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

Ships built by Caledon include:

Naval Aircraft carriers Royal Navy

Frigates Royal Navy Royal Navy Royal Navy Royal Navy a further ship of this class – HMS Loch Seaforth – was cancelled. Survey ships HMS Hecla Royal Navy HMS Herald Royal NavyCorvettes Royal Navy Royal Navy Royal Navy

Landing ships Royal Navy

Auxiliaries Royal Fleet Auxiliary Royal Fleet Auxiliary Royal Fleet Auxiliary 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 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 cargo and passenger liner 26 Nov 1901 Leyland Line 177 Ardeola cargo and passenger liner 17 Jun 1904 Yeoward Brothers 189 passenger liner 18 Oct 1906 Alfred Booth and Company 200 cargo and passenger liner 31 May 1908 Alfred Booth and Company 209 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 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 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 lighthouse tender 1939 Northern Lighthouse Board 389 Ranger class attendant oil tanker 12 Mar 1941 Royal Fleet Auxiliary390 Ranger class attendant oil tanker 27 May 1941 Royal Fleet Auxiliary 391 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 cargo ship 29 Jun 1942 Ministry of War Transport 396 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 lighthouse tender 1955 Northern Lighthouse Board 508 Canadian Star cargo ship 1956 Blue Star Line 531 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 539 Parthia cargo ship 1963 Cunard 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 C-class ferry 3 May 1973 Sealink 561 C-class ferry 1 Jun 1973 Sealink 562 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

Other HMS Triad a yacht that was hired into service of the Royal Navy during World War I

References

Further reading