Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom — Northwestern Europe (the British Isles)

Queen's Island Shipyard / Belfast's Industrial Growth

Queen's Island Shipyard Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., May 14, 2019

1. Queen's Island Shipyard Marker

Inscription.

Queen's Island Shipyard, also, Belfast's Industrial Growth. . [Front], Queen's Island From Pleasure Garden to Shipyard. , Edward Harland and Gustav Wolff's shipyard, which would go on to become the most successful in the world, was established in 1861., [Blue inset caption reads] The first modern passenger liner Oceanic, launched by Harland and Wolff in 1870, was powered by a combination of steam and sail and boasted such luxuries as promenade decks and baths with running water., [Photo captions, from left to right, read], Above Edward Harland and Gustav Wolff, Below Holywood's lighthouse provided essential guidance for the many ships navigating Belfast Lough's busy shipping lanes, Above These plans demonstrated how the shipyard developed over a 12 year period. By 1874, Hamilton Dock and Abercorn Basin had been constructed and a number of extra slipways had appeared., Above, top The spectacle of a ship being launched from its slipway always drew crowds. Here people are watching from the muddy banks of the Lagan as Norah Graeme is launched from Queen's Island in 1858., Above White Star Line's Oceanic, 1871, [Back], Belfast's Industrial Growth. , When the construction of Hamilton Graving Dock commenced in 1864, Belfast was experiencing unprecedented growth in industry. Between 1821 and 1901, Belfast developed more quickly than any other British city., A massive workforce was required to meet the demands of developing businesses. The population of the city had trebled between 1821 and 1861 to over 120,000., Linen manufacturing was Belfast's main industry during the mid 1800s. By 1870, over 50,000 people (mostly women) were employed at the linen mills - almost half the city's population. Improvements to the River Lagan in the 1840s had aided the expansion of Belfast's fledgling shipbuilding industry, which was well underway by the 1860s., The population of Belfast trebled between 1821 and 1861 to over 120,000., [Upper blue inset caption reads] By 1861, the year Harland and Wolff's shipyard was established, Belfast's shipbuilding industry had spread to both sides of the River Lagan., [Lower blue inset caption reads] This Ordnance Survey map from 1833 predates the formation of Queen's Island., [Photo captions, top to bottom, read], Queen's Bridge, c.1861, Above, right The original course of the [R]iver Lagan is shown in blue. The river was straightened by excavating a new channel in the 1840s, shown in red. Queen's Island was formed along the new eastern bank using the material excavated., Background Belfast Harbour Office, c.1857, Below Belfast developed more quickly than any other British city between 1821 and 1901. At this time, most of its population was concentrated on the western bank of the Lagan.

[Front]

Queen's Island
From Pleasure Garden to Shipyard

Edward Harland and Gustav Wolff's shipyard, which would go on to become the most successful in the world, was established in 1861.

[Blue inset caption reads]
The first modern passenger liner Oceanic, launched by Harland and Wolff in 1870, was powered by a combination of steam and sail and boasted such luxuries as promenade decks and baths with running water.

[Photo captions, from left to right, read]

Above Edward Harland and Gustav Wolff

Below Holywood's lighthouse provided essential guidance for the many ships navigating Belfast Lough's busy shipping lanes

Above These plans demonstrated how the shipyard developed over a 12 year period. By 1874, Hamilton Dock and Abercorn Basin had been constructed and a number of extra slipways had appeared.

Above, top The spectacle of a ship being launched from its slipway always drew crowds. Here people are watching from the muddy banks of the Lagan as Norah Graeme is launched from Queen's Island in 1858.

Above White Star Line's Oceanic, 1871

[Back]

Belfast's Industrial Growth

When the construction of Hamilton Graving Dock commenced
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in 1864, Belfast was experiencing unprecedented growth in industry. Between 1821 and 1901, Belfast developed more quickly than any other British city.

A massive workforce was required to meet the demands of developing businesses. The population of the city had trebled between 1821 and 1861 to over 120,000.

Linen manufacturing was Belfast's main industry during the mid 1800s. By 1870, over 50,000 people (mostly women) were employed at the linen mills - almost half the city's population. Improvements to the River Lagan in the 1840s had aided the expansion of Belfast's fledgling shipbuilding industry, which was well underway by the 1860s.

The population of Belfast trebled between 1821 and 1861 to over 120,000.

[Upper blue inset caption reads]
By 1861, the year Harland and Wolff's shipyard was established, Belfast's shipbuilding industry had spread to both sides of the River Lagan.

[Lower blue inset caption reads]
This Ordnance Survey map from 1833 predates the formation of Queen's Island.

[Photo captions, top to bottom, read]

Queen's Bridge, c.1861

Above, right The original course of the [R]iver Lagan is shown in blue. The river was straightened by excavating a new channel in the 1840s, shown in red. Queen's Island was formed along the new eastern bank using the material

Belfast's Industrial Growth Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., May 14, 2019

2. Belfast's Industrial Growth Marker

excavated.

Background Belfast Harbour Office, c.1857

Below Belfast developed more quickly than any other British city between 1821 and 1901. At this time, most of its population was concentrated on the western bank of the Lagan.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1861.

Location. 54° 36.381′ N, 5° 54.7′ W. Marker is in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Marker is on Queens Road, on the left when traveling north. Part of the Titanic Belfast complex. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: Hamilton Dock, Belfast, Northern Ireland BT3 9DT, United Kingdom. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Queen's Island Shipyard / Hamilton Dock (here, next to this marker); Building the Dock 1864-1867 / Belfast's Industrial Growth (here, next to this marker); Building the Dock 1864-1867 / Hamilton Dock (here, next to this marker); Hamilton Dock Stone Construction (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named Hamilton Dock Stone Construction (a few steps from this marker); Nomadic in Hamilton Dock (a few steps from this marker); Operating the [Hamilton] Dock (a few steps from this marker); Hamilton Dock By Numbers (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Belfast.

Also see . . .

Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., May 14, 2019

3. Queen's Island Shipyard Marker

1. Shipbuilding in Belfast. (Submitted on June 15, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
2. Shipbuilding - Story of Belfast. (Submitted on June 15, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
3. Ulster Linen - Story of Belfast. (Submitted on June 15, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
4. Linenopolis: the rise of the textile industry. (Submitted on June 15, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)

Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., May 14, 2019

4. Belfast's Industrial Growth Marker

<i>Oceanic</i> Engraving on Queen's Island Shipyard Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Unknown, c.1870s

5. Oceanic Engraving on Queen's Island Shipyard Marker

Survey Map on Belfast's Industrial Growth Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Ordnance Survey, 1833

6. Survey Map on Belfast's Industrial Growth Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on September 7, 2022. It was originally submitted on June 15, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 141 times since then and 14 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on June 15, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.