Pirrie, William James

Pirrie, William James (1847–1924), Viscount Pirrie, Belfast shipbuilder and shipowner. In 1862 he was apprenticed to the shipbuilding firm of Harland & Wolff. Twelve years later he was made a partner in the company, becoming chairman on Harland's death in 1895. Pirrie was concerned with improved vessel design, which included ways to facilitate port entry and to enhance passenger comfort; the latter process culminated in the building of luxury liners such as the Olympic and the Titanic. He excelled at salesmanship and developed links with international shipping lines, including the ill‐fated International Mercantile Marine in 1902 and Lord Kylsant's Royal Mail group after 1918. Under his leadership Harland & Wolff became one of the largest shipbuilders in the world.

In March 1918 Pirrie was made comptroller‐general of merchant shipbuilding, and he was rewarded for his work in increasing wartime ship production with a viscountcy in 1921. Pirrie's involvement in politics led to his becoming lord mayor of Belfast in 1896 and 1897. Although a Unionist supporter at the time of the second home rule bill, he had by 1905 become a Liberal home ruler, and in the following year was raised to the peerage with a barony. After 1918, however, Pirrie was once again a Unionist and became a senator at Stormont.

WJ/ and Walford Johnson