Lord Pirrie, Chairman of Harland & Wolff Ltd.

Lord Pirrie, Chairman of Harland & Wolff Ltd.

Brought up in Belfast, William James Pirrie (1847-1924) was an strong-willed international businessman. As well as being Chairman of Harland & Wolff, he was also a director of White Star Line and a director of the huge American shipping company, International Mercantile Marine, known as IMM, which in turn owned White Star from 1902 to 1927.  Pirrie's aim was to promote Harland & Wolff as shipbuilder to all the shipping lines owned by IMM.

Pirrie joined Harland & Wolff as a ‘gentleman apprentice’ in 1862, aged 15 years. An excellent draughtsman, he was made a partner in 1874 at the age of 27.  When Harland died in 1894 he became Chairman of the company, a role he held until his death in 1924.