A naval gun made by William Beardmore & Co during the First World War.
In 1902 Beardmores bought 90 acres of ground at Dalmuir and laid out a yard to specialise in the construction of warships. New plant was installed at Parkhead Forge to make naval guns and included a 12,000 ton hydraulic press and a gun tempering shop.
Beardmores made a loss of £25,000 on the first battleship built at Dalmuir and the yard did not become profitable. Beardmores' rapid diversification into shipbuilding and other heavy engineering ventures put the company under severe financial pressure. The outbreak of war in 1914 probably saved the firm as the government rushed to place orders for ships and guns, followed in 1915 by contracts for shells.
Reference: 1530.95.183
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Museums
Keywords:
battleships, Dalmuir Naval Construction Works, First World War, heavy engineering, munitions, naval guns, Parkhead Forge, shipbuilders, shipbuilding, shipyards, William Beardmore & Co, workshops