Pictou Shipyard

[2] Through many business booms and busts, as well as several changes of ownership, it has continued to operate until today, when it is owned by Aecon Atlantic Industrial Inc.[3] Although the official founding by W. H. Davies did not occur until 1856, Pictou's ship registry began in 1840.

He was not the first builder, however, as there is a record of a small one-mast vessel being launched in Pictou Harbour in 1788 by Thomas Copeland, and the county's first schooner named the Anne was built in 1788 at Merigomish, Nova Scotia.

Davies's sons George and Charles carried on the foundry's operation until the late 1800s, when they sold it to Joseph Robb and Douglas Hannon.

[4]: 33 During Ferguson's twenty-five years of management of the foundry, it was diversified, with an expansion of machine, moulding, boiler, carpenter and pattern-work operations.

Once the war was over and peace was enjoyed for another two decades, the primary work for the Pictou Foundry and Machine Company was both steel and wooden ship and dredge repairs.

A totally of twenty-four 4,700-ton Scandinavian class freighters would eventually be built, but not before major preparation and expansion measures were completed to the yard and town to accommodate the new booming business.

This allowed for the Ferguson brothers to retain the operations of the original marine slip and carry out repairs and refits to naval vessels.

Convinced that shipbuilding could be a viable industry in Pictou, the Ferguson brothers, with the support of the Nova Scotia government, took over the shipyard building and re-equipped the yard.