Fort Matilda
Fort Matilda is an area of the town of Greenock in Inverclyde, Scotland. Its name comes from a coastal battery built on Whiteforeland Point 1814–1819 to defend the River Clyde.{{cite web|url=http://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst17227.html|title=Fort Matilda |publisher=Gazetteer for Scotland|accessdate=12 April 2019}}
History
In 1862 the Confederate paddle steamer {{ship||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.{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=HMPA8|desc=Iona I|access-date=12 April 2019}}
The suburb is served by Fort Matilda railway station which was built for the Caledonian Railway in 1889.{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=LB34174|desc=Fort Matilda Railway Station|access-date=12 April 2019|fewer-links=yes}}
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.{{Cite web|url=https://canmore.org.uk/site/279192/greenock-whiteforeland-point-hms-dalriada-pier|title=Greenock, Whiteforeland Point, Hms Dalriada, Pier {{!}} Canmore|website=canmore.org.uk|language=en|access-date=2020-03-05}}
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.{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=LB50579 |desc=Eldon Street, Former Torpedo Works at Fort Matilda Industrial Estate |cat=B |access-date=12 April 2019|fewer-links=yes}} The location sits on the opposite side of the River Clyde from the Holy Loch, which was used as a torpedo testing range.{{Cite book|last=Donald |first=Stuart|title=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|date=2001|publisher=Vital Spark|isbn=978-1-906476-48-9|location=Glasgow|oclc=782860911}} 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.{{Cite book|last=McGinn |first=Keith|title=Last of the puffermen : the real world of Para Handy|date=2011|publisher=Neil Wilson Publishing|isbn=978-1-906476-41-0|location=Glasgow|oclc=779139905}}
During World War I the military base was the headquarters of the Renfrewshire Fortress Engineers.{{Cite book|last=Westlake |first=Ray|title=The Territorials : 1908–1914 : a guide for military and family historians|isbn=978-1-84468-656-8|location=Barnsley, South Yorkshire|oclc=861517021}} The fort was demolished shortly before World War II and the torpedo factory closed in 1951 when production was moved to Alexandria.
Today
Today Fort Matilda is a mostly residential suburb of villas and town houses between Greenock and Gourock town centres.{{Citation|publisher=Ordnance Survey, Great Britain|title=Greenock, Larges & Millport|date=November 2006|isbn=978-0-319-23871-4|oclc=1043236344}}{{Cite book|last=Gray, Daniel.|title=Stramash!: Tackling Scotland's Towns and Teams|date=2013|publisher=Luath Press Ltd|isbn=978-1-909912-28-1|location=New York|oclc=854521265}} It is home to the largest confectionery factory in Scotland, Buchanan's,{{Cite web|url=https://goldencasket.co.uk/buchanans/|title=BUCHANAN'S|last=golden|website=Golden Casket|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-05}} Greenock Wanderers rugby club,{{Cite web|url=https://www.gwrfc.com/|title=HOME|website=Greenock Wanderers|language=en|access-date=2020-03-05}} and the Royal West of Scotland Amateur boating club.{{Cite web|url=http://www.rwsabc.co.uk/|title=Royal West of Scotland Amateur Boat Club: Sea Kayaking, Canoeing, Rowing, Sailing|website=www.rwsabc.co.uk|access-date=2020-03-05}} Battery Park in the area also plays host to the Gourock Highland Games.{{Cite web|url=https://www.inverclyde.gov.uk/events/5621/783/gourock-highland-games-2019|title=Inverclyde Council {{!}} Gourock Highland Games 2019|website=www.inverclyde.gov.uk|access-date=2020-03-05}}
References
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