the Scottish Government since FMEL went into administration in 2019.

The images with this article were supplied by Michael Conway, who served a steelworker apprenticeship in Ferguson’s and is now a member of the team of estimators at BAE Systems, Scotstoun.

He was brought up in Port Glasgow but now lives in Renfrew.