Colvilles

1959.

of Dalzell Steel Works, Motherwell, near Glasgow, and Ravenscraig.

formerly David Colville and Sons

1931 The Lithgow brother agreed to merge their holdings in James Dunlop and Co with David Colville and Sons, as a consequence of which they joined the board of the Colville companies, forming Colvilles. It was decided to centralize pig iron manufacture at the former Dunlop's Clyde Iron Works. This resulted in the blast furnaces at Glengarnock closing down and the old rolling mill was also closed down.

1934 The Lithgow brothers bought the shares of the Steel Company of Scotland. Their ownership of these shares posed a threat to the growing monopoly of the Colville group in supplying the shipbuilding market, and encouraged the Colville group to incorporate the Steel Company of Scotland in its rationalization scheme.

1937 Colvilles restructuring begins which will ultimately lead to the building of the Ravenscraig Steelworks.

1937 Steel and iron manufacturers.

1951 Nationalised under the Iron and Steel Act; became part of the Iron and Steel Corporation of Great Britain

1954 Ravenscraig Steelworks opened by Colvilles at a cost of £20,000,000, with 2 batteries of 35 coke ovens, a blast furnace and melting shop with 3 furnaces. Colvilles older furnaces to be demolished.

1954 Principal subsidiaries were Smith and McLean and Clyde Alloy Steel Co.

1954 Etna Iron and Steel Company and Dixon's Ironworks were transferred to Colvilles by the Holding and Realization Agency in order to allow rationalisation of the Scottish steel industry.

1955 Public offer for sale of shares in the company held by the Holding and Realization Agency.

1957 Ravenscraig Steelworks Construction complete.

1960 Advert- Colvilles, 195 West George Street, Glasgow C.2.

1961 Ten subsidiaries with works at Motherwell, Cambuslang, Glengarnock, Glasgow, Bellshill, Uddingston and Coatbridge. Employ 10,900 persons.

1967 Became part of British Steel.

See Also

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Sources of Information

• History of Clydebridge