A Thomas Annan photograph of a portrait of the shipbuilder David Tod (1796-1859). The painting was by Daniel Macnee.
Early in his career was chief engineer on board David Napier’s pioneer paddle steamer Rob Roy which made a two trips each week from Greenock to Belfast. In 1834 he and another former Napier employee, John MacGregor, set up in business as shipbuilders as Tod & MacGregor, to build iron ships. Their first yard was at Mavisbank Quay but the company moved in 1845 to a new site near the mouth of the River Kelvin. The firm shipyard was acquired by D & W Henderson in 1873.
Tod was also a leader in the campaign to make Partick a police burgh, and became its first Provost in 1852.
Reference: Mitchell Library, GC 920.041435 COR
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Libraries Information and Learning
Keywords:
D & W Henderson, engineers, iron ships, Mavisbank Quay, Meadowside Quay, paddle steamers, police burghs, portraits, Provosts, River Clyde, Rob Roy, shipbuilders, shipbuilding, steamships, Tod & MacGregor