Shipbuilding History

Levis QC

Allison Davie was an English master mariner who, in 1832, in partnership with his father-in-law, George Taylor, started a shipyard in Levis. After the founders' deaths, Davie's sons, Allison and George T., took over and in 1887, they bought land in Lauzon for a second shipyard, designed to handle larger, steel ships. That yard subsequently became the yard now known as Davie Canada and later spawned the neighboring George T. Davie shipyard. This page deals with the original yard in Levis, known as Davie Brothers, which was primarily a repair facility for smaller, wooden ships, under the management of the third generation, Allison C. Davie and George D. Davie. The last of the Davies died in 1951 but the yard continued under the management of its accountant, Paul Gourdeau, who began building fishing boats. In 1976, it was sold to Logistec Corporation, a coastal shipping operator, and in 1977, after Loi 101 made French the official language of Quebec, the name was changed to Industries A. C. Davie. In 1987 it was sold to Equimer, a French marine equipment manufacturer, but closed in 1989. The yard was just north of the ferry terminal and is now a museum/park: visit the museum here.