Henry Robb, Limited, known colloquially as Robbs, was a Scottish shipbuilding company based at Leith Docks in Edinburgh. Robbs built small-to-medium sized vessels, particularly tugs and dredgers.

History The company was founded on 1 April 1918 by Henry Robb, a former yard manager for Ramage & Ferguson shipbuilders, which lay around 1 km to the east.Henry Robb: Shipbuilding at the Port of Leith Ships Monthly July 2025 pages 52-55 Robb was born in Partick, Glasgow in 1874 to Henry Robb (1843-1894), a ships caulker, and his wife Martha Simpson (1840–78). He married Mary Baird Mcintosh Cowan in 1903 and their son, Henry Cowan Robb (1932-2018), became a Director of the firm. Henry Robb died in Edinburgh in 1951.

Robbs grew by buying berths from Hawthorns in 1924, the business of Cran and Somerville in 1926 and the yards of Ramage and Ferguson in 1934. The site became known as Victoria Shipyard.

Robbs closed its Arbroath and Clyde operations in the 1920s and focused its activities on Leith.

During World War II, Robbs built a large number of warships for the Royal Navy, including preparing the designs and building the prototype of the anti-submarine / minesweeping trawler. Three corvettes were built for the Royal New Zealand Navy. Ordered in 1939, two of these ships famously sank the in January 1943,Waters, Sydney David (1956) The Royal New Zealand Navy, Page 307-309, Historical Publications Branch, Wellington. while the third ship helped sink seven months later.Waters, Sydney David (1956) The Royal New Zealand Navy, Page 327-328, Official History, Historical Publications Branch, Wellington.

On 26 February 1940 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth toured the shipyard. The King visited a second time on 29 July 1943.Edinburgh Evening News 30 July 1943

In 1963 Robbs took over the neighbouring long-standing shipbuilding yard of Menzies & Co.The Life and Times of Leith by James Scott Marshall ISBN 0 85976 128 2

In 1968 Robbs merged with the Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Company of Dundee, forming Robb Caledon Shipbuilding, and in 1969 the new company took over the Burntisland Shipbuilding Company in Fife. In 1977, under the provisions of the Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act 1977, Robb Caledon was nationalised as part of British Shipbuilders. The Caledon yard in Dundee closed in 1981. Robb's yard in Leith survived two more years, closing in 1983.

The site of Robb's shipyard is now the Ocean Terminal shopping centre, where the former Royal Yacht Britannia is berthed. An early 20th-century pitched roof paint shed that once belonged to the yard, built from rivetted iron plates, survives and was a Category B listed building before being relocated.

The yard features in the video to the song "Letter From America" (1987) by The Proclaimers, whose father worked in the yard. The overall sentiment of the song stresses the loss of Scotland's traditional industries and the mass emigration of Scots to North America due to circumstances such as the Highland Clearances.

Ships built by Robbs

Naval s

Storage Ships MV Pembroke Coast MV British Coast MV Atlantic Coast MV Ocean Coast

Armed Trawlers HMS Basset HMS Mastiff

Hoppers MV Gallions Reach Tree-class trawlers HMS Hazel HMS Hickory

s

s

HMS Ringdove HMS Redstart

Other Minesweepers HMS Sword Dance HMS Staffa HMS Sidmouth HMS Stornoway

s

(ex- HMS Glenarm)

HMS Naver – cancelled and re-ordered as HMS Loch Achanalt.

s – to Royal Canadian Navy on completion. – to Royal Malaysian Navy in 1964 as Hang Tuah. – to Royal New Zealand Navy in 1949 as Rotoiti. three further ships of this class – Loch Kishorn, Loch Nell and Loch Odairn – were cancelled.

s (ex- HMS Loch Laxford) (ex- HMS Loch Maddy) (ex- HMS Loch Coulside)

Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships – naval stores ship – aviation training ship – naval stores ship

Bustler-class ocean rescue tugs Built during WW2 these huge tugs could manage huge ships over long distances and were used to tow the sections of the Mulberry Harbour during the D-Day LandingsLeith Built Ships on War Service ECL ref.YHE 56567

Other Tugs MV George Salt MV Firefly

Ships for Robertson Line MS Jacinth MS Spinel

Other Ships MS Kodara for Robetson Co. MS Edina for Currie Line MV Creole MV The Miller for E Marriage & Son MV Goldengown MV Puriri for Anchor Line of NZ MV Underwood for Union Steam Co of NZ MV Port Tauranga

Wild Duck-class RMAS cable-laying and salvage ships

Merchant Yard No Name Type Launch Owner/Notes 216 Argos cargo 1935 Cia. Argentina de Lanchas, Buenos Aires 267 Manly ferry 1 April 1938 Port Jackson & Manly Steamship Company 355 SS Tinto cargo 1947 Ellerman's Wilson Line 356 SS Truro cargo 1947 Ellerman's Wilson Line 357 SS Bravo cargo 1947 Ellerman's Wilson Line 358 SS Silvio cargo 1947 Ellerman's Wilson Line 361 MV Kaitangata cargo 1948 Union Steamship Company 362 MV Konui cargo 1949 Union Steamship Company 375 MV Kaitawa collier 1949 Union Steamship Company 376 MV Kaiapoi cargo 1949 Union Steamship Company 377 MV Kamona cargo 1949 Union Steamship Company 379 MV Mombasa passenger/cargo 1950 British India Steam Navigation Company 399 MV Kawatiri cargo 1950 Union Steamship Company 393 MV Mtwara passenger/cargo 1951 British India Steam Navigation Company 398 MV Waimate cargo 1951 Union Steamship Company 400 MV Kokiri cargo 1951 Union Steamship Company 406 MV Cavallo cargo 1951 Ellerman's Wilson Line 407 MV Trentino cargo 1952 Ellerman's Wilson Line 418 MV Wareatea refrigerated cargo 1952 William Holyman and Sons Pty., Melbourne 427 MV Marwick Head cargo 1952 A.F. Henry & MacGregor, Leith 426 MV Karamu refrigerated cargo 1953 Union Steamship Company 428 MV Longfellow cargo 1953 Rodney Steamship Company 430 MV Golden Bay bulk carrier 1954 Tarakohe Shipping Co, Wellington 434 MV Auby passenger/cargo 1954 Sarawak Steam Ship Company, Singapore 437 SS Cicero refrigerated cargo 1954 Ellerman's Wilson Line 438 SS Rollo refrigerated cargo 1954 Ellerman's Wilson Line443MV Kaitoacargo1956Union Steamship Company448MV Kaimaicargo1956Union Steamship Company456MV Kumallacargo1956Union Steamship Company457MV Koninicargo1957Union Steamship Company 508 ice-strengthened research vessel 4 September 1970 British Antarctic Survey 515 ferry 4 January 1974 Caledonian MacBrayne 516 S.A. Wolraad Woltemade salvage tug 15 May 1975 South African Marine Corporation 521 MV Borthwick LPG Tanker 1977 Geo. Gibson & Co. 522 ferry 31 August 1978 Caledonian MacBrayne 530 lighthouse tender 1982 Trinity House 534 ferry 1983 Sealink/Wightlink 535 ferry 1983 Sealink/Wightlink

References

External links The Ships of Henry Robb The Loftsman, history of the ships built at Leith Photos of the closed Robbs yard at edinphoto.org.uk Photos of Robb Caledon built ships at shipphotos.co.uk History of the Free French frigate La Découverte, ex-HMS Windrush Blog about the history of Robb's yard and workers by Henry Robb's great-granddaughter