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Robert Napier (21 June 1791 – 23 June 1876) was a Scottish marine engineer known for his contributions toClydeshipbuilding.
Robert Napier was born inDumbarton at the height of theIndustrial Revolution, to James and Jean Napier. James was of a line of esteemed bell-wrights, blacksmiths, and engineers, with a brother (also named Robert) who served asblacksmith for theDuke of Argyll atInveraray Castle.
Napier was educated at theburgh school where he took an interest in drawing, which reflected in his later life in an interest in painting and fine arts. Against his father's hopes that he would become a minister in theChurch of Scotland, he developed an interest in the family business. At age sixteen, he was confronted by aRoyal Navypress gang who intended toconscript him into service during theNapoleonic Wars. Instead of allowing his son to be conscripted, James Napier signed a contract of formalindenture with his son, making him immune to conscription.
Napier's apprenticeship with his father lasted for five years, after which time he moved toEdinburgh and worked forRobert Stevenson, builder of theBell Rock Lighthouse.
Napier set up his own business in 1815, and in August 1815 was admitted to the Incorporation of the Hammermen of Glasgow, following the example of his father and grandfather.[1] In 1841 he took his sons James and John into partnership and their firm's name becameRobert Napier and Sons.
In 1823 he won a contract to build asteam engine for the paddle steamerLeven. The engine was so good that it was later fitted to another ship, the paddle steamerQueen of Beauty. The Leven engine – his first engine – now rests at the Denny Ship Model Experiment Tank branch of theScottish Maritime Museum in Dumbarton.
In 1827, Napier had the unique distinction of having built the engines of both of the two fastest ships to compete in theNorthern Yacht Club's AugustRegatta, namely the paddle steamersClarence andHelensburgh. This earned him a reputation as a shipbuilder, which furthered his career, as did his co-operation on hull design withThomas Assheton Smith, for whom he built theMenai (400 tons and 120 hp) followed by several moresteam yachts.[2][3] In 1828 he established Glasgow's Vulcan Foundry.
Many of Scotland's most esteemed shipbuilders apprenticed under Napier, including James andGeorge Thomson, who founded the J & G Thomson shipyard (now known asJohn Brown & Company), andJohn Elder of theFairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company.
Napier continued building steamship engines, eventually expanding into steam engines for ocean-going vessels. In 1835 he procured a controversial contract with theEast India Company to build an engine for their ship, the paddle steamerBerenice which, built by David Napier, (Napier's cousin) and using Napier's engine, proved faster than her sister ship, the paddle steamerAtalanta (built on the Thames) – beating her to India by 18 days on their maiden voyage.
In 1838, Napier was contracted by theAdmiralty to produce 280 NHP engines for two of their ships, the first class paddle steamer sloopsStromboli andVesuvius; but after that, orders ceased. When Napier had this queried inParliament, the reply proved that Napier's engines were cheaper and more reliable than those built in the Admiralty's usual shipyards on theThames. Thereafter, Napier was the Admiralty's primary engine builder.
Napier's greatest success, however, came from his business deals withSamuel Cunard. Together with Cunard,James Donaldson,Sir George Burns, andDavid MacIver, he co-founded theBritish and North American Royal Mail Steam Packet Company. It seems that Napier could be considered responsible for the livery of the Cunard funnels, since the vermilion colour and black hoops were already used on earlier Napier-engined ships, as evidenced by the shipbuilder's model of P.S. "Menai" of 1830 in the Scottish Transport Museum in Glasgow.
In 1841 he expanded his company to include an iron shipbuilding yard inGovan and theParkhead Forge Steelworks, and in 1843 they produced their first ship, theVanguard. He also procured a contract with the Royal Navy to produce vessels, notably theJackal, theLizard, and theBloodhound, which became the first iron vessels in the Royal Navy. He allowed naval officers in training to visit the shipyard to familiarise themselves with the new vessels. The Parkhead Forge was acquired byWilliam Beardmore and Company in 1886. Napier's shipyard in Govan was also later acquired by Beardmore's in 1900 before being sold on toHarland & Wolff in 1912, and finally closed in 1962. The Parkhead Forge would eventually close in 1976.
Napier never lost his early interest in art. He built his home inShandon, by theGareloch, to house his sizeable art collection, which included work by artists such asHenry Raeburn andHoratio McCulloch, as well as art byDutch,French andItalian masters.
In 1875 his wife of 57 years, Isabella, died. Shortly afterwards, Napier fell seriously ill, and died the next year, in 1876. He is buried in the Parish Kirkyard, in Dumbarton.
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| Preceded by | President of theInstitution of Mechanical Engineers 1863–1865 | Succeeded by |
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