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.