Alex Gibson has loaned some of his shipbuilding mementos to an exhibition in the Artizan Shopping Centre to remind the younger generation how important the industry was to the town.

Alex became an apprentice welder in 1960 at Denny’s after leaving school. The 70 year-old has a number of photographs, pay slips, yard programmes and other items which will go on display as part of a special two-day Step Back In Maritime event celebrating Dumbarton’s seafaring heritage.

MEMORIES Now a grandfather of four, he shares his memories of working in the yard of William Denny and Sons.

He said: “I started in 1959 when I left school. In those days nearly everyone in Dumbarton got a job in shipbuilding and I was no different.

“I wanted an apprenticeship as an electrician but I was a wee bit too young so was given the role of the manager’s office boy first. Basically I was a gopher. The manager would give me a note to deliver to someone on the yard and I’d be away on my bike to deliver it.

“After a year they were taking on apprentices and I applied to become an electrician. I didn’t get it, but I was offered a welding apprenticeship instead. I started in 1960 and worked for three years. But then the yard closed and we were all laid off.” He added: “It was a terrible time. Denny’s was by far the biggest employer in Dumbarton and the yard closing was a huge shock and devastating for everyone.

“Some men did manage to move to other yards down the Clyde but unfortunately some just fell into despair and basically died. You could see the depression setting in.

DIFFICULT “Some of them knew they couldn’t retrain and even if they could, there wasn’t going to be jobs for them anyway. It was a very hard and difficult time.” Denny’s closed as they had run out of orders and the last ship they built, a container ship called The Melbrook, was built speculatively in the hope of selling her as a completed vessel.

“I moved down to Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria though to work at Vickers Armstrong and finish my welding apprenticeship. It was there I met my wife, Janet. I moved back to Dumbarton and joined one of my mates who had got a job at John Brown’s and I stayed for three years working in the same yard.

“Then John Brown’s closed down as it simply wasn’t viable.

CLYDE “I moved onto John Brown’s shipyard on the Clyde and then Babcocks Renfrew before I again returned to what was Denny’s yard in Dumbarton where I worked for Foster Wheeler doing welding work for North Sea oil installations. This was in 1973.” Alex says, like many other former Denny’s workers he moved around depending on where the work was.

He said: “I eventually ended up at John Brown’s Engineering and offshore working on oil rig construction. I then moved into local government getting a job as janitor at Dumbarton Academy before becoming head of the janitorial services.

He added: “I don’t think we should forget how important shipbuilding was to Dumbarton. Denny’s was a marvellous place to work, the humour and camaraderie was just wonderful and some amazing ships were built there.

DOCK “Denny’s ships were launched and then moved to what was called the Basin to be fitted out and the engines put in. The dock was where Dumbarton Football Club’s Bet Butler Stadium stands today.

“All the fitting out, electrics and joinery work, was done in the fitting dock which was just below the castle. Denny’s did all the work including making the engines.” He added: “I was happy to loan the few bits of memorabilia I have from my time at Denny’s to go on display at the Artizan Centre.

“I hope the exhibition gets people thinking about Dumbarton’s seafaring heritage and the shipbuilding that dominated our town for so many years.” Held at the Community Hub in the Artizan on Thursday and Friday, October 16 and 17, will serve as a reminder of the town’s proud history and will feature plenty of fun for youngsters with Captain Seasick and his crew organising story-telling, singing, treasure hunts and more from 11am to 4pm each day.