1853: Harland & Wolf begins to build ships under ownership of James Hickson

1862: H&W adopts its name, one year after Gustav Wolff joins Edward Harland.

1870: H&W builds its first vessel, the Oceanic, for White Star Liners

1907: White Star's biggest order comprises the building of the Titanic, the Olympic and the Britannic. Some 15,000 people worked in the yard at this time.

1912: The Titanic was sunk when it hit an iceberg, 1,500 died

1939-45: H&W workforce hits a high of 35,000 as demand for ships grows during the second World War.

1960: The company builds its last cruise ship, the Canberra.

1970: The crane Goliath is completed. It is capable of lifting 850 tonnes and is the largest crane of its time.

March 2000: Harland & Wolff issues its 1,850 staff with 90-day redundancy notices.

May 2000: The shipyard secures a £300 million sterling order for four passenger vessels and secures its medium-term future.