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Shipbuilding hall named after 'pioneering' female engineer

BBC Janet HarveyBBC
Janet Harvey began working as an engineer in 1940 during the war

A huge new shipbuilding hall on the River Clyde will be named after a “pioneering” female shipyard electrician.

The £300m "frigate factory" in Govan will be dedicated to Janet Harvey who became an electrician in the Clyde shipyards at the age of 18 in 1940.

She was was one of “a handful of women” working as electricians alongside the 100,000 strong male workforce as part of the war effort.

The BAE Systems fabrication hall under construction is big enough for two Type 26 anti-submarine warships to be built side-by-side.

BAE Systems Janey Harvey receiving a honouring degreeBAE Systems
Janet Harvey was previously given an honorary doctorate in engineering at the age of 96 in recognition of her role

When Janet Harvey joined the River Clyde shipyards as a teenage electrician in 1940 she was one of the few women working in the predominantly male industry.

She died on Armistice Day in 2023 at the age of 101.

Ms Harvey's family says she would have been "delighted" at the honour.

Her niece June Cofflet said: “She was so very proud of the work she did during the war.

“She had great memories of her time working on the Clyde and felt that the work she did made a difference.

“As a family we are delighted that BAE Systems has chosen our aunt’s name to go on the ship build hall, it is a real honour.”

Janet Harvey was recognised for her "significant contribution" to the UK's war efforts when she was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Engineering by Glasgow Caledonian University at the age of 96.

BAE Systems An artists impression of the Janet Harvey Hall, shipbuilding facilityBAE Systems
An artist's impression of how the the new fabrication hall will look when it is finished.

BAE Systems said the name was not only a tribute to Ms Harvey’s individual efforts but also to all the women who took on industrial roles such as becoming engineers and welders during the war.

Jen Blee, business operations director of BAE Systems’ Naval Ships business, said: “It’s fitting that a pioneer such as Janet will remain synonymous with our efforts to re-imagine complex shipbuilding on the upper Clyde.

"Today, women like Janet are much more commonplace in our yards than they once were, and their numbers and impact continue to grow.”

The facility is a key part of BAE Systems’ plan to enhance shipbuilding capabilities in Glasgow.

BAE is currently building eight Type 26 anti-submarine frigates for the Royal Navy.

The first vessel HMS Glasgow entered the water in December 2022 and the second HMS Cardiff is due to be "floated off" into the Clyde in the coming weeks.

The new hall will be large enough to construct two of the frigates side-by-side under cover, and can accommodate up to 500 workers per shift.