View source for George Lawley & Son

[[Image:1900 USS DeLong Boston LawleyShipyard h64059.jpg|thumb|right|[[United States Navy]] [[torpedo boat]] {{USS|DeLong|TB-28}} under construction in the George Lawley & Son shipyard, Boston, 1900]]

'''George Lawley & Son''' was a [[shipbuilding]] firm operating in [[Massachusetts]] from 1866 to 1945. It began in [[Scituate, Massachusetts|Scituate]], then moved to [[Boston]]. After founder George Lawley (1823–1915) retired in 1890, his son, grandson and great-grandson upheld the business, which continued until 1945. Of the hundreds of ships built by the Lawleys, highlights include the yachts ''[[Puritan (yacht)|Puritan]]'' and ''[[Mayflower (yacht)|Mayflower]]'', respective winners of the 1885 and 1886 [[America's Cup]].

==Brief history==

Founder George Lawley (1823–1915) was born to a "family of boatbuilders in [[Limehouse]] (London), England."<ref name=ath>{{cite web |url=http://www.dorchesteratheneum.org/page.php?id=47 |author=Dorchester Atheneum |title=George Lawley and Son }}</ref>  He "began his career as an apprentice to Thomas and William Forrest while in England."<ref name=mysticfam>{{cite web |author=Mystic Seaport |title=Lawley Family Collection  (Coll. 279) |url=http://library.mysticseaport.org/manuscripts/coll/coll279.cfm  }}</ref> In 1852 Lawley "moved his family to Massachusetts."<ref name=mysticfam /> He "found his first job in America with the East Boston ship designer, [[Donald McKay]]."<ref name=ath />  Lawley worked for McKay from 1852 until 1866.

[[Image:GeorgeFLawley ca1894.png|thumb|left|100px|George F. Lawley (1848-1928)]]

===Scituate, 1866–1874===
<ref>Boston, Massachusetts. Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Boston, Massachusetts, 1820-1891. Micropublication M277. RG036. 115 rolls. National Archives, Washington, D.C.</ref>
In 1866, "Lawley and fellow [McKay] worker William Maybury opened a shipyard in Scituate ... for the construction of pleasure boats."<ref name=ath /> When George's son George Frederick Lawley (1848–1928) "joined the business ... the company name became George Lawley and Son."<ref name=mysticfam />

===South Boston, 1874 – c. 1909===
[[Image:359-puritan byJSJohnston.jpg|thumb|''[[Puritan (yacht)|Puritan]]'', ([[Edward Burgess (yacht designer)|Edward Burgess]], 1886)]]
[[Image:204-mayflower byJSJohnston.jpg|thumb|''[[Mayflower (yacht)|Mayflower]]'', ([[Edward Burgess (yacht designer)|Edward Burgess]], 1885)]]

"In 1874 the yachting boom struck, and the firm transferred its yard to a more advantageous location near the city, a fairly large lot next to the Boston Yacht Club station at City Point in [[South Boston, Boston|South Boston]]."<ref name=ath /> The [[city directory]] of 1875 locates George Lawley & Son at the "rear Horse Car Stables."<ref>Boston almanac and directory. 1875.</ref> "Within a few years, the demand for new yachts became so great that the plant was moved to the north side of City Point."<ref name=ath /> From ca.1887 through ca.1892 the city directory locates the firm at East First and O Street, South Boston.<ref>Boston almanac and business directory. 1887, 1891.</ref>

"In 1890 the Lawleys associated with them Mr. Thomas Hibbard, who looked after the construction of the new steel shops. The business was then incorporated. ... Mr. George Lawley, founder of the business, practically retired from active participation in the enterprise. Mr. George F. Lawley was elected president of the corporation."<ref name=encyc1908>{{cite book |editor=Herbert B. Mason |chapter=George Lawley and Son Corporation |url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopaediash01masogoog |title=Encyclopaedia of ships and shipping |location= London |publisher= The Shipping Encyclopaedia |year=1908 }}</ref> "In 1901 the Lawleys began working for the [[United States Navy]] and launched two torpedo boats. In the years to come they would continue the association, especially during the World War I."<ref name=mysticfam /> George's grandson, Frederick D. Lawley (1878–1953), "studied naval architecture at the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] and subsequently joined the company as manager and designer" around 1902.<ref name=mysticfred>{{cite web |author=Mystic Seaport |title=Frederic D. Lawley Collection |url=http://library.mysticseaport.org/manuscripts/coll/spcoll039.cfm  }}</ref>

By 1908, the firm had built over 800 ships, including "schooners Alcaea, Ingomar, Oonas, Idler, Latona, Endymion; the sloops Jubilee, Weetamoe, Wayward, Katonah, Independence; the steam yachts Alcedo, [[Aquilo (steam yacht)|''Aquilo'']], Satilla, Thetis, Kaleda, Carmina, Calumet, Anona, Visitor, Cigarette, Kehtoh, and Halawa; the three-masted auxiliary schooner Alcyone; the motor launches Zeeland, Elkhorn, Tonopah, Glenda, and Hupa."<ref name=encyc1908 /> The firm employed "200 to 400 hands, the majority of whom are highly-skilled mechanics."<ref name=encyc1908 />

[[Image:1917 USS Cigarette Boston H99913.jpg|thumb|Crewmen on {{USS|Cigarette|SP-1234}}, Boston, 1917]]
[[Image:1917 USS Cigarette Boston H99910.jpg|thumb|USS ''Cigarette'', Boston, 1917]]

===Dorchester, c. 1909 – 1946===

Around 1908–1910, the firm "was practically crowded out of its City Point yard&nbsp;... by an overflow of work, and inability to expand, so the plant was moved across Dorchester Bay to the old Putnam Nail Works at [[Neponset, Massachusetts|Neponset]]."<ref name=ath />

"In 1921 the ''[[USS Guinevere (IX-67)|Guinevere]]'' was built at the Neponset yard. It was the first yacht ever fitted with Diesel oil engines motoring her electric Westinghouse equipment which propelled the boat, hoisted the sails, lighted, heated and "cooked" the craft, and twirled the big gyroscope which keeps the boat on even keel."<ref name=ath />

===Neponset World War 2 production===
"In 1926, George, Frederick and George II (b. 1901) left the company and set up F. D. Lawley in [[Quincy, Massachusetts]]."<ref name=mysticfam /> The firm of George Lawley & Son continued on in Neponset until it ceased in 1945–1946. 

During World War II, the Neponset George Lawley and Son shipyard was instrumental in helping to design and build over 100 Landing Craft Infantry (Large) ships. The Lawley shipyard was the primary design yard and their drawings were shared by 9 other U.S. shipyards all building LCI(L) for the war effort. Lawley's Neponset shipyard was also asked by the U.S. Navy to pioneer the design and development of Landing Craft Support ships. 

The LCS(L)3 ships, ("Mighty Midgets") used the same hull and propulsion systems as the LCI(L), but had no facilities for landing troops on the beach. These well armed ships  were requested by the US Navy in response to a need for a shallow draft ship that could approach the beaches and give substantial direct naval gunfire support (NGFS) to the newly landed troops. This request came about after the US Marine Corps invasion of Tarawa, where there was an absence of close-in gunfire support of this type. Lawley built around 50 of these LCS ships and shared the design with Commercial Iron Works and Albina Engine and Machine Works shipyards, both in Portland, Oregon. A total of 130 LCS(L)3 ships were built during WW2.

In 1942 the controversial founder of the [[Church of Scientology]], [[L. Ron Hubbard]], then a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy, was briefly assigned to the shipyard to oversee the conversion of the fishing trawler M/V ''Mist'' into the Navy patrol craft ''YP-422''.

==Ships==

;South Boston, 1874-ca.1909
*''[[Endymion (Yacht)|Endymion]]''
*''Merlin''
*''Sachem''
*''Marguerite''
*''[[Puritan (yacht)|Puritan]]'', [[America's Cup]] defender designed by [[Edward Burgess (yacht designer)|Edward Burgess]] and launched on May 26, 1885.
*''[[Mayflower (yacht)|Mayflower]]'', America's Cup defender designed by [[Edward Burgess (yacht designer)|Edward Burgess]], and built and launched in 1886.
*''[[Elf (yacht)|Elf]]'', built as a racing boat in 1888.
*{{USS|Inca|1898|6}}, a screw steamer, was built in 1898.
*{{USS|Blakely|TB-27}}, laid down on 12 January 1899, and launched on 22 November 1900.
*{{USS|DeLong|TB-28}}, launched 23 November 1900.
*{{USS|Pawnee|SP-699}}, a wooden-hulled yacht, was built in 1904.
*{{USS|Lady Mary|SP-212}}, built as the civilian yacht ''Glenda'' in 1905. Eventually renamed ''Lady Mary''.
*{{USS|Cigarette|SP-1234}}, built as a private motorboat in 1905
*{{USS|Wanderlust|SP-923}}, designed by F. D. Lawley and built for George G. Peters of Boston, Massachusetts. Completed in 1907 with the name ''Faalua'', she was subsequently owned in turn by Sherburn M. Becker and E. J. Steiner, both of New York City. Apparently Steiner purchased her in 1913 and renamed her ''Wanderlust''.
*{{USS|Zipalong|SP-3}}, a wooden-hulled motorboat built in 1907 with the name ''Gansetta''. Subsequently, ''Gansetta'' was renamed ''Zipalong''.

;Dorchester, c. 1909 – 1946
[[Image:Scoter ca1916 h65071.jpg|thumb|''Scoter'', ca.1916]]
[[Image:1917 USS Lynx Boston i02012.jpg|thumb|USS ''Lynx'', Boston, 1917]]
[[Image:1917 USS Wenonah byRaymondBorden h48482.jpg|thumb|USS ''Wenonah'', 1917]]

*{{USS|Eaglet|SP-909}}, a motorboat built in either 1909 or 1911[2].
*{{USS|Taniwha|SP-129}}, built as a civilian yacht in 1909.
*{{USS|Shrewsbury|SP-70}}, built in 1910, as the private motorboat ''Mona''.
*{{USS|Zenda|SP-688}}, a wooden-hulled motorboat built in 1912.
*{{USS|Gem|SP-41}}, built in 1913 as a private steam-powered yacht.
*{{USS|Hiawatha|SP-183}}, built as the civilian steam yacht ''Donaire'' in 1914.
*''[[DN-1 (airship)|DN-1]]'', the [[United States Navy]]{{'}}s first [[airship]], for which George Lawley & Son built the gondola control car, ca.1916.
*{{USS|Edamena II|SP-14}}, built in 1916.
*{{USS|Kingfisher|SP-76}}, motor launch, built in 1916.
*{{USS|Lynx|SP-2}}, motorboat built in 1916.
*{{USS|Scoter|SP-20}}, built in 1916.
*{{USS|Venture|SP-616}}, wooden-hulled, screw steam yacht designed by F. D. Lawley and completed as ''Shadow'' in 1916.
*{{USS|Orca|SP-726}}, built prior to 1917, as the steam yacht ''Monaloa''. Later renamed ''Orca''.
*{{USS|Rivalen|SP-63}}, a wooden motorboat built in 1917.
*{{USS|Guinevere|IX-67}}, built as an auxiliary schooner in 1921.
*[[HMCS Oriole|HMCS ''Oriole'' (KC-480)]], built in 1921 for the [[Royal Canadian Yacht Club]] and commissioned into the [[Canadian Forces Maritime Command|Canadian Navy]] in 1952.
*[[USS Aide De Camp (IX-224)|USS ''Aide De Camp'' (IX-21)]], built in 1922 as the yacht ''Coleen''.
*[[MV Star of Malta|MV ''Camargo'']], built in 1928 as a yacht.
*{{USS|Sapphire|PYc-2}}, a private yacht and later a United States Navy training vessel, built in 1929. Originally named ''Buccaneer''.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* "Lawley." [https://books.google.com/books?id=TygxAAAAMAAJ Genealogical record of the Dedham branch of the Avery family in America]. Press of Avery & Doten, 1893.
* Other Industries of New England: Their Origin, Development and Accomplishments, Illustrated by Many Old and Interesting Views. Boston: Issued by The State Street Trust Company, 1924.
* "Sixty Years' Leadership In Fine Yacht Construction", Motor Boating, Feb. 1927.
* "George F. Lawley", Motor Boating, May 1928, pg.29

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.gomr.mms.gov/homepg/regulate/environ/archaeological/deepwater.html Minerals Management Service, U.S. Department of the Interior]. Gulf of Mexico Region: Deepwater Shipwrecks. (Describes steam yacht ''Anona'', 1904–1944).
* [http://www.nps.gov/bisc/historyculture/mandalay.htm U.S. National Park Service]. Mandalay (1928–1966).
* [https://www.flickr.com/photos/jayheritagecenter/3945861329/ Flickr]. Guinevere - Legacy of Sailing Exhibit at Jay Heritage Center (Rye, NY).
* [https://www.flickr.com/photos/jkohnen/3143049769/ Flickr]. ''HMCS Oriole'' (KC 480) Sail Training Vessel of the Canadian Navy, designed by Geo. Owens, built by George Lawley & Sons, Neponset, Massachusetts, launched 1921, flagship Royal Canadian Yacht Club until WW II, oldest ship in Canadian Navy.

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[[Category:George Lawley & Son]]
[[Category:Industrial buildings and structures in Boston]]
[[Category:American shipbuilders]]
[[Category:Shipyards of Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Manufacturing companies established in 1866]]
[[Category:1866 establishments in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Manufacturing companies disestablished in 1945]]
[[Category:History of Boston]]
[[Category:America's Cup yacht builders|Yacht Builders]]
[[Category:1945 disestablishments in Massachusetts]]