LAIRD

John (eld. son of William Laird of Birken head, shipbuilder). b. Greenock 14 June 1805; a ociated with his father, managing partner in firm of W. Laird & Son, style of firm changed to John Laird 1833, retired Oct. 1861; one of first to use iron for ships, built a lighter of 60 tons for use on the Irish lakes 1829, built the Lady Lansdowne steamship 1833, the John Randolph 1834 the first iron ve el seen in America, and the Nemesis for the H.E.I.Co. the first iron ve el carrying guns; built the first government iron ship the Dover mail packet 1840; chairman of Birken head improvement commi ion 1855 to Dec. 1861; M.P. Birken head 11 Dec. 1861 to death; built many large ve els for the government, Pacific Steam Navigation co., P. and O.S.N. co., Me ageries Mar i times co. and British Colonial steam navigation co.; built the Alabama for American confederate states, launched 15 May 1862. d. 63 Hamilton sq. Birken head 29 Oct. 1874. Practical Mag. iii 401–8 (1874), portrait ; I.L.N. xxxix 74 (1861), portrait ; Graphic , x 439 (1874), portrait .