Sir Edward James Harland, 1st Baronet (15 May 1831 – 24 December 1895), was an Ulster-based English shipbuilder and politician. Born in Scarborough in the North Riding of Yorkshire, he was educated at Edinburgh Academy. In 1846, aged 15, he took an apprenticeship at the engineering works of Robert Stephenson and Company in Newcastle upon Tyne. Afterwards he was employed in jobs in Glasgow and again in Newcastle, before moving to Belfast in 1854 to manage Robert Hickson's shipyard at Queen's Island. Four years later he bought the yard and renamed the business Edward James Harland and Company. In 1861 he formed a business partnership with Gustav Wilhelm Wolff, his former personal assistant, creating Harland and Wolff. Later, Harland recruited William James Pirrie as another partner. Edward Harland, Gustav Wolff and William James Pirrie maintained a successful business, receiving regular orders from the White Star Line, before Harland's retirement in 1889, leaving Wolff and Pirrie to manage the shipyard.
Outside his company, Harland served as a Belfast harbour commissioner. In 1885, Harland was granted a knighthood and a baronetcy. Harland was a member of the Conservative and Unionist Party, and served as Mayor of Belfast; later he moved to London and served as Member of Parliament for Belfast North until his death.
Early life
Edward James Harland was born on 15 May 1831 in Newborough, a neighbourhood within Scarborough in what was then the North Riding of Yorkshire, to Dr. William Harland and his wife Anne, the daughter of Gowan Pierson who was from Goathland, Yorkshire. Harland's birthplace is now the site of a Marks & Spencer store. Edward was the seventh child of ten, and the fourth boy of six. His antecedent brother died as an infant; Edward Harland is described as the sixth child in the family by alternative sources. Dr. Harland was a physician and an amateur engineer; he invented a patented steam-powered carriage in 1827.
Early career
Edward Harland was educated at Edinburgh Academy. In 1846, aged 15, he went to Newcastle upon Tyne to serve an apprenticeship at Robert Stephenson and Company, an engineering works. The owner, Robert Stephenson, was the son of George Stephenson, the locomotive engineer, of whom Edward Harland's father was a friend. Harland served as an apprentice in Newcastle until 1851. During the apprenticeship, Harland met Gustav Christian Schwabe, who knew Dr. Thomas Harland, Edward's uncle; Schwabe was a partner in John Bibby & Sons, a shipping company based in Liverpool. Schwabe arranged for Harland to be employed at J. and G. Thomson marine engineers in Glasgow, who were shipbuilding for John Bibby, after he completed his apprenticeship. Here, Harland earned 20 shillings a week and became head draughtsman. In 1853, Harland left Glasgow to return to Newcastle, as the manager of the Thomas Toward shipyard on the Tyne.
Robert Hickson and Company
In December 1854, Harland moved to Belfast with Schwabe's encouragement, and was employed as manager of Robert Hickson's shipyard in Queen's Island. Here, Harland became known for strict management and improving workmanship, by cutting wages and banning smoking; he also carried a piece of chalk and an ivory ruler, used for marking mistakes. An employee at Harland's later venture, Harland and Wolff, stated: Harland was able to keep the shipyard running despite the owner's financial problems. In 1857, Harland employed Gustav Wilhelm Wolff, Gustav Schwabe's nephew, as his personal assistant. Harland began attempting to open his own shipbuilding business, and was unsuccessful with several applications to open yards in Liverpool. But on 21 September 1858, Robert Hickson wrote to him: With the financial assistance of Gustav Schwabe, Harland purchased the business and on 1 November 1858, Edward James Harland and Company was created.
