Swan was born in Longbenton, Northumberland (now North Tyneside).
[3] In 1874, he took over the management of a shipyard established in 1842 by a John Coutts and by then owned by a Dr Charles Mitchell who was married to one of his (Swan's) sisters.
[4] He only managed the yard for five years as in 1879 he was killed returning from the Continent on a paddle steamer.
[4] His widow continued the business after Swan's death in partnership with George Hunter.
This United Kingdom business-related biographical article is a stub.