Wartime Clydebank

Because of the crucial wartime role of its shipbuilders, Clydebank suffered more in the Blitz than any other town in Scotland and was quite as bad as, if not worse than Coventry in the extent of devastation and its lasting effect on the town and community.

It was heavily bombed on 13-14 March 1941. Relatively little harm was done to the intended targets. However, the town and the Singer sewing machine factory with its famous clock tower, were badly damaged with over 500 killed and over 600 injured. So extensive was the damage to buildings that over 35,000 people of its c50,000 population were left homeless..

Singer's was in its day the largest sewing-machine factory in the world. This reflected the importance of an invention that benefited millions of women who previously had to sew everything from sheets to shirts by hand. The name lives on in the railway station and a café/bar. The handsome 1902 Town Hall, designed by James Millar, best known as a railway station designer, houses the Clydebank Museum.

Also at Clydebank (Back to listing)