SS Daphne sinks on launch in Glasgow, 124 dead

Industrial Context. Glasgow is the most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in west central Scotland. After extensive river engineering projects to dredge and deepen the River Clyde as far as Glasgow, shipbuilding became a major industry on the upper stretches of the river, pioneered by industrialists such as Robert Napier, John Elder, George Thomson, Sir William Pearce and Sir Alfred Yarrow.

The Disaster. The SS Daphne sank at launch with high loss of life. Specifically, 124 people died when the ship sank after its launching in 1883. The event is noted as a significant tragedy in Glasgow's history, occurring on the River Clyde where shipbuilding activities were prominent during the late 19th century.

Location. The River Clyde rises in the Lowther Hills and flows north-west through South Lanarkshire and Glasgow before deepening into the Firth of Clyde past the Tail of the Bank off Greenock. Glasgow, the most populous city in Scotland, sits on the river's banks, and its upper stretches hosted a major shipbuilding industry after the river was dredged and deepened.