Sir Alfred Fernandez Yarrow, 1st Baronet

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Yarrow

Sir Alfred Fernandez Yarrow, 1st Baronet, of Homestead (13 January 1842 – 24 January 1932) was a British shipbuilder who started a shipbuilding dynasty, Yarrow Shipbuilders.

[edit] Life and career

Yarrow was born to humble origins in East London. He was part Spanish Sephardi Jewish on his mother's side. He was educated at University College School. After serving an apprenticeship in Stepney, he opened a yard — Yarrow and Hedley (a partnership) — at Folly Wall, Poplar on the Isle of Dogs in 1865 to build steam river launches.

He ventured into military vessels from the early 1870s, building torpedo boats for the Argentine and Japanese navies, among other customers. Then in 1892 he built the first two destroyers for the Royal Navy: Havock and Hornet of the Havock class. He struck up a strong friendship and correspondence with Lord Fisher ("Jackie Fisher"), and subsequently Yarrow Shipbuilders became a lead contractor for the Royal Navy for smaller, but almost always fast, boats.

By this time, the Hedley partnership had been dissolved (1875), and the company was known as Yarrow & Co, and around 1898 moved out of Folly shipyard to the nearby London Yard. It was to be a short-lived move, for less than 10 years later (1906–1908) Yarrow gradually moving his yard northwards to Scotstoun on the banks of the River Clyde on the west coast of Scotland, closing the London shipyard in 1908. Yarrow Shipbuilders was nationalised into British Shipbuilders by the Labour Government headed by Jim Callaghan and was subsequently privatised by Margaret Thatcher's government when the shipyard assets were purchased by GEC Marconi in 1985; in 1999 it became part of BAE Systems Marine. An operation in Esquimalt, Canada was purchased in 1913, renamed Yarrows Ltd., and after the Second World War sold to Burrard Dry Dock.

Long after Alfred Yarrow died the Shipyard remained famous throughout navies of the world for building smaller fast vessels. Alfred Yarrow's strong naval engineering capabilities and inventive mind were behind a number of inventions designed to drive ships ever faster.

He lived in Greenwich, London for some years - occupying Woodlands House in Mycenae Road, Westcombe Park for some years from 1896.

Knighted in 1916, Sir Alfred displayed extensive philanthropic tendencies throughout his later years, donating towards: a convalescent home on the Isle of Dogs for the benefit of children; residences for soldiers' widows in Hampstead Garden Suburb (the Barnett Homestead, Erskine Hill);[4] a school, Bearwood College, in Berkshire; a home and hospital for children in Broadstairs, Kent; a scholarship at University College London; a gallery at Oundle School in Northamptonshire; and medical research at the Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel, among other noble causes. He also left a bequest to the Institution of Civil Engineers.

His first wife was Minnie Florence Franklin, daughter of Theodosia (née Balderson; daughter of Major G. R. Balderson) and Frank Franklin.[5] His daughter Minnie Ethel Yarrow was invested as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE); she married on 18 December 1900 Bertrand Edward Dawson, 1st Baron Dawson of Penn and 1st Viscount Dawson of Penn. He was succeeded by his son Sir Harold Edgar Yarrow, 2nd Baronet, of Homestead. His younger son, 2/Lt Eric Fernandez Yarrow, was killed in action, aged 20, in 1915, whilst serving with the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders.

Sir Alfred Fernandez Yarrow, 1st Bt. was born on 13 January 1842. He is the son of Edgar Williams Yarrow. He married Minnie Florence Franklin on 24 March 1875. He married Eleanor Cecilia Barnes, daughter of W Goodwin Barnes, on 2 December 1922. He died on 24 January 1932 at age 90.
He gained the title of 1st Baronet Yarrow. On 29 January 1916 created. He was engr, chairman Yarrow & County (shipbuilders) to , Fellow, Royal Society (F.R.S.) 1922, Honour Doctor of Law (LL.D.) Glasgow 1924 in 1922.
Children of Sir Alfred Fernandez Yarrow, 1st Bt. and Minnie Florence Franklin

1. Minnie Ethel Yarrow+
   
2. Florence Yarrow+ d. 8 Mar 1948
   
3. Evelyn Yarrow d. 13 Jan 1963
   
4. Sir Harold Edgar Yarrow, 2nd Bt.+ b. 11 Aug 1884, d. 19 Apr 1962
   
5. Norman Alfred Yarrow+ b. 10 Jul 1891, d. 1990
   
6. Eric Fernandez Yarrow b. 5 Jan 1895
   

The Peerage

England Births and Christenings

• Name Alfred Fernandez Yarrow
• Gender Male
• Christening Date 10 Jun 1842
• Christening Place St. Botolph Bishopsgate, London, England
• Birth Date 13 Jan 1842
• Father's Name Edgar William Yarrow
• Mother's Name Esther

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Birth registration

UK Census:

• 1871
• 1881

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Death registration

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