Description
A nineteen-bay, three-storey Modernist style building, dating from 1956-57 and built to the designs of Frank Burnet and Boston. It was constructed as part of the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering works and adjoins the west elevation of Fairfield House (the former headquarters building, listed category A ref: LB33356), which was built in 1891. The Annexe is similarly proportioned to Fairfield House but is stripped back in terms of composition and detailing. It has a narrow, rectangular shaped plan form. The concrete-framed structure is faced in ashlar red sandstone, with a rock-faced base course, continuous sandstone cill courses and a concrete eaves canopy. The main elevations are framed by a pair of four-storey stair towers breaking the eaves. Fairfield House was restored in 2009-14 and the Annexe has been vacant since 2003. They form part of the southeast frontage of the shipyard on Govan Road, which remains in operation.
The main (south) elevation has diminutive ground floor windows that are paired within raised margins. The upper floors have larger openings divided by fluted mullions. The concrete eaves extend down the sides of the stair towers to create vertical fins. The entrance door in the western tower has a concrete canopy and marble-tiled surrounds. The side (west) elevation is single-bay with an asymmetrical gable. The windows to the northwest corner are wrap-around. The rear (north) elevation is nineteen-bays but seven bays to the east-end project. The reinforced concrete frame is exposed and in-filled with red brick. The rear windows have concrete cills and reeded glass to the ground floor. The eastern tower has a concrete canopy over the entrance door, with a loading beam and door to the upper floor.
The slated roof has an irregular pitch, with a stylised metal guard rail to the main elevation. The rear (north) pitch is glazed. The windows are two-pane crittall-style metal casements arranged in groups of five-lights, with three-lights to the towers.
The interior was seen in 2017. It is plain with minimal detailing. The ground floor and much of the first floor comprise small offices and meeting rooms. The partitions are largely non-structural, and some are later insertions. The former drawing offices on the upper floor are open plan. The metal trusses and glazed northern pitch of the roof are retained but partially concealed by a later suspended ceiling. Services throughout are surface mounted with some cast iron radiators remaining. There are a few timber doors from the 1950s-60s, some of which have reeded glass vision panels. A few former offices have veneered panelling to the walls. The bathrooms have 1950s-60s tiling, toilets, urinals and sink units. The stairs are polished concrete with horizontal metal balusters and a timber handrail. There is a sliding metal door at east end of the first floor, which linked to the adjoining Fairfield House but the corridor has been blocked (likely during the 2014 works).
Historical development
The Fairfield Annexe was built in 1956-57 and is first shown clearly on an Ordnance Survey National Grid Map (revised 1965, published 1966). The building replaced a narrow run of single-storey ancillary buildings along Govan Road, as shown on an earlier National Grid map (revised 1948, published 1950).
The Annexe was built as part of 'Fairfield's' (or 'Fairfield Works'), which was established on the site in 1864 and was the world's first large-scale, integrated shipbuilding and engineering works (Johnson, Scottish Engineering Hall of Fame). The Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Co. Ltd. grew to become one of the largest and most important shipyards in the United Kingdom and was the largest on the Clyde. Initially established as a small engine shop in the mid-19th century, the company moved into shipbuilding in 1860. This was instigated by John Elder (1824-69), a marine engineer, who became world-renowned when he pioneered the invention of compounding in marine engines in the mid-1850s. By the 1880s, the company had risen to global prominence and opened a new headquarters building on Govan Road in 1891 (Fairfield House), which reflected the company's status as the most important and successful shipyard in the world at that time.
To accommodate new methods of construction, systematic change was required to allow the UK shipbuilding industry to compete against growing foreign competition in the post-war era. In 1953 Fairfield's began a major investment programme to modernise and re-plan the yard. This was carried out in three stages at a cost of £4 million and was completed in 1964.
Advancements in the design of marine propulsion systems meant that new headquarters were required to house the expanding marine engineering department. This led to the construction of the Fairfield Annexe in 1956-57. Designed by the Glasgow-based firm of Frank Burnet and Boston (Dean of Guild Drawings, 1956), the extension (now Fairfield Annexe) was built in the International Modern style. The Annexe was internally linked with the main headquarters building on two levels and largely functioned as the administrative and technical centre for the Fairfield Engine Works to the northwest (listed category A, ref: LB33357).
By the mid-1960s, Glasgow's shipbuilding industry could no longer compete with that of other countries and many shipyards closed. The company declared insolvency in 1965 and the marine engine-building subsidiary (Fairfield Rowan Ltd., formed in 1963) was closed in 1966. The yard spent much of the next 35 years in state ownership. It was sold to BAE Systems in 2000 and continues to operate (2025). The Annexe and former headquarters building (Fairfield House) were vacated around 2003 and are in separate ownership. Between 2009-2014, Fairfield House was restored as a business centre and heritage exhibition. The Annexe remains vacant (2025).
Statement of Special Interest
The Fairfield Annexe meets the criteria of special architectural or historic interest for the following reasons:
- The building is a notable example of a post-war technical office built in the Modernist style, which survives largely in its original form to the exterior and interior.
- The building displays a high quality of design and use of materials that complements the adjoining Victorian building. Together they represent the public frontage of the shipyard and convey the image of prestige, grandeur and technological advancement that the company wanted to portray to the worldwide market.
- It forms part of an outstanding architectural and historic group – together with the adjoining Fairfield House and the adjacent Engine Works, the buildings represent the core elements of what was an internationally significant shipbuilding yard and contribute to the maritime heritage of Govan and Clydeside.
- It is a rare surviving example of a technical office that was built for the shipbuilding industry during the mid 20th century. Structures associated with the shipbuilding industry no longer survive in large numbers in Scotland and few examples that are of definite design quality were built during the post-war period.
- It has special interest as, together with other listed examples within the site, the buildings are illustrative of social and economic history of shipbuilding and marine engineering in Scotland.
- It has a close association with the marine engineer John Elder and the naval architect and politician, Sir William Pearce, which is of national importance.
Architectural interest
Design
The Annexe is a notable example of Modernist style building that demonstrates a high quality in terms of its design and use of materials. It displays distinctive features that are characteristic of the Modern Movement, such as the streamlined appearance, expansive glazing, and stripped-back detailing. The use of the Modernist style, which was popular during the mid-20th century, reflects the company's ambition to make Fairfield the most modern and technically advanced shipyard and engine works in the UK, and shows how the revitalised company sought to present itself to the global market.
Although stylistically different to Fairfield House, which dates from 1891, the Annexe displays features of definite architectural quality. The overall style is characterised by modernist design principals, but its design was carefully conceived to ensure that it complemented the earlier building in terms of scale, massing, line and materials. This is particularly evident in the design of the twin stair towers, which break through the eaves, echoing those of Fairfield House. Similarly, the use of ashlar red sandstone, which was not common in the post-war era, was a conscious decision by the designers to tie the building with the earlier building, as well as the nearby tenements that made up much of the wider townscape.
The reinforced concrete-framed structure is standard for an office building of this period. This form of construction was ideal for drawing offices as the large spans allowed for uninterrupted open plan spaces. This also allowed for expansive windows and cantilevered corners to maximising natural light for drawing purposes. The design of the roof structure was also fully glazed to the north pitch, which was a typical feature of technical and drawing offices prior to the introduction of computer modelling.
Internally, there have been some incremental changes to the fabric during the latter-half of the 20th century, but the character of the original interior remains legible. It is largely plain with hard surface finishes and no detailing of note. This utilitarian nature is characteristic for an office building of this period and reflects the industrial use as a technical office. The use of light and simple geometric forms is typical of the streamlined Modern Movement, and this is particularly evident in the upper drawing offices and the stairwells.
The rectangular plan form is standard for a mid-20th century technical office, but it was kept narrow, at approximately half the depth of the 1891 building, to allow for rail transportation between it and the adjacent engine works. This demonstrates another key principle of the Modern Movement, which is that form follows function. There were some incremental changes to the layout during the second half of the 20th century, mainly with the insertion of additional partition walls. However, the original plan form remains evident and adds to the special interest.
The Glasgow-based firm of Frank Burnet and Boston was established in 1889, when Burnet took his assistant William Boston into partnership. Following their deaths in 1923 and 1937 respectively, the practice was continued by Burnet's son Frank Russell Burnet, and James Bell who acted as lead partner. Bell had previously been apprenticed to James Miller from 1927-34. Miller's work at that time included the Commercial Bank of Scotland in Glasgow (LB33236) and the Leyland Motor Co. (LB33531), and subsequently Bell was well-versed in Modernist design. During the post war years Burnet and Bell operated a very large practice in Greenock, which was the preferred choice for industrial and commercial clients in Glasgow. The practice name remained as Frank Burnet and Boston until 1961, when it was changed to Frank Burnet, Bell and Partners.
Fairfield Annexe is a distinctive example of a post-war technical office that remains largely unaltered and displays special design interest for its date and type. This is particularly evident in how the design complements the adjoining Fairfield House to the east, which is one of the finest examples of a shipbuilder's office in the UK. The Annexe's high standard of design reflects the ambition of the company during the early post-war period, as it embarked on a major revitalisation programme to renew its position at the forefront of nautical engineering and design. Although executed in different styles, together the buildings present a grand frontage to the shipyard and reflect the evolution of the company over the course of its history, from its height in the late 19th century, to its optimistic revival in the mid 20th century.
Setting
The Fairfield Annexe, along with the adjoining Fairfield House (listed category A, LB33356), form an imposing linear frontage on the north side of Govan Road. The buildings are prominently sited, occupying the southeast corner of the former Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering works, which is still in operation but by a different company (2025). Their combined elevation is impressive in its length, providing a grand frontage that marks the formal entrance of the shipyard.
The industrial nature of its immediate historic setting is largely retained. The shipyard remains in operation (2025) and contains a number of buildings and basins/dry docks that span from its conception in the later 19th century to the present day, which adds to the functional and historical context of the Annexe building. Notably, the stone setts and tram lines for the shipyard are retained to the rear, and the former Engine Works (listed at category A, LB33357) located to the immediate rear, is considered the finest surviving heavy engine works in Scotland.
The immediate setting has been partially altered by the addition of modern flats to the south and the removal of a 1903 drawing office to the northeast of Fairfield House in 2008. However, the buildings retain a close visual relationship and collectively represent the core elements of what was once a world-renowned shipbuilding company. They are prominent structures within both the streetscape and the wider Govan Conservation Area and are sited near the River Clyde, as part of a network of historic shipyards along a stretch of riverfront from Ibrox to Govan. These buildings form an outstanding, internationally significant grouping of historic industrial buildings.
The entrance to Elder Park is located to the immediate southwest, directly opposite the main entrance to Fairfield Annexe. The Park contains statues of John Elder (listed category B, ref: LB33305) and his wife, the philanthropist Isabella Elder (listed category A, ref: LB33304), who are both closely associated with the shipyard (see Association with people or events of national importance). The local area has suffered a significant loss of its maritime heritage since its decline in the later 20th century, but notable remnants of the industry do remain nearby. These include the Govan graving docks (listed category A, ref: LB33336), the design offices of the Linthouse Shipbuilding works (listed category B, ref: LB33309), the Stobcross crane (listed category A, ref: LB33285) and John Brown's shipyard (listed category A, ref: LB22993). These act as a reminder of the scale and importance of the shipbuilding industry along the Clyde, and of Glasgow's former reputation at the forefront of marine engineering.
Historic interest
Age and rarity
Buildings dating from the period that followed the height of the Clyde's shipbuilding legacy, are not common. Those that are notable examples and remain largely unaltered, may be of special historic interest, as they significantly add to our knowledge and understanding of the shipbuilding industry and its importance to this area of Glasgow.
The Fairfield Annexe is a rare surviving example of a major technical building that was constructed for a shipyard or marine engineering works during the post-war period. Although there was a short period of relative prosperity during the 1950s, many shipyard firms closed down during the 1920s and 30s, or during the 1960s when the industry almost completely collapsed in the United Kingdom. Fairfield's was unusual in that it successfully endured the decline of the inter-war years and was able to undertake a substantial programme of modernisation during the 1950s and 60s.
Dating from the mid-1950s, the Annexe cannot be considered an early example for its type. It is however of special historic interest as the level of design quality is unusual for a technical/industrial building of this date and type. The building also signifies the final step in the technical development of marine engineering on Clydeside, something that had been responsible for bringing Clyde shipbuilding into global prominence in the first instance during the 19th century.
The Annexe is largely unaltered and the yard contains a number of buildings dating from the later 19th century to the present day. Glasgow and the area of Govan in particular were once at the forefront of the shipbuilding industry on a global scale, however much of the built fabric relating to this important aspect of its heritage has now been lost. The surviving buildings at the former Fairfield works are therefore rare in this context and together they represent the most coherent shipbuilding yard to survive in the region. They are important to our understanding of how the site has evolved since it was established in the mid 19th century, and of the changing history of the wider shipbuilding industry along the Clyde.
Social historical interest
Social historical interest is the way a building contributes to our understanding of how people lived in the past, and how our social and economic history is shown in a building and/or in its setting.
The Annexe forms an outstanding group with the associated Engine Works and the former Headquarters (Fairfield House). As the core surviving elements of what was an internationally significant shipbuilding and marine engineering yard, they are of special social and economic historic interest.
Glasgow's location on the River Clyde and its proximity to steel and other raw materials meant that the shipping industry boomed during the second half of the 19th century. Tens of thousands of people were employed in the industry, and by the early 20th century Clyde shipyards built one in five of the world's ships. In particular, Govan became a centre of shipbuilding excellence, producing some of the finest and most technically advanced ships of the era. As the largest shipyard on the Clyde, Fairfield's was instrumental in establishing 'Clydebuilt', as a term for quality workmanship that was recognised worldwide.
The building forms part of a functionally related group within a large shipyard complex that spans the history of Fairfield's, who were internationally renowned, and was the biggest private shipyard in the world. They are also important reminders of an industry that once defined the area and help to tell the story of Glasgow's and Scotland's shipbuilding heritage, of which much physical evidence has now been lost.
Association with people or events of national importance
As part of the former Fairfield Works, the Fairfield Annexe has a close historical association with persons of national importance - the engineer, John Elder (1824-69) and the naval architect and politician, Sir William Pearce (1833-88). Both played major roles in the design of the yard and the development of the company, which ultimately led to Fairfield's becoming one of the most significant shipyards in the world. This association contributes to the setting and the historic interest of the Annex building.
In 1852 the engineer John Elder (1824-69) was made a partner the company, which would later become known as Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Co. Ltd. During the mid-19th century, Elder made three major contributions to the shipbuilding and engineering industries. These innovations made him world-renowned as a marine engineer and helped the company become a global power in the shipbuilding industry. The first was the practical development of compounding in marine engines, which revolutionised steam shipping and was greatly responsible for the Clyde reaching the forefront of the world shipbuilding industry. Secondly, he developed the concept of a modern heavy engineering workshop, with overhead gantry cranes, first at the company's offices at Centre Street in Glasgow and then at the existing Fairfield Engine Works in Govan. Thirdly, he conceived the first modern integrated shipbuilding yard, again at the Fairfield yard (Scottish Engineering Hall of Fame).
Elder was also a model employer concerned about the welfare of his workforce and their families. He and his wife, the noted philanthropist Isabella Elder, were subsequently held in high esteem amongst the working-class population of Govan. John Elder died prematurely in 1869 and his widow, established Elder Park in 1885 as a monument to her late husband. A statue of John Elder (LB33305) was erected in 1888, and that of his wide in 1906, both of which were paid for by public subscription. The Annex and other buildings within the Fairfield's yard are located opposite the entrance to the park, and together form a collective group representing an area of global significance in the development of the shipbuilding industry.
Sir William Pearce, Bart (1833-1888) was a naval architect whose talents were noticed by Robert Napier. The 'Father of Clyde Shipbuilding'. Napier trained many of those who went on to establish renowned Clyde shipyards, such as John Elder and the Thompson Brothers. Pearce became the manager of Napier's shipyard and rose to prominence through designing and building the fastest steam ships on the Atlantic. A year after Elder's death in 1869, Pearce became a partner of what would later be known as the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Co. Ltd. In 1878 Pearce became the sole partner and under his leadership the company became the biggest and one of the most significant shipyards in the world. It was one of the principal suppliers to the Royal Navy and gained particular eminence for its high-speed passenger liners which dominated the transatlantic market.
By 1885 Govan had developed to such an extent that it was given its own parliamentary seat, and this was first filled by Pearce in 1885 and 1886. Pearce held numerous other positions of responsibility. In 1887 he was made a Baronet in Queen Victoria's Jubilee Honours. Following his death in 1888, a memorial statue (listed category B, ref: LB33343) was erected by public subscription in 1894, which is known locally as 'The Black Man'. The 1906 Pearce Institute (listed category A, ref: LB33352) by Robert Rowand Anderson, was gifted to Govan by his widow Lady Dinah Pearce. Both are located at the junction of Burleigh Street and Govan Road and are important landmarks of Govan Cross, a short distance east of the shipyard.
References
Bibliography
Maps
Ordnance Survey (surveyed 1893-4, published 1896) Lanarkshire Sheet 006.09 (includes Glasgow; Govan), 2nd Edition, 25 inches to the Mile. Southampton: Ordnance Survey.
Ordnance Survey (surveyed 1909, published 1913) Lanarkshire Sheet 006.09 (includes Glasgow; Govan), 25 inches to the Mile. Southampton: Ordnance Survey.
Ordnance Survey (surveyed 1938, published c.1946) Lanarkshire Sheet 006.SW (includes Glasgow; Govan), 6 inches to the Mile. Southampton: Ordnance Survey.
Ordnance Survey National Grid Map (surveyed 1948, published 1950), NS5465 - A (includes: Govan), Southampton: Ordnance Survey.
Ordnance Survey National Grid Map, (revised 1965, published 1966), NS5465NE-B (includes Govan), Southampton: Ordnance Survey.
Archives
Glasgow City Archives, Dean of Guild Drawings, Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company Ltd., Glasgow Series, (1956), Ref No. 1956/170.
Printed Sources
Anonymous, (c.1960) Fairfield 1860–1960, Glasgow: Barber MacLaren.
Alexander, K. J. W. and Jenkins, C. L. (1970) Fairfields: A Study of Industrial Change, London: Penguin.
Dalglish, C. and Driscoll, S. (2009) Historic Govan, Archaeology and Development, Historic Scotland, pp. 82, 84, 87-89, 140-141.
Hume, John R. (1974) Industrial Archaeology of Glasgow, Glasgow and London, Blackie, pp. 78, 83–4, 261.
Johnston, I (2024) Fairfield: A Shipyard Success Story 1834 – 2024, Barnsley: Seaforth Publishing.
Williamson, E., Riches, A. and Higgs, M. (1990) Buildings of Scotland: Glasgow, London: Penguin, p. 596.
Online Sources
BBC, Govan: A shipbuilding history, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-24820573 [accessed March 2025].
Clyde Waterfront, Fairfield Shipyard, http://www.clydewaterfront.com/clyde-heritage/govan/fairfield-shipyard [accessed January 2018].
Dictionary of Scottish Architects, Fairfield Shipbuilding Company Offices, at https://www.scottisharchitects.org.uk/apex/r/dsa/dsa/buildings?p9_id=207681&clear=9&session=13819888875097 [accessed March 2025].
Fairfield, The Fairfield Building, at http://fairfieldgovan.co.uk/heritage/history/the-building-2/ [accessed December 2017].
Glasgow Life, Virtual Mitchell, Image of Govan Road (c.1910) https://www.mitchelllibrary.org/virtualmitchell/view-item?key=SXsiUCI6eyJ2YWx1ZSI6ImZhaXJmaWVsZCIsIm9wZXJhdG9yIjoxLCJmdXp6eVByZWZpeExlbmd0aCI6MywiZnV6enlNaW5TaW1pbGFyaXR5IjowLjUsIm1heFN1Z2dlc3Rpb25zIjo1LCJhbHdheXNTdWdnZXN0IjpmYWxzZSwiaW5kZXgiOjV9fQ&pg=10&WINID=1741878363036#XD4EsXv9BGAAAAGVkAp_3g/5749 [accessed March 2025].
Govan Cross Townscape Heritage Initiative, (c.2016) Monument to Sir William Pearce, 'The Black Man' – Govan, 1894 https://getintogovan.com/content/uploads/Monument-to-Sir-William-Pearce-The-Black-Man-Govan-18942.pdf [accessed March 2025].
HES, Listed building record, Former Engine Works (LB33357) https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/apex/f?p=1505:300:::::VIEWTYPE,VIEWREF:designation,LB33357 [accessed March 2025].
Illustrated London News (27 August 1960), pp. 343-346. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001578/19600827/068/0023 [accessed 13/03/2025]
Scottish Engineering Hall of Fame, John Elder, at http://www.engineeringhalloffame.org/profile-elder.html [accessed December 2017].
Scran, Photograph (1967) Fairfield Shipbuilding Yard and Engine Works, No 1048 Govan Road, Glasgow https://www.scran.ac.uk/database/record.php?usi=000-000-488-065-C&scache=3yev51zhaf&searchdb=scran [accessed March 2025].
About Listed Buildings
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