Tug For Clyde

Biggest tug yet built by P K Harris (Shipbuilders) Ltd, the Thunderer was named and launched from the firm’s Appledore yard on Friday.

She was named by Mrs P S MacAllum, wife of the managing director of the firm for whom the vessel is being built, who was presented with a bouquet by Miss Ann Dryer.

Mr P S MacAllum, managing director of Steel and Bennie Ltd, one of the best known firms of tug owners in the United Kingdom, smiling happily after watching the perfect launch, said “I signed the contract here on December 27th and you see the ship launched here tonight and we are very pleased. We had two vessels built last year on the Clyde and in 1953 we had another built in Aberdeen and this is the first time we have had a vessel built outside Scotland.”

Mr J Venus, managing director of P K Harris (Shipbuilders) Ltd said November this year was the contract delivery date but everything had gone so well and there had been no hold-ups over delivery of materials, that he expected the tug would be delivered at the end of June or early in July, four or five months ahead of schedule.

The full Gazette article is dated 9 May 1958