Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past History Information Request Did anyone go to any Lairds launches?

My Girlfriends dad worked there and they went to a few, i will have her post up some memories here later...
They owned the sweet shop after that by green lane

I went to the launch of one of the nuclear submarines, as we had been doing some diving work on it. Don't remember the name or year. Mid 70's I guess.

I had family links with Lairds like many other families on Merseyside. My granddad had several spells as did 2 uncles and my brother.

The first launch I went to see was the Windsor Castle - this was a massive event to me as a small child - the crowds seemed enormous as I sat on my Dad's shoulders. I can still feel the excitement as the ship slid down into the Mersey.

The next year I started school at Mersey Park. We always got taken out into the park to see the launches as it was a major part of the town's calendar back then. We would stand by the swings in the park looking over Old Chester Road into the yard.

my mother in law worked in the offices at lairds in the late 50's. i cant remember the name of the ship but she got to present the bouquet & went to the meal.she was given a photo album of the day & she kept the menu & put that in the photo album as well. her dad my husbands grandad worked at lairds. he was there during the war.

my dad used to work at Lairds and Clovers and I went to a couple of launches of subs and ships but can't remember the names, just remember the crowds and the smells.

My dad still works there. My uncle and brother worked there too for a fair few years and I worked there for twelve months on the costa classica and saw the launch of the mid section we built and then seen it towed back in the wet basin and rust when it wasn't wanted.

I went to Renown (sub), Campbletown (destroyer), and Unseen (sub).

Pedantic head on - HMS Campbeltown is a frigate, not a destroyer

As you were

HMS Ark Royal iin 1950. I was about 6 and went with Mr Bun (my father !!). All I can recall is the sheer size of it and the noise of the chains.

Went to one with my primary school in the 70s, will try and find out which ship it was. I'm sure it was Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon who launched it.

I can't recall her being in the yard during the 70s, i wouldn't of hung around if she was, its a possible but i don't think so, however i do recall an employee of Lairds launching a ship, first time an employee had ever done so, it was Mrs Ellen Smith, a supervisor of the office cleaning staff, more memorable than any Princess.

Doh - I meant 1960s

Siamese National Anthem (sung to our national Anthem)

Oh wah ta na Siam

it could have been Princess Alexandria, she launched HMS Devonshire 1960.

i went to one in the 50s my granddad was a riveter,it was a tanker and i remember being amazed at all the grease.

You sure Bert? When was this? If it was after 1957 then she wasn't the first yard employee to launch a ship. 17-year-old apprentice shipwright Brian Young launched the Irish Spruce on the 16th of April 1957 after her original launch date had been cancelled owing to a national strike of shipbuilding workers; he was given £5 by the owners' representatives as a token of thanks.