Caird & Company
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Shipbuilding, Engineering |
| Founded | 1828 |
| Founder | John Caird |
| Defunct | 1922 |
| Fate | Acquired by Harland & Wolff Ltd in 1916; operated as independent subsidiary until 1922 |
| Headquarters | Greenock , Scotland |
Key people | John Caird, James Tennant Caird, Arthur Caird, Patrick Caird, Robert Caird |
Caird & Company was a Scottish firm specializing in shipbuilding and engineering, headquartered in Greenock. Founded in 1828 by John Caird, the business initially focused on re-powering Clyde paddle-tugs with new engines.
James Tennant Caird, a relative of John, became part of the company in 1831. After a brief departure to Randolph, Elder & Co in Glasgow, he rejoined Caird & Company permanently in 1838.
Following the passing of Robert Caird, the enterprise was acquired by Harland & Wolff Ltd in 1916 for £432,493. Despite the sale, it operated as an independent subsidiary with Arthur and Patrick Caird serving on the board until 1922. The engine works located on Arthur Street were sold to John G. Kincaid & Company in 1919.
Ships equipped with Caird & Co engines
During its formative period, Caird & Co concentrated on installing or upgrading steam engines. A significant example includes the Glasgow, fitted with a side-lever engine by Caird in 1828 for G & J Burns. That same year, the paddle steamer Industry (constructed in 1814) received an engine upgrade from 10 hp to 14 hp.
In 1845, comprehensive schematics of Caird engines installed on four West India Mail-Packets—"Clyde," "Tay," "Tweed," and "Teviot"—were published. These side-lever engines had two cylinders measuring 74.5 inches in diameter with a 90-inch stroke, driving 30-foot paddle wheels at 15 rpm. These vessels were operated by the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company. It is documented that Caird outsourced the wooden hull construction to various builders:
- Clyde constructed by Robert Duncan of Greenock, launched February 1841
- Tay built by Charles Wood of Dumbarton, launched July 1841
- Tweed built by Thomson & Speirs of Greenock, launched April 1841
- Teviot constructed by Robert Duncan of Greenock, launched October 1841
Additional ships powered by Caird engines include steam tugs such as Hercules and Gulliver, and paddle-steamers including Liverpool, Gazelle, Dolphin, Eagle, Unicorn, and Juno. Tugboats like Conqueror were also fitted with their engines. These vessels were primarily built by Robert Steele & Co, Robert Duncan, William Denny and Brothers, among others between the 1820s and 1840s.
Later on, Caird provided engines for many screw-steamers (propeller-driven), especially those produced by William Denny and Brothers until 1851 and other builders through to 1863.
Ships constructed by Caird & Co
- (1853)
- (1855)
- SS Teutonia (1856)
- (1857)
- (1857)
- (1858)
- SS Lord Clyde (1862)
- RMS Eider (1864)
- PS Agnes E. Fry (1864)
- (1867)
- (1867)
- (1867)
- (1867)
- (1868)
- (1868)
- (1868)
- (1868)
- (1869)
- (1869)
- (1869)
- (1870)
- (1871)
- (1872)
- (1872)
- (1872)
- (1873)
- (1873)
- (ex-Rhenania) (1873)
- (1874)
- SS Governor General Loudon (1875)
- SV Inchgreen (1876)
- (1883)
- (1885)
- (1886)
- (1890)
- (1891)
- (1891)
- (1892)
- (1892)
- (1896)
- (1897)
- (1899)
- (1900)
- (1900)
- (1901)
- (1903)
- (1904)
- (1905)
- (1905)
- (1907)
- (1908)
- (1909)
- (1911)}
- (1914)
- HMS P.22 (1916)
- HMS P.35 (1917)
- HMS P.42 (1917)
- HMS P.43 (1917)
- (1918)
Prominent Individuals from the Caird Family
- Edward Caird, philosopher
- John Caird, Principal and Vice-Chancellor at the University of Glasgow
- Robert Caird, business leader