The Clydebank shipyard built some of the most famous vessels in maritime history. Its heritage boasts of great transatlantic liners like Lusitania, Queen Mary, and QE2, as well as iconic warships like the battlecruiser Hood, and Britain's last battleship, HMS Vanguard. Beginning as J & G Thomson in 1847, the business acquired its more famous persona when Sheffield-based steelmaker John Brown & Co took over in 1899. As a result, the yard became known for turning out first-class products, both naval and mercantile.