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The World Wars

The World Wars

The Malakoff yard and William & Jack Moore played a role in both wars. During the First War, the yard was given an Admiralty contract to supply coal to vessels.

During the Second War, there was very important work that was carried on for the Admiralty and particularly the Norwegian NIU - this work would be called the Shetland Bus operation which was operated out of Scalloway. Assisting William Moore & Sons, the Norwegians had 6 of their own engineers and joiners there, representing the interesting dynamic of a relationship between the Shetlanders, Norwegians and the British officers of the Shetland Bus operation.

The Crown Prince Olav of Norway visited Shetland in 1942 to see the slipway built by the Norwegians too, the slipway played a vital role in repairing damaged vessels during the Shetland bus operations, Price Olav returned to Scalloway at the end of the War to officially unveil it. It continued to play a vital role in the servicing of vessels post-War. 

In 1951, further important work would be undertaken on behalf of British Intelligence from Scalloway, carrying on six years with the name locally to the operation being Hush Hush Plant.

Jack Moore would be awarded the Knight of the Royal Norwegian at St. Olav’s Order for his commitment during the War. 40 years later he would be awarded a British Empire Medal for his services during the same War. His commitment to the war efforts would also be recognised in the round-the-world Christmas Day broadcast, as he, and his daughter, Eilieen would give the broadcast, in which they spoke so excellently it would become so very memorable. Eileen would detail how she used to get Christmas trees brought from Norway by the Norwegians right under the nose of the Nazis - a highlight from the broadcast. 

TIMELINE

1856
10 May

The Beginning

The first advertisement for Laurence Goodlad’s Malakoff boat-building establishment features in the Shetland Times in February 1881 and it boasts very moderate prices for paints, oils,...

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1900
20 September

The Turn of the 20th Century

Laurence Odie's carpenters shed is destroyed by a fire, all while William Moore arrives in Shetland from Orkney. After working as a blacksmith for Irvine's of Boddam, Moore arrived in...

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1942
16 July

The World Wars

The Malakoff yard and William & Jack Moore played a role in both wars. During the First War, the yard was given an Admiralty contract to supply coal to vessels. During the Second War, there...

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1952
3 September

Decades of Change

The 50's and 60's would see a lot happen. A massive range of upgrades and changes to leadership and directors would set the Malakoff up for tackling a massive array of projects.  As...

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1975
22 March

The Impeding Oil Boom

A huge decade of expansion, business development and hugely improved facilities would follow once again as the Malakoff would go from strength-to-strength. With the aforementioned shift...

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1986
7 November

A Decade of Rapid Expansion

It would only be the 80's before both forms were formally amalgamated and the official name of the Malakoff would come into play. The company would become Malakoff & Wm Moore Ltd in...

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1992
19 April

Further Expansion & Voe Boats Introduced

The 90's was, yet again, a huge decade for the company as the boatbuilding facilities would see massive expansion and there would be the the introduction of the revolutionary voe boats.  In...

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2003
25 July

A New Era Dawns

A turbulent start to the early noughties would eventually turn out good for Malakoff.  The floating dock at Holmsgarth that was operated by Malakoff would stop operations in 2001, after 12...

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2013
8 October

Boat Building Progress & Giving Back

In a decade that saw huge advancements to the boat building services offered by Malakoff Limited, the company would also give back to the Shetland community.  It would be one of the most...

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