Hanna, Donald & Wilson
Encyclopedia
Hanna, Donald and Wilson were a Scottish engineering and shipbuilding
firm which flourished in the Victorian era
.
The general engineering firm of Reid & Hanna was founded in 1816 in Paisley
in Scotland
. James Donald became a partner in the firm in 1851 and firm incorporated his name. Donald’s younger brother, the shipbuilder William Donald, joined the firm when his previous company, Donald & Co, collapsed and Hanna and Donald acquired their Atlas works in Paisley. The same year saw the company begin a shipbuilding partnership with the Abercorn Shipbuilding Company in Paisley.
In 1870 the business moved its centre of operations to the Abercorn Foundry and Abbey Works in Paisley. Operating from a landlocked site, the shipbuilding department of the company specialised in shallow draught boats for inland waters which were delivered to customers in prefabricated sections and reassembled on site. The company also built high speed naval vessels, including two s, for the Royal Navy
and similar boats for the Greek Navy.
They also offered their services as gas and water engineers, iron founders and bridge and boiler makers. They worked on Waverley Station
in Edinburgh
, St Enoch Station
in Glasgow
and the Cumberland & Westmorland Railway in England. They were supplied civil and mechanical engineering services to a wide range of European countries and countries in the British Empire or Commonwealth across the world as far afield as South East Asia, Canada and Australia. Too small to withstand the competition from larger firms, the engineering and shipbuilding companies were wound up in the 1910s, with the last asset, the Abercorn ship yard, sold off in 1920.
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
firm which flourished in the Victorian era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
.
The general engineering firm of Reid & Hanna was founded in 1816 in Paisley
Paisley
Paisley is the largest town in the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland and serves as the administrative centre for the Renfrewshire council area...
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. James Donald became a partner in the firm in 1851 and firm incorporated his name. Donald’s younger brother, the shipbuilder William Donald, joined the firm when his previous company, Donald & Co, collapsed and Hanna and Donald acquired their Atlas works in Paisley. The same year saw the company begin a shipbuilding partnership with the Abercorn Shipbuilding Company in Paisley.
In 1870 the business moved its centre of operations to the Abercorn Foundry and Abbey Works in Paisley. Operating from a landlocked site, the shipbuilding department of the company specialised in shallow draught boats for inland waters which were delivered to customers in prefabricated sections and reassembled on site. The company also built high speed naval vessels, including two s, for the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
and similar boats for the Greek Navy.
They also offered their services as gas and water engineers, iron founders and bridge and boiler makers. They worked on Waverley Station
Edinburgh Waverley railway station
Edinburgh Waverley railway station is the main railway station in the Scottish capital Edinburgh. Covering an area of over 25 acres in the centre of the city, it is the second-largest main line railway station in the United Kingdom in terms of area, the largest being...
in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, St Enoch Station
St Enoch railway station
-External links:* *...
in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
and the Cumberland & Westmorland Railway in England. They were supplied civil and mechanical engineering services to a wide range of European countries and countries in the British Empire or Commonwealth across the world as far afield as South East Asia, Canada and Australia. Too small to withstand the competition from larger firms, the engineering and shipbuilding companies were wound up in the 1910s, with the last asset, the Abercorn ship yard, sold off in 1920.