SHIPYARD SUCCESS
Home, sweet home
One of the River Clyde’s greatest shipyard bosses returned to his native Renfrew and the firm where his career had started.
With him, he brought much expertise from foreign yards – as well as experience gained while unwittingly building up the German Navy ahead of the First World War.
Hugh Gallacher began his career as a naval architect with world-famous Renfrew firm Simons, where he served a fruitful apprenticeship.
He was quickly marked down as a leading player in his field and left soon after his apprenticeship was finished.
His destination was Danzig, in Germany, and there he joined the staff of one of the largest shipbuilding establishments in the country, Messrs F. Schichau.
For 11 years, he was occupied in the construction of some of the largest German liners and warships for the German Navy.
But, in 1908, when relations between Great Britain and Germany were starting to become strained, Mr Gallacher left Danzig and returned to Renfrew, where he rejoined Simons.
With the Renfrew firm, he travelled all over the world on their behalf, collecting orders and advising various shipyards on construction.
As a result of his travels, he became proficient in many different languages – and something of a perfect linguist.
In 1919, he was on the move again, this time to Sunderland – another great centre of shipbuilding – where he was shipyard manager at the engineering firm of Sir William Doxford & Sons.
It was a position he thrived in and under his stewardship, the firm went from strength to strength.
He remained in the north east of England for 11 years before being enticed back north of the border with an offer he simply couldn’t turn down.
It was June, 1930, and at a board meeting of the firm of Simons, Mr Gallacher was invited to become managing director of the Renfrew ship giants – and it was a position he accepted with little delay.
But, before leaving behind the many good friends he had made in Sunderland, Mr Gallacher had one final duty to perform.
He was presented to the Prince of Wales when His Highness undertook a tour of inspection of Messrs Doxford’s works during his visit to Wearside at the beginning of July.
Once he had met the Prince of Wales and shown him around the yard, he was on his way home to Renfrew and his lofty seat at Simons, the firm that had been responsible for starting such an impressive career.