Iron Shipbuilding on the Thames, 1832-1915: An Economic and Business History

This title was first published in 2000. ‘Little better documented than King Arthur or Robin Hood’ complained one historian in 1998 describing the lack of information on Thames shipbuilding. This study of iron shipbuilding on the capital’s river fills this noticeable gap. A.J. Arnold examines the initial domination of the iron shipbuilding trade by Thames firms from the launch of the first iron vessel on the river in 1832 to the end of serious Thames-side shipbuilding in 1915. For the first time, the factors that caused the industry’s demise are explored fully, together with an analysis of the effect it had on its locality. Extending existing series of data, the book includes information on annual shipbuilding tonnage and the number of vessels constructed, and further looks at tonnage built for foreign citizens, companies and navies, and for the British Admirality. This broader and deeper statistical survey is supplemented with less systematic documentation such as memorabilia and business records to arrive at the most complete picture yet of a once pre-eminent British industry. A.J. Arnold is Professor of Accounting and Business History at the University of Essex.