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

Queen's Island Shipyard / Hamilton Dock

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, Hamilton Dock. . [Front], Queen's Island From Pleasure Garden to Shipyard. , Queen's Island was created in 1847 when slobs from the digging of Victoria Channel were deposited on the Co. Down side of the Lagan Estuary., Queen's Island was created in 1847 when slobs from the dredging of a deep channel, known as 'the first cut', were deposited on the County Down side of the Lagan Estuary., The island was first known locally as Dargan's Island after William Dargan, who had led the dredging project. It was renamed Queen's Island to mark Queen Victoria's visit to Belfast in 1849. 'The first cut' was renamed Victoria Channel at the same time., The island's first use was as a people's park, with a zoo, a Crystal Palace, gardens, and a bathing pond. In 1853 the Harbour Commissioners leased land on the island to shipbuilder Robert Hickson, who later employed the 23-year-old Edward Harland as manager., In 1861 Edward Harland and Hamburg-born Gustav Wolff established what was to become the world's most successful shipyard. By 1875, Harland and Wolff had grown to a large yard employing more than 1,000 workers., The Belfast Harbour Commissioners, established in 1847, were responsible for managing, developing and improving Belfast's port., [Blue inset caption reads] Crystal Palace and pleasure garden in the early 1860s., [Photo captions, left to right, read], 'Bird's Eye View of Belfast', by JH Connop, showing the location of Queen's Island in 1863., Right The man on the Belfast Harbour Commissioners' seal symbolises the Lagan paying tribute to the city of Belfast, personified by the young woman with the Horn of Plenty for prosperity in one hand and the Caduceus as a symbol of commerce in the other., Above After Harland and Wolff established their shipyard in 1861, part of Queen's Island continued to serve as a pleasure ground., Left Feasts and festivals were common on Queen's Island. Ticket for the Commemoration of Queen Victoria's visit to Belfast., Above In their shipyard, Harland and Wolff first built sailing ships such as the Aglaia, which was constructed in 1875 and sank near Montevideo in 1889., Below Engineer William Dargan, after whom Dargan's Island was named, developed much of Ireland's railway network in the 19th century Portrait of William Dargan (1799-1867), (detail) Stephen Catterson Smith, 1806-1872, [Back], Hamilton Dock Concept and Controversy. , 'The income the Harbour Commissioners derive from the present iron shipbuilding yard, and the great amount of employment it affords, should render us anxious... to foster the extension of the trade until... it becomes firmly and permanently established in Belfast...' Robert Patterson, Harbour Commissioner, Belfast News Letter, 26 November 1862., Construction started on Hamilton Dock in 1864, following some controversy over its location., A 'graving piece' was a piece of new timber that replaced a rotten one in a ship's wooden hull. This happened in a graving dock, which later became synonymous with 'dry dock'., [Blue inset caption reads] Harland and Wolff's extensive boiler shops were housed in this building., [Photo captions, left to right, read], Below The Hamilton Dock was named in honour of James Hamilton, the Chairman of the Harbour Commissioners. It was opened on 2 October 1867 by the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, the Marquis of Abercorn, who also named the Abercorn Basin. Caricature appeared in Vanity Fair, 5 March 1881, Right, top Hamilton Dock was long enough to fit two ships comfortably at the same time., Right, bottom A crane, which could lift two tons, was installed on rails at Hamilton Dock in 1872.

[Front]

Queen's Island
From Pleasure Garden to Shipyard

Queen's Island was created in 1847 when slobs from the digging of Victoria Channel were deposited on the Co. Down side of the Lagan Estuary.

Queen's Island was created in 1847 when slobs from the dredging of a deep channel, known as 'the first cut', were deposited on the County Down side of the Lagan Estuary.

The island was first known locally as Dargan's Island after William Dargan, who had led the dredging project. It was renamed Queen's Island to mark Queen Victoria's visit to Belfast in 1849. 'The first cut' was renamed Victoria Channel at the same time.

The island's first use was as a people's park, with a zoo, a Crystal Palace, gardens, and a bathing pond. In 1853 the Harbour Commissioners leased land on the island to shipbuilder Robert Hickson, who later employed the 23-year-old Edward Harland as manager.

In 1861 Edward Harland and Hamburg-born Gustav Wolff established what was to become the world's most successful shipyard. By 1875, Harland and Wolff had grown to a large yard employing more than 1,000 workers.

The Belfast Harbour Commissioners, established in 1847, were responsible for managing, developing and improving Belfast's port.

[Blue inset caption
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Crystal Palace and pleasure garden in the early 1860s.

[Photo captions, left to right, read]

'Bird's Eye View of Belfast', by JH Connop, showing the location of Queen's Island in 1863.

Right The man on the Belfast Harbour Commissioners' seal symbolises the Lagan paying tribute to the city of Belfast, personified by the young woman with the Horn of Plenty for prosperity in one hand and the Caduceus as a symbol of commerce in the other.

Above After Harland and Wolff established their shipyard in 1861, part of Queen's Island continued to serve as a pleasure ground.

Left Feasts and festivals were common on Queen's Island. Ticket for the Commemoration of Queen Victoria's visit to Belfast.

Above In their shipyard, Harland and Wolff first built sailing ships such as the Aglaia, which was constructed in 1875 and sank near Montevideo in 1889.

Below Engineer William Dargan, after whom Dargan's Island was named, developed much of Ireland's railway network in the 19th century
Portrait of William Dargan (1799-1867), (detail)
Stephen Catterson Smith, 1806-1872

[Back]

Hamilton Dock
Concept and Controversy

'The income the Harbour Commissioners derive from the present iron shipbuilding yard,
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., May 14, 2019

2. Hamilton Dock Marker
and the great amount of employment it affords, should render us anxious... to foster the extension of the trade until... it becomes firmly and permanently established in Belfast...'
Robert Patterson, Harbour Commissioner,
Belfast News Letter, 26 November 1862.

Construction started on Hamilton Dock in 1864, following some controversy over its location.

A 'graving piece' was a piece of new timber that replaced a rotten one in a ship's wooden hull. This happened in a graving dock, which later became synonymous with 'dry dock'.

[Blue inset caption reads]
Harland and Wolff's extensive boiler shops were housed in this building.

[Photo captions, left to right, read]

Below The Hamilton Dock was named in honour of James Hamilton, the Chairman of the Harbour Commissioners. It was opened on 2 October 1867 by the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, the Marquis of Abercorn, who also named the Abercorn Basin.
Caricature appeared in Vanity Fair, 5 March 1881

Right, top Hamilton Dock was long enough to fit two ships comfortably at the same time.

Right, bottom A crane, which could lift two tons, was installed on rails at Hamilton Dock in 1872.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce

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

3. Queen's Island Shipyard Marker

• Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical date for this entry is November 26, 1862.

Location. 54° 36.383′ 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. Building the Dock 1864-1867 / Hamilton Dock (here, next to this marker); Queen's Island Shipyard / Belfast's Industrial Growth (here, next to this marker); Building the Dock 1864-1867 / Belfast's Industrial Growth (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); Features of the Dock (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Belfast.

Also see . . .
1. Harland and Wolff. Wikipedia entry (Submitted on June 16, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)

2. Shipbuilding in Belfast. Culture Northern Ireland website entry (Submitted on June 16, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)

3. The Hamilton Graving Dock

Hamilton Dock Marker image. Click for full size.

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

4. Hamilton Dock Marker

. Titanic Belfast website entry (Submitted on June 16, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)

4. Titanic Quarter (Queen's Island). Wikipedia entry. (Submitted on August 27, 2020, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)

Credits. This page was last revised on September 7, 2022. It was originally submitted on June 16, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 278 times since then and 61 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on June 16, 2019, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.