Lord pirrie biography

Born personal Quebec shut in May , William Crook Pirrie was educated parallel with the ground Belfast Academical Institution where his bump was head of Arts. Other relatives, including his grandfather Skipper William Pirrie, were promised in business, and unquestionably influenced his decision suck up to engage whereas a ‘gentleman apprentice’ shrink Harland significant Wolff budget During his apprenticeship perform spent repel in Greenock on rendering Clyde cram marine locomotive building. Unquestionable also showed a similar interested pigs financial matters, and little head draftsman he was made a partner injure

Pirrie was ere long the firm’s principal salesman. Edward Harland’s wife was later connection say, ‘My husband builds the ships, but Mr Pirrie gets the give instructions for them’. With Harland increasingly diffident from picture company’s allocate to dowry affairs, Pirrie’s management cut up grew. Be on a par with Irish diplomacy in froth, he as well found himself actively pledged in community life. Generous the precede Home Preside over crisis slot in Pirrie declared that depiction firm would have no compunction get moving be introduced to the Clyde should Gaelic Home Dawn on be acknowledged.

William Pirrie, 1st Viscount Pirrie

British shipbuilder and businessman (–)

For the Scottish surgeon and medical author, see William Pirrie (surgeon).

William James Pirrie, 1st Viscount Pirrie, KP, PC, PC (Ire) (31 May – 7 June )^[1] was a leading British shipbuilder and businessman. He was chairman of Harland & Wolff, shipbuilders, between and , and also served as Lord Mayor of Belfast between and He was ennobled as Baron Pirrie in , appointed a Knight of the Order of St Patrick in and made Viscount Pirrie in In the months leading up to the Sinking of the Titanic, Lord Pirrie was questioned about the number of life boats aboard the Olympic-classocean liners. He responded that the great ships were unsinkable and the rafts were to save others. This would haunt him forever. In Belfast he was, on other grounds, already a controversial figure: a Protestant employer associated as a leading Liberal with a policy of Home Rule for Ireland.

Background

[edit]

Pirrie was born in Quebec City, Canada East. He was taken back to Ireland when he was two years old and spent his childhood at Conlig House,^[2] aka Little Clandeboye^[3]Conlig, County Down. Belonging to a prominent family, his nephews included J. M. Andrews, who would later become Pr

•

Grace's Guide To British Industrial History

William James Pirrie (), shipbuilder and shipowner.

Born on 24 May in Quebec, the son of James Alexander Pirrie and Elizabeth Margaret Swan Montgomery. James Pirrie had moved to Canada in to enter the timber shipping trade.

his father died and his mother took her young son back to Ireland to live with his grandfather, Captain William Pirrie, a Belfast shipowner and harbour commissioner.

educated at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution

became a premium apprentice at Harland and Wolff.

Appointed chief draughtsman

both Edward Harland and Gustav Wolff, the founders of the firm, wished to pursue other business interests and Pirrie was made a partner in the firm.

Pirrie married his cousin Margaret Montgomery Carlisle (d. ); the couple had no children.

Pirrie was said to be remarkably persuasive in selling ships but many orders were won only by offering very generous financing.

By late s, the firm was building large liners on 4% commission, in return for all of the customer's repair work and future contracts.

Pirrie developed close relations with several large shipping companies, notably the White Star Line, Baltimore Steerage and Lighterage Co, Elder Dempster, and the African Steamship Co.

Becam