Sir Alfred Fernandez Yarrow, 1st Baronet, of Homestead (13 January 1842 – 24 January 1932) was a British shipbuilder who started a shipbuilding dynasty, Yarrow Shipbuilders.

Origins

Yarrow was born of humble origins in East London. His mother was of Spanish Sephardi Jewish background and his father was from an English Christian family; Yarrow was raised a Christian. He was educated at University College School.

Shipbuilding

After serving an apprenticeship in Stepney, he opened a yard — Yarrow and Hedley (a partnership) — at Folly Wall, Poplar on the Isle of Dogs in 1865 to build steam river launches.

He ventured into military vessels from the early 1870s, building torpedo boats for the Argentine and Japanese navies, among other customers. Then in 1892 he built the first two destroyers for the Royal Navy: Havock and Hornet of the Havock class. He struck up a strong friendship and correspondence with Lord Fisher ("Jackie Fisher"), and subsequently Yarrow Shipbuilders became a lead contractor for the Royal Navy for smaller, but almost always fast, boats.