Note: Wards had been running a ship-breaking business in Inverkeithing Bay since 1922, and had handled the break-up of the old battleship HMS Magnificent in 1922 and the famous HMS Dreadnought in 1923.
1928 – the Admiralty sells Ferry Hills and Crooks to Tilbury Contracting and Dredging Company
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Just as Dunfermline Golf Club was heading to a new home at Torrie, the Admiralty finalised the sale of the Ferryhills land to the Tilbury Contracting and Dredging Company.
This article from The Fife Free Press, Saturday July 28 1928, gives the background to the Admiralty’s decision.
The Fife Free Press
Saturday July 28 1928,
FIFE ADMIRALTY PROPERTY
SOLD
Ferry Hills and Inverkeithing Bay
The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty have sold their interests in the lands and minerals at the Ferry Hills, North Queensferry, to the Tilbury Contracting and Dredging Company and the part of Inverkeithing Bay owned by them to Thomas W. Ward (Ltd,), ship breakers, Sheffield.
The Admiralty’s decision to sell these interests is indirectly a sequel to the reduction of Rosyth Dockyard to a care and maintenance basis, for the property now disposed of was acquired by the Admiralty several years ago in connection with the great naval establishment on the Forth. It was intended that the whole are should be within the control of the Admiralty for naval purposes. With a view to making it suitable for a submarine base, thousands of pounds were spent in deepening the western portion of Inverkeithing Bay.
When Rosyth Dockyard was placed on a care and maintenance basis, however, the Admiralty decided to sell the Ferry Hills and Inverkeithing Bay as being of no further national use, and negotiations with this end in view have been proceeding for a considerable time.
The right to quarry whinstone rock at the Ferry Hills was leased many years ago to the Tilbury Contracting and Dredging Coy., but it was not until Mr John Miller, quarrymaster, Inverkeithing, entered into a contract with the Company to work Lucknowe [sic] Quarry that operations began on an extensive scale. During the last few years several mechanical crushers and other expensive plant of the most modern type have been installed, and the quarry is one of the largest in the British Isles.
T. W. Ward (Ltd.), who have acquired Inverkeithing Bay, have been conducting a large ship-breaking business there for many years, a lease for that purpose having been granted by the Admiralty when it was decided that the bay was not required for naval purposes. In addition to purchasing a portion of the bay, Messrs. Ward have acquired some adjoining buildings, including a huge lodging-house erected at Jamestown for the accommodation of labourers during the construction of Rosyth Dockyard.
The sale of Ferry Hills will not affect the Dunfermline Golf Club’s occupancy of their course, the Club remaining in possession until their new course at Torrie is ready for play in the spring of next year.
As Dunfermline Golf Club prepared to move to Torrie, a local group pondered the idea of a Ferryhills Golf Club.
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