William Denny and Brothers

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William Denny and Brothers Limited, often referred to simply as Denny, were a British shipbuilding company based in Dumbarton, Scotland, on the River Clyde. They had the highest output of any Clyde shipbuilder in terms of numbers of vessels built (over 1500 of a total in excess of 22,000). Denny built all types of ships but were particularly well known as producers of fine cross-channel steamships and ferries. Peter Denny developed the companies interests in ship owning and operation with principal interests in the British & Burnese Steam Navigation Company, Glasgow, the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company and La Platense Flotilla. Denny were pioneers in development of the ship's stabiliser in conjunction with Edinburgh-based Brown Brothers & Company. Denny also undertook pioneering experimental work in hovercraft and helicopter-type aircraft.

A subsidiary company, Denny & Company, also based in Dumbarton, manufactured a wide range of types of steam and diesel marine engines.

William Denny & Company went into voluntary liquidation in 1963.

Although the Denny yard was situated near the junction of the River Clyde and the River Leven, the yard was on the Leven. Dennys were always innovators and were one of the first commercial shipyards in the world to have their own experimental testing tank. This is now open to the public as a museum.

Some Denny-built vessels remain in existence including;

The former Clyde turbine steamer Queen Mary, now a floating restaurant in London
The veteran steamship Sir Walter Scott on Loch Katrine, Scotland
The former Mersey ferry MV Royal Iris, berthed at Woolwich, London
The former Denny-owned tug /tender The Second Snark on the River Clyde
Cutty Sark which was completed by Denny's after the liquidation of her contracted builders, Scott & Linton, is preserved in a dry dock at Greenwich, UK