British Shipbuilders Ltd Offices, Ellison Street

Formerly listed grade II. Subject to fire in 2011 and partially demolished for safety reasons. Building is vacant, a roofless shell and subject to arson and vandalism. Removed from list 2014.
Former listing description:
Offices. Circa 1890. Brick with stone dressings; roof part Welsh slate, part roofing felt. 2 storeys, 17 windows in 3 builds. First build qf 9 windows has round-headed entrance to works containing diagonally boarded double doors under a segmental fanlight in third bay from left. Ground floor windows have fixed lights and transom casements. Second build of 7 bays has office entrance in fifth bay from left with elliptical head and decorative brick jambs containing12-panelled double door under fanlight; all windows sashes with glazing bars having flat heads and projecting cills of stone, as are first floor windows of first build. One-bay third build, with similar windows, keyed in at ground floor. Dogtooth bands and dentilled brick eaves cornice on second and third builds. Roof has 3 transverse ridge brick chimneys and small domed louvre over office entrance. Interior : second build contains well staircase with case iron balustrade of elaborate meadow cranesbill motif: founder I and A Law Glasgow. First build has board room first and second bays from right, first floor, containing oak-panelled walls, decorative chimney piece framing painting of Hebburn shipyard in 1883, low relief frieze showing ancient and mediaeval ships, and ceiling of painted copper panels in simple geometric pattern. Historical note: the shipyard was set up by Andrew Leslie in 1853; in 1886 his firm amalgamated with Hawthorns, manufacturers of ships' engines as, well as railway engines, to form Hawthorn Leslie. Listed mainly for historical interest.