The BALCLUTHA was a full square-rigged sailing Barque of 1,689 tons gross, built by Charles B. Connell & Company Limited of Scotstoun, Glasgow, on the River Clyde. The vessel was completed in December 1886 for Robert McMillan of Methlan Park, Dumbarton, Scotland as Owner, under the management of E. P. Babtie of 111, Union Street, Glasgow. She was primarily built for the grain trade, then at its peak, between USA and Europe. The BALCLUTHA was the first of these large Barques to be built by the Connell Yard in steel, and her classification at Lloyds was + 100 A1. Her name is a derivation of the Scottish Gaelic language word Balla (Baile) meaning a ‘township’ and the old Scots name for the River Clyde, ‘Clutha’, thus ‘Balclutha’ or the ‘Township of the Clyde’. Her main particulars, as recorded by Lloyd’s Register, were as follows :

Gross Tonnage 1,689 tons
Length 256.5 feet
Under Deck Tonnage 1,534 tons
Breadth 38.6 feet
Nett Tonnage 1,614 tons
Depth 22.7 feet
Official Number 93340
Flag British
Port of Registry Glasgow
Call Sign K J P H

Early voyages saw her sailing round Cape Horn on her passages to San Francisco, carrying wines and spirits from London, hardware from Antwerp and coal from Wales. For her return trips to European waters she would load wheat at the San Joaquin Valley where up to as many as 500 of these large sailing Barques were required to transport a single season’s wheat crop. From 1894 through 1900 the BALCLUTHA was commanded by Captain A. H. Durkee and it was during this period, in 1899, that the BALCLUTHA was sold to the Colonial Shipping Company of San Francisco, who wished to use the vessel for carrying coal and timber between the United States of America and Australia.

In the year 1901 the vessel changed ownership again, and became engaged in the Alaskan salmon trade. In a Bill signed by President McKinley, passed through Congress in 1901, the BALCLUTHA was changed over to American Registry, and was never again to visit the country that built her, or the River that gave her her name. In her new role, the BALCLUTHA would transport up to 300 fishermen North for the new season, along with supplies of tin plate and other products required for the cannery business. At the end of the salmon fishing season the vessel would return South with as many as 78,000 cases of canned salmon.

Wrecked in the year 1904, the BALCLUTHA was repaired two years later and restored to the salmon trade, but this time under her new name STAR OF ALASKA. She continued in this trade until the year 1930 and in that year was the last square-rigger left on the so-called ‘salmon run’.

Consigned to her graveyard at Alameda Creek in San Francisco, she lay there until 1933 at which time she was ‘rescued’ by a Frank ‘Tex’ Kissinger, a daredevil showman of the circus ring, who turned her into a rather gaudy showboat, under the name PACIFIC QUEEN. In the subsequent period she sometimes featured as a background harbour scene for films. She is to be seen, for example, as an ‘extra’ in the 1935 Hollywood film Mutiny on the Bounty, starring Charles Laughton and Clark Gable.

Resting on the muddy bottom at San Francisco Bay, this once proud vessel seemed destined to follow the path of hundreds more of her like, however, enthusiasts aspiring to establish a Maritime Museum at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco succeeded in negotiating a price for the vessel from the widow of Frank ‘Tex’ Kissinger, and duly obtained title to the old sailing vessel. With the aid of local business concerns and labour contribution volunteered and organised through the Labour Unions, together with significant fund-raising, the BALCLUTHA was restored to her original splendour and in the summer of 1955 was towed to Pier 43 on the Wharf for a re-christening ceremony. On the occasion, Lord Provost Andrew Hood of Glasgow, Scotland, sent a cable of congratulations on the achievement of making the BALCLUTHA a permanent floating exhibit and memorial to those gracious ‘Cape Horners’ that emerged in prolific numbers from Scottish Shipyards to become a familiar sight in that most famous of Bays in the bygone age of sail.

As a very brief snapshot of what life was like on board vessels such as the BALCLUTHA, like many hundreds of other vessels of this class they would sail to all corners of the world undertaking voyages at sea, between ports, of up to 120 days. Typically, a voyage to Australia, for the wool trade, could take about 100 days, commencing out of ports such as Liverpool under tow from a steam-engined tug which would possibly tow the large sailing vessel down the Irish Sea as far as the Tuskar Rock, or, if there was a head wind off the Tuskar, the tug might continue to tow until off the Fastnet Rock before casting off the tow.

Once clear of the Irish coast, they would sail West of Madeira in order to pick up the North East Trades which would carry them West of the Cape Verde Islands in the direction of Brazil and on occasions, depending on the Captain and weather, until Ferando Noronha or Pernambuco (now called Receife) had been sighted. Apart from these few ‘sightings’ the crew had little idea where they were at any time as in these days the Master and officers were not inclined to divulge the ship’s position. From Pernambuco they would tack through the South East Trades southwards to Tristan da Cunha from where they would pick up the Westerlies which would take them past St. Paul’s Island and onward to Australia.

A ship the size of the BALCLUTHA would normally carry a complement of around 28 deckhands and a typical days run would amount to 270-300 miles whilst in the ‘Roaring Forties’, i.e. around about 12 knots, which was better than most steam engined ships on the oceans at that time. However, when becalmed in the ‘Doldrums’, the vessel might barely cover a distance of 5-10 miles in 24 hours, and this often happened, particularly if the Master was a less experienced man in ‘reading the weather’. If a homeward-bound steamer was met up with, and sea conditions allowed it, very often a boat would be put out and rowed across with the ship’s mail and to exchange ‘news’ – not too many vessels carried radio in these times.

Food was invariably bad on these ships, particularly after the first week at sea. Water was, of course, rationed, which often led to outbreaks of scurvy, boils and other general health maladies accepted as normal in these days. Drunkenness and insubordination could often be a problem, which was dealt with fairly harshly by most sailing Masters and Chief Officers, who were a particularly hardened breed not adverse if the circumstances required it to set about their insubordinate crew-members with belaying pins or any other instruments of persuasion. Desertion in foreign ports was another regular feature in these days, referred to as ‘jumping ship’.

The BALCLUTHA, as indicated above, is still afloat today and, having been the subject of preservation, may be seen lying at the world-famous Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco, in sight of the Golden Gate and the infamous island fortress of Alcatraz. This vessel is one of only five remaining floating examples of the vast fleet of steel sailing ships that were built on the Clyde, the other four being the 1878-built four-masted FALLS OF CLYDE, the 1896-built GLENLEE, the four-masted POMMERN, and the 1904-built four-masted MOSHULU.

Charles Connell, the founder of the great Scotstoun Yard which produced BALCLUTHA and many more like her, was born in 1822, the son of John Connell, who was also a shipbuilder. Charles Connell served his apprenticeship with the famous Greenock shipbuilders, Robert Steele & Sons, the birthplace of the finest vessels ever to grace the seas – the China Tea Clippers. Following the completion of his training, Charles Connell mover upriver to some of the Yards there, becoming a foreman. He then joined Alexander Stephen, who quickly noted Connell’s very detailed knowledge of ship construction and appointed him as Shipyard Manager at Stephen’s Kelvinhaugh Yard.

In 1861, Charles Connell decided to start building for his own account, first at Kelvinhaugh then at Scotstoun, his first ship being the small steamer PALERMO, 289 gross tons of that year. In 1862, he built the CITY OF PARIS for the City Line of Glasgow. Success followed success for this highly regarded shipbuilder, particularly from Glasgow shipowners and the Yard thrived from the outset. In 1865 and 1866, Charles Connell built the China Tea Clippers TAITSING of 815 tons gross, CRUSADER of 1,085 tons gross and in 1867 the SPINDRIFT of 1,065 tons gross. [ In the great race of 1866, the fast Clipper TAITSING, under Captain Nutsford, covered the distance of 16,000 miles from Foochow to London in 101 days, carrying a cargo of 1,093,130 lbs of tea, only two days behind the winner TAEPING and a fantastic achievement for this fine Connell-built vessel ]

This was followed by some twenty iron construction Barques throughout the 1870’s, and the famous fast clipper FIERY CROSS of 1,456 tons gross in 1878 for Glasgow owner J. D Clink. The last of the iron Barques was built in 1885 for the Glasgow owner J. Gardiner. This was the beautiful LISMORE of 1,598 tons gross, built on a standard sailing hull with a length of 270 feet, a beam of 38 feet and a depth of 23 feet. The Barque BALCLUTHA of late 1886 was the first venture into construction using steel.

During the above period from 1870’s through 1880’s, Charles Connell was also busy building steam ships fitted out with compound steam engines, all built in Glasgow, no less than seven for City Line, starting with CITY OF POONAH of 2,283 tons gross in 1870 and ending with CITY OF CALCUTTA of 3,873 toms gross in 1881, as well as the following vessels of iron construction :

SPEKE HALL 1878 2,672 tons Hall Line of Glasgow
WISTOW HALL 1878 2,674 tons Hall Line of Glasgow
BRETTON HALL 1881 2,421 tons Hall Line of Glasgow
WERNETH HALL 1882 4,104 tons Hall Line of Glasgow
KANSAS 1882 5,276 tons Warren Line of Liverpool
CITY OF CHICAGO 1883 5,202 tons Inman Line of London
VANCOUVER 1884 5,141 tons Mississippi Line of Liverpool

Charles Connell, the founder, died on 14th of February 1884, at his home in Broomhill Avenue in Partick, leaving an estate in excess of £250,000 and a well-founded shipbuilding concern. His eldest son, Charles B. Connell, succeeded his father and the Yard continued to prosper, building a further forty steel Barques similar to the BALCLUTHA in the period 1887 through 1894 for various owners including James Nourse’s Nourse Line, Hamburg owners B. Wencke and Evers & Classen, Andrew Weir’s Bank Line, W. Lewis of Glasgow, J. Hardie of Glasgow, Rogers & Company of Glasgow, A. Nelson of Honolulu, the Dundee Shipowners Company Limited, Watson Brothers of Glasgow, Charles Barrie & Sons of Dundee and M. Carswell of Glasgow.

One of the best customers of the Connell Yard at Scotstoun, in this era of the business under Charles B. Connell, was James Gardiner of Glasgow, for whom the Yard produced twenty two vessels between the years 1885 (the fine sailing vessel LISMORE of 1,675 tons gross) and 1917 when they built the steamers GLENLYON and GLENLEE of 4,933 / 4,947 tons gross respectively.

T. & J. Harrison of Liverpool was also to become a valued customer of the Connell Yard, having fifty of their vessels built there between 1888 and 1963. The Ben Line of Leith took thirty ships from Connell’s Yard between the years 1917 and 1968. Charles B. Connell, son of the founder, himself had only one son, also named Charles, who later became Sir Charles Connell and succeeded his father introducing the third generation of Connells to own and operate the Scotstoun Yard.

Sir Charles Connell purchased the Craigallian Estate at Milngavie, just a few miles to the North of the yard, this becoming and remaining the family home of the Connells. Other Connell brothers moved into ship-owning and ship-management, operating a fleet of vessels built by their family ‘on spec’.

The Scotstoun Yard was constrained by South Street in the size of vessels it could build, and did not possess a fitting-out quay. In the early years, engines for Connell vessels, mainly from that well-known Glasgow engine builder, Rowan, were installed at Finnieston Quay with outfitting taking place at one of the Glasgow Docks.

The provision of a fitting-out quay at the adjacent North British Engine Works of Barclay Curle & Company Limited, in the 1920’s, resulted in many of the future engine orders being placed with Barclay Curle and fitted out at their quay adjacent to Connell’s Yard.

During the Depression, the Connell Yard, like others, was closed down, but unlike the others the Connell Yard remained closed down for the longest period of any British Shipyard – eight years.

As had happened during WWI, the Connell Yard turned to Admiralty construction during WWII in addition to private account.

Sir Charles Connell and his son, Charles R. Connell, the latter representing the fourth generation Connell to move into the family business, made attempts to introduce production control into the Scotstoun Yard from around 1961/1962 by the appointment of a production consultant. However, this was not implemented until building of standard ships started at the time the Yard became part of the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders Limited in 1968. [This was short-lived and liquidated in 1971 after which the Yard became part of Govan Shipbuilders Limited (formerly Fairfields of Govan) in 1972. ]

Trading as Scotstoun Marine Limited, a subsidiary of Govan Shipbuilders from 1973, the Yard went on to build some eighteen vessels, totalling 184,450 tons gross, for Owners such as Ben Line, Nourse Line, J. & J. Denholm, Ellerman Lines, Geest Line, and six cargo-liners for the United Arab Shipping Company Limited. As Scotstoun Marine Limited, the last ships constructed at this famous Yard were seven Polish mini-bulk carriers, having a deadweight tonnage of 4,400 tons each, 2,997 tons gross, the last of which was built in 1980, after which the Yard was closed down. This latter piece of business was a financially suicidal enterprise concocted by British Shipbuilders Limited and the Government of Poland, aimed at creating an artificial market for British built ships and employment for UK Shipbuilders.

The last ship built at the Scotstoun Yard under Connell family management was the 12,011 tons cargo liner BENSTAC for the Ben Line of Leith, which was launched on 20th of November 1967 and completed in the spring of 1968. The Connell family, however, remained in business as Ship-Owners and Ship-Managers.

The Connells were regarded as one of the superior shipbuilding families of the many Clyde based shipbuilders, introducing many new techniques and investing their private wealth back into the business. More than most, Connell saw the benefits of maximising on standard production and prefabrication techniques, and were leaders in pioneering these new methods.

The fast cargo-liners produced by Connell for the Ben Line of Leith were regarded as amongst the finest examples of this Yard’s superiority in designing the best ships to fly the Red Duster of the British Merchant Navy, setting standards of excellence in naval architecture that were emulated throughout the international maritime world.

SELECTION OF THE SHIPS BUILT BY CONNELL – ADDITIONAL TO THOSE ALREADY MENTIONED ABOVE

 

NAME OF VESSEL YEAR G.R.T. OWNERS / MANAGERS

ALBERTA 1882 2,282 CANADIAN TRADE
MARION BALLANTYNE 1888 1,567 W. LEWIS
TRAVELLER 1888 3,042 T. & J. HARRISON
HAZELBANK 1889 1,660 ANDREW WEIR
CAPELLA 1889 3,115 T. & J. HARRISON
VOLGA 1891 1,817 NOURSE LINE
VIMEIRA 1891 2,233 J. HARDIE
MARION JOSIAH 1892 2,257 ROGERS & COMPANY
HAWAIIAN ISLES 1892 1,974 A. NELSON
MARION FRAZER 1892 2,264 ROGERS & COMPANY
ARNO 1893 1,825 NOURSE LINE
CATALINA 1893 5,296 PINILOS & IZQUIERDO
GLENCLOVA 1893 2,246 DUNDEE SHIPOWNERS COY LTD
EMS 1893 1,829 NOURSE LINE
LIDDESDALE 1887 2,422 ROBERT MACKILL
FORTH 1894 1,829 NOURSE LINE
BEN DEARG 1894 2,193 WATSON BROTHERS
MERSEY 1894 1,829 NOURSE LINE
DUDHOPE 1894 1,930 CHARLES BARRIE & SONS
WHITLIEBURN 1894 2,006 M. CARSWELL
KNIGHT BACHELOR 1894 6,505 GREENSHIELDS & COWIE
BARCELONA 1895 4,218 PINILOS & IZQUIERDO
EVANDALE 1895 3,775 ROBERT MCKILL
CADIZ 1895 4,218 PINILOS & IZQUIERDO
MONEIRA 1895 STEAM YACHT FOR OWN ACCOUNT
ATHENE 1895 STEAM YACHT FOR OWN ACCOUNT
BELLEVUE 1896 3,814 BELL BROTHERS & McCLELLAND
AMASIS 1896 4,552 KOSMOS DEUTSCHE D/S
AUGSBURG 1896 4,287 DEUTSCHE-AUSTRALIEN D/S
CALISTA 1896 STEAM YACHT FOR OWN ACCOUNT
ORIANA 1896 STEAM YACHT FOR OWN ACCOUNT
AMMON 1896 4,554 KOSMOS DEUTSCHE D/S
INDRA 1896 6,057 INDRA LINE
CRAFTSMAN 1897 6,196 T. & J. HARRISON
INDRAVELLI 1897 5,805 INDRA LINE
MAPLMORE 1898 7,717 JOHNSTON LINE
KNIGHT ERRANT 1898 7,564 GREENSHIELDS & COWIE
CALISTA 1898 STEAM YACHT FOR OWN ACCOUNT
PINEMORE 1898 6,215 JOHNSTON LINE
TEXAS 1899 4,446 DFDS
RAJA 1899 5,662 ASIATIC S. N. COMPANY LTD
COLLEGIAN 1899 7,236 T. & J. HARRISON
ALABAMA 1899 4,034 DFDS
CUSTODIAN 1900 9,241 T. & J. HARRISON
ROWNANMORE 1900 9,456 JOHNSTON LINE
ASSUAN 1900 4,793 KOSMOS DEUTSCHE D/S
RAJPUT 1900 5,628 ASIATIC S. N. COMPANY LTD
INDRASAMHA 1901 5,297 INDRA LINE
MERA 1901 4,797 PINILOS & IZQUIERDO
KILBRIDE 1901 3,712 ON SPEC FOR OWN ACCOUNT
GORDON CASTLE 1901 4,406 UNION-CASTLE LINE
INDRALEMA 1901 6.669 INDRA LINE
YEOMAN 1901 7,379 T. & J. HARRISON
INDRAMAYO 1902 5,200 INDRA LINE
PUNDIT 1902 5,917 ASIATIC S. N. COMPANY LTD
CIVILIAN 1902 7,099 T. & J. HARRISON
COGNAC 1902 814 T. & J. HARRISON
INDRAWADI 1902 5,204 INDRA LINE
KNIGHT OF THE GARTER 1902 6,655 GRENNSHIELDS & COWIE
PASHA 1902 5,930 ASIATIC S. N. COMPANY LTD
KNIGHT OF THE THISTLE 1903 6,675 GRENNSHIELDS & COWIE
KILBRENNAN 1903 3,640 ON SPEC FOR OWN ACCOUNT
HUNTSMAN 1904 7,460 T. & J. HARRISON
KNIGHT TEMPLAR 1905 7,175 GREENSHIELDS & COWIE
VANDALIA 1905 4,179 HAMBURG-AMERIKA LINE
VALBENERA 1906 5,090 PINILOS & IZQUIERDO
KILCHATTAN 1906 3,758 ON SPEC FOR OWN ACCOUNT
KILKERRAN 1906 3,755 ON SPEC FOR OWN ACCOUNT
BARCELONA 1908 5,450 PINILOS & IZQUIERDO
KILLIN 1908 3,544 ON SPEC FOR OWN ACCOUNT
CADIZ 1908 5,437 PINILOS & IZQUIERDO
EXPLORER 1910 7,698 T. & J. HARRISON
SATURNIA 1910 8,611 DONALDSON LINE
KNIGHT COMPANION 1910 8,631 GREENSHIELDS & COWIE
STEPHANO 1911 3,449 RED CROSS LINE OF BOWRING
DIPLOMAT 1912 7,615 T. & J. HARRISON
ARCHITECT 1912 5,421 T. & J. HARRISON
DISCOVERER 1913 5,416 T. & J. HARRISON

SEVEN ROYAL NAVY SLOOPS BUILT FOR THE ADMIRALTY DURING THE GREAT WAR YEARS

MALAKUTA 1914 7,205 BROCKLEBANK LINE
EXPLORER 1914 7,698 T. & J. HARRISON
NIZAM 1914 5,322 ASIATIC S. N. COMPANY LTD
MAHANADA 1914 7,196 BROCKLEBANK LINE
NAVIGATOR 1914 3,846 T. & J. HARRISON
DEFENDER 1915 8,258 T. & J. HARRISON
NAWAB 1915 5,430 ASIATIC S. N. COMPANY LTD
BARRISTER 1915 3,679 T. & J. HARRISON
DEFENDER 1915 8,258 T. & J. HARRISON
SHUGA 1916 4,932 BOMBAY & PERSIA S. N. COY LTD
BETWA 1917 3,819 NOURSE LINE
MANAAR 1917 7,242 BROCKLEBANK LINE
SENATOR 1917 3,670 T. & J. HARRISON
ACTOR 1917 6,082 T. & J. HARRISON
MAIZAR 1917 7,293 BROCKLEBANK LINE
CLENLYON 1917 4,933 JAMES GARDINER
GLENLEE 1917 4,947 JAMES GARDINER
BENVORLICH 1919 5,193 BEN LINE
CLAN SKENE 1919 5,257 CLAN LINE
SILARUS 1919 5,101 ROYAL MAIL LINE
MASIRAH 1919 6,836 BROCLEBANK LINE
WAR PROPHET 1919 ‘AO’ OIL TANKER
WAR SINGER 1919 ‘AO’ OIL TANKER
WAR CATERAN 1919 ‘AO’ OIL TANKER
DRAMATIST 1920 5,443 T. & J. HARRISON
MANGALORE 1920 9,751 BROCKLEBANK LINE
DIPLOMAT 1921 8,240 T. & J. HARRISON
HUNTSMAN 1921 8,196 T. & J. HARRISON
BENREOCH 1921 5,818 BEN LINE
TRAVELLER 1922 3,963 T. & J. HARRISON
SCHOLAR 1922 3,490 T. & J. HARRISON
NURJEHAN 1923 5,450 ASIATIC S. N. COMPANY LTD
NURMAHAL 1923 5,419 ASIATIC S. N. COMPANY LTD
BARON KELVIN 1924 3,081 H. HOGARTH
HISTORIAN 1924 T. & J. HARRISON
AUDITOR 1924 5,444 T. & J. HARRISON
MAHSEER 1925 7,864 BROCKLEBANK LINE
WANDERER 1925 5,079 T. & J. HARRISON
WAYFARER 1925 5,068 T. & J. HARRISON
MAIDAN 1925 7,861 BROCKLEBANK LINE
BENARTY 1926 5,800 BEN LINE
COUNSELLOR 1926 5,068 T. & J. HARRISON
BENVENUE 1927 5,920 BEN LINE
RANCHER 1927 5,882 T. & J. HARRISON
PLANTER 1927 5,887 T. & J. HARRISON
BENMHOR 1928 5,920 BEN LINE
OBSERVER 1928 5,881 T. & J. HARRISON
CUSTODIAN 1928 5,881 T. & J. HARRISON
BENCRUACHAN 1928 5,920 BEN LINE
BENWYVIS 1929 5,920 BEN LINE
COMEDIAN 1929 5,122 T. & J. HARRISON
LAMMER LAW 1929 4,971 THOMAS LAW
TRAPRAIN LAW 1930 4,976 THOMAS LAW
ARDANGORM 1930 5,200 CLARK & SERVICE
BENLEDI 1930 5,943 BEN LINE
BENLAWYERS 1930 5,943 BEN LINE

FOLLOWING LAUNCH OF THE ‘BENLAWERS’, CONNELL’S YARD WAS SHUT DOWN FOR EIGHT YEARS

MOUNTPARK 1938 4,648 J. & J. DENHOLM
WELLPARK 1938 4,648 J. & J. DENHOLM
RITHERMERE 1938 5,356 DONALDSON LINE
SETTLER 1939 6,225 T. & J. HARRISON
BHIMA 1939 5,280 NOURSE LINE
BARON SEMPLE 1939 4,573 H. HOGARTH
TRADER 1940 6,088 T. & J. HARRISON

12 TRAMP SHIPS WAR TIME BUILDS STANDARD DESIGN VESSELS
8 CARGO-LINERS WAR TIME BUILDS NOURSE LINE
3 CARGO-LINERS WAR TIME BUILDS BEN LINE

EMPIRE CELIA 1943 7,030 MOWT ( became ‘Putney Hill’ in 1948 )
EMPIRE WILSON 1944 9,916 MOWT ( became ‘Kenilworth Castle’ in 1946)
LARGE TANK TRANSPORT 1945 TOWED TO BRAZIL IN 1950
MOUNTPARK 1946 6,722 J. & J. DENHOLM
WELLPARK 1946 6,722 J. & J. DENHOLM
BENVORLICH 1946 9,767 BEN LINE
KALLADA 1946 6,607 NOURSE LINE
MARJATA 1946 6,607 NOURSE LINE
MUTLAH 1947 6,652 NOURSE LINE
PURNEA 1947 5,340 BRITISH INDIA LINE
FACTOR 1948 6,532 T. & J. HARRISON
BENMACDHUI 1948 7,845 BEN LINE
BENVENUE 1948 7,846 BEN LINE
BENCLEUCH 1949 7,863 BEN LINE
BENALDER 1949 7,877 BEN LINE
TAMESIS 1949 6,749 W. WILHELMSEN
CORONA 1949 5,136 H. M. WRANGNELL
CORINALDO 1949 8,348 DONALDSON LINE
CARRONPARK 1949 5,358 J. & J. DENHOLM
BENALDER 1949 7,877 BEN LINE
GANGES 1950 6,724 NOURSE LINE
BETWA 1950 6,722 NOURSE LINE
LYLEPARK 1951 5,269 J. & J. DENHOLM
TARTAR 1951 11,103 NORWEGIAN OWNER
CASTOR 1951 11,144 BERGEN LINE
HORNBLOWER 1951 11,102 JACOB KJODE
BENREOCH 1952 10,142 BEN LINE
TALISMAN 1952 6,785 W. WILHELMSEN
NORSCOT 1953 12,709 J. & J. DENHOLM
INDUS 1954 7,049 NOURSE LINE
TURCOMAN 1954 12,552 NORWEGIAN OWNER
TIBETAN 1954 12,548 NORWEGIAN OWNER
SCOTSTOUN 1955 12,722 J. & J. DENHOLM
BENVRACKIE 1955 10,302 BEN LINE
FERNSTAR 1955 12,719 FEARNLEY & EGER
FERNMOOR 1955 7,082 FEARNLEY & EGER
GLENPARK 1956 6,151 J. & J. DENHOLM
BENDORAN 1956 10,355 BEN LINE
BENLOMOND 1957 10,325 BEN LINE
TEMERAIRE 1957 8,779 W. WILHELMSEN
TURANDOT 1957 8,788 W. WILHELMSEN
FERMSTATE 1958 9,409 FEARNLEY & EGER
FERNHAVEN 1958 12,689 FEARNLEY & EGER
BROOMPARK 1959 6,100 J. & J. DENHOLM
BENLOYAL 1959 11,463 BEN LINE
TIJUCA 1959 8,831 W. WILHELMSEN
CRAIGALLIAN 1960 7,088 SCOTTISH ORE CARRIERS
BENGLOE 1960 11,282 BEN LINE
CRINAN 1960 7,088 SCOTTISH ORE CARRIERS
FOYLE 1961 24,549 P & O / NOURSE LINE
JUMNA 1962 9,890 NOURSE LINE
BENVALLA 1962 11,391 BEN LINE
ERNE 1962 14,244 P & O / NOURSE LINE
JUMNA 1962 10,051 NOURSE LINE
SAINT AIDAN 1962 973 J. & A. GARDNER
TUSKAR 1962 1,598 CLYDE SHIPPING COMPANY LTD
INVENTOR 1963 9,171 T. & J. HARRISON
BENARMIN 1963 11,362 BEN LINE
KOHINUR 1963 10,039 NEW ZEALAND SHIPPING COY LTD
SCOTSTOUN 1964 11,457 J. & J. DENHOLM
BENDEARG 1964 11,902 BEN LINE
INVENTOR 1964 9,171 T. & J. HARRISON
MOUNTPARK 1965 21,833 J. & J. DENHOLM
ROMANDIE 1965 21,449 SUISSE-ATLANTIQUE A/S
BENLEDI 1965 11,898 BEN LINE
BENWYVIS 1966 11,958 BEN LINE
STONEPOOL 1966 27,049 ROPNER SHIPPING (Largest Connell-built ship)
BENALBANACH 1967 11,466 BEN LINE
BENSTAC 1968 12,011 BEN LINE
CONON FORREST 1968 17,659
BENCRUACHAN 1968 12,092 BEN LINE
SCOTSPARK 1969 16,792 J. & J. DENHOLM
BENLAWYERS 1970 12,989 BEN LINE
CITY OF LONDON 1970 9,793 ELLERMAN LINES
GLENPARK 1971 16,782 J. & J. DENHOLM
SIG RAGNE 1971 11,857 J. & J. DENHOLM
VANCOUVER ISLAND 1972 16,782
HILLA 1972 11,897 HAVERTON SHIPPING LIMITED
HARFLEET 1973 16,715 J. & C. HARRISON
HARFLEUR 1973 16,715 J. & C. HARRISON
NORSE HERALD 1974 16,682 CARDIGAN SHIPPING COMPANY
LOCH LOMOND 1974 10,397 J. & J. DENHOLM
LOCH MAREE 1975 10,397 J. & J. DENHOLM
GEESTHAVEN 1975 8,030 GEEST LINE
GEESTCAPE 1976 8,030 GEEST LINE
IBN ABDOUN 1976 15,516 UNITED ARAB SHIPPING COMPANY
IBN AL-HAITHAM 1976 15,516 UNITED ARAB SHIPPING COMPANY
IBN HAZM 1976 15,387 UNITED ARAB SHIPPING COMPANY
IBN ZUHR 1977 15,387 UNITED ARAB SHIPPING COMPANY
ARAFAT 1977 15,387 UNITED ARAB SHIPPING COMPANY
AL MUHARRAQ 1978 15,387 UNITED ARAB SHIPPING COMPANY
GNIEZO II 1978 2,995 POLAND STEAMSHIP COMPANY
SIERADZ 1978 2,996 POLAND STEAMSHIP COMPANY
WYSZKOW 1979 2,997 POLAND STEAMSHIP COMPANY
COMZA 1979 2,996 POLAND STEAMSHIP COMPANY
CHORZOW 1979 2,996 POLAND STEAMSHIP COMPANY
WIELUN 1979 2,992 POLAND STEAMSHIP COMPANY
WARKA 1979 2,992 POLAND STEAMSHIP COMPANY

After almost twelve decades of successful and innovative shipbuilding, the Scotstoun Yard, which was at the forefront of shipbuilding technology under four generations of the Connell family, came to an end in 1980 with the closure of this famous upper-Clyde shipyard.

Angus MacKinnon (deceased)