Fort Matilda

Fort Matilda is a suburb at the far western edge of Greenock, Scotland. Its name comes from a coastal battery built on Whiteforeland Point 1814–1819 to defend the River Clyde.[1]

History
The Fort Matilda area of Greenock, with the River Clyde behind

In 1862 the Confederate paddle steamer Iona I collided with Chanticleer and sank off Fort Matilda. There was no loss of life. The site of the wreck is designated as a Historic Marine Protected Area.[2]

Fort Matilda Station

The suburb is served by Fort Matilda railway station which was built for the Caledonian Railway in 1889.[1][3]

In the 1890s the fort was renovated with the addition of a pier to support a minefield which had been built offshore, and refurbished again in 1902–1904.[1][4]

A Royal Naval Torpedo Factory was opened in Fort Matilda in 1910–1912 which was designed to be the principal centre of torpedo manufacture and development in Britain.[5] The location sits on the opposite side of the River Clyde from the Holy Loch which was used as a torpedo testing range.[6] The pier at Fort Matilda was widely used by the United States Navy as an unloading point for supplies destined for the base on the Holy Loch.[7]

During World War I the military base was the headquarters of the Renfrewshire Fortress Engineers.[8] The fort was demolished shortly before to World War II[1] and the torpedo factory closed in 1951 when production was moved to Alexandria.[5]

Today

Today Fort Matilda is a mostly residential suburb of villas and town houses between Greenock and Gourock town centres.[9][10] It is home to the largest confectionery factory in Scotland, Buchanan's,[11] Greenock Wanderers rugby club,[12] and the Royal West of Scotland Amateur boating club.[13] Battery Park in the area also plays host to the Gourock Highland Games.[14]

gollark: Oh no, it's *back*?
gollark: There is Matrix, but it's horrendously overcomplicated.
gollark: Nice, although it doesn't need the big white border.
gollark: The ridiculous mockeries of "courts" have no jurisdiction here and no power over me.
gollark: I also obviously don't have anything to do with the company behind SARS-CoV-2, since there wasn't one, which is definitely the case, and am not doing marketing for *them*, as they don't exist.

References
  1. "Fort Matilda". Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  2. Historic Environment Scotland. "Iona I (HMPA8)". Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  3. Historic Environment Scotland. "Fort Matilda Railway Station (LB34174)". Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  4. "Greenock, Whiteforeland Point, Hms Dalriada, Pier | Canmore". canmore.org.uk. Retrieved 2020-03-05.
  5. Historic Environment Scotland. "Eldon Street, Former Torpedo Works at Fort Matilda Industrial Estate  (Category B) (LB50579)". Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  6. Donald, Stuart (2001). Stuart Donald's complete new tales of Para Handy : the continued voyages of the Vital Spark : chronicled with affection, acknowledgement and apology to Neil Munro. Glasgow: Vital Spark. ISBN 978-1-906476-48-9. OCLC 782860911.
  7. McGinn, Keith (2011). Last of the puffermen : the real world of Para Handy. Glasgow: Neil Wilson Publishing. ISBN 978-1-906476-41-0. OCLC 779139905.
  8. Westlake, Ray. The Territorials : 1908–1914 : a guide for military and family historians. Barnsley, South Yorkshire. ISBN 978-1-84468-656-8. OCLC 861517021.
  9. Greenock, Larges & Millport, Ordnance Survery, Great Britain, November 2006, ISBN 978-0-319-23871-4, OCLC 1043236344
  10. Gray, Daniel. (2013). Stramash!: Tackling Scotland's Towns and Teams. New York: Luath Press Ltd. ISBN 978-1-909912-28-1. OCLC 854521265.
  11. golden. "BUCHANAN'S". Golden Casket. Retrieved 2020-03-05.
  12. "HOME". Greenock Wanderers. Retrieved 2020-03-05.
  13. "Royal West of Scotland Amateur Boat Club: Sea Kayaking, Canoeing, Rowing, Sailing". www.rwsabc.co.uk. Retrieved 2020-03-05.
  14. "Inverclyde Council | Gourock Highland Games 2019". www.inverclyde.gov.uk. Retrieved 2020-03-05.

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