Career
Born in Arbroath, he moved to London where he learned his craft at the yard of William Evans. He then moved to Bristol where he worked for William Scott as his assistant. When Scott became bankrupt, he took over his yard in various guises as William Patterson Shipbuilders.
He was also one of the designers of the Steamship Great Britain (again with Brunel), the world"s first ocean-going ship to have an iron hull and a screw propeller.