British Shipbuilders Corporation was a public corporation that owned and managed the shipbuilding industry in England and Scotland from 1977 and through the 1980s. The British Shipbuilders Corporation headquarters was in Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...

, England.

The corporation was founded as a result of the Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act 1977

Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act 1977

The Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act 1977 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that nationalised large parts of the UK aerospace and shipbuilding industries and established two corporations, British Aerospace and British Shipbuilders ....

 which nationalised all major shipbuilding companies in Great Britain. The same act nationalised the three large UK aviation companies and grouped them in an analogous corporation, British Aerospace

British Aerospace

British Aerospace plc was a UK aircraft, munitions and defence-systems manufacturer. Its head office was in the Warwick House in the Farnborough Aerospace Centre in Farnborough, Hampshire...

.

The first Chairman of British Shipbuilders, serving from 1978 to 1981, was Admiral Sir Anthony Griffin

Anthony Griffin (Royal Navy officer)

Admiral Sir Anthony Templer Frederick Griffith Griffin GCB was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Controller of the Navy.-Naval career:...

.

Harland & Wolff, the only shipbuilder based in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...

 was a special political case and remained out of the control of the British Shipbuilders management, despite being in State ownership.