Rosyth dockyard set for centenary celebrations

A SERIES of commemorative events are under way to mark the centenary of Rosyth dockyard.

Owner Babcock is hosting an exhibition of 100 years of engineering at Rosyth and a time capsule will be buried at the site on Monday. Picture: Jane Barlow

Owner Babcock is hosting an exhibition of 100 years of engineering at Rosyth and a time capsule will be buried at the site on Monday.

Workers past and present are expected to attend the celebrations, which include a reception attended by HRH The Duke of Kent.

The site came into commission in 1915 when the Admiralty located a naval base and dockyard on the Forth. It now employs more than 2,300 people.

Over the century Rosyth has supported the pride of the Royal Navy fleet, Babcock said, from the first submarines to the battle cruiser HMS Hood and the first nuclear submarine HMS Dreadnought through to the Invincible class of aircraft carriers - HMS Ark Royal, Invincible and Illustrious.

The engineering firm is currently responsible for the assembly of the Queen Elizabeth Class (QEC) aircraft carriers.

Tomorrow, the dockyard will welcome about 100 school pupils from Rosyth, Aberdeen, Dundee, Angus and Falkirk, who will take part in the east coast regional final of the Scottish Engineering Special Leaders Award supported by Babcock.

Divisional chief executive Archie Bethel said: “Our centenary celebrations give us an opportunity to showcase just how much the site has evolved in the last 100 years and to celebrate engineering excellence.

“Rosyth dockyard has a special place in the heart of the community, employing generations of local families across the decades.

“Our programme of events will highlight how we have built a workforce that is skilled and capable of delivering the most complex engineering solutions, and underlines our commitment to innovation and growth.”