Yarrow Shipbuilders

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Launch of Type 45 destroyer from the former YSL (now BAE) Scotstoun yard

Yarrow Shipbuilders Limited (YSL) was a major shipyard, now part of BAE Systems Naval Ships which also includes the nearby Govan shipyard. The shipyard is located in the Scotstoun district of Glasgow, Scotland on the River Clyde.

[edit] History

The company was founded by Alfred Yarrow, later Sir Alfred Yarrow, 1st Baronet, in the 1870's as Yarrow & Company Limited. Originally it was based in London but moved to Scotstoun, Glasgow in 1906. The Yarrow company was one of the world's leading builders of Destroyers from its inception until after World War 2, building ships for both the Royal Navy and export customers. Yarrow was also a builder of boilers, and a type of water-tube boiler developed by the company was known as the "Yarrow type boiler".

In 1977 the Labour government of James Callaghan passed the Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act which nationalised YSL and grouped it with other major British shipyards as British Shipbuilders. In May 1979 Margaret Thatcher was elected as Prime Minister and her administration soon began its privatisation programme. British Aerospace, established by the same act, was privatised in 1981. British Shipbuilder's road to privatisation was not as swift and the group was sold piece by piece throughout the decade; though YSL was one of the early divestitures, it was sold in 1985 to GEC's GEC-Marconi division. Yarrow became Marconi Marine (YSL). In 1999 Marconi Electronic Systems was sold to British Aerospace, creating BAE Systems. Marconi Marine (YSL) became BAE SYSTEMS Marine (YSL).