Hercules Linton (1 January 1837 – 15 May 1900) was a Scottish surveyor, designer, shipbuilder, antiquarian and local councillor, best known as the designer of the Cutty Sark and partner in the yard of Scott and Linton, which built her. He was born in Inverbervie, the Mearns, Scotland. In 1855 on his nineteenth birthday, Hercules Linton was apprenticed to Alexander Hall and Sons, who were the leading shipbuilders in Aberdeen and whose schooner Scottish Maid (1839) with its sharp bow and entry helped coin the term Aberdeen Bow. Linton progressed through his apprenticeship and eventually rose to a senior position at Alexander Hall and Sons. Eventually he left Alexander Hall and Sons to become a Lloyd's Register Surveyor based at the Lloyds offices in Liverpool. He subsequently moved to the Liverpool Underwriters Registry where from early in 1862 he was assisting John Jordan, the Chief Surveyor. It is thought that he left the Liverpool Underwriters Association in May 1864 but still associated on a freelance basis. Scott and Linton shipbuilders In May 1868, Linton entered into a shipbuilding partnership with William Dundas Scott to form the firm of Scott & Linton, shipbuilders of Dumbarton, on the River Leven near its junction with the River Clyde. Approximately £600 of the £1200 capital to set up the business was provided by Scott's father. The rest was a borrowing against Linton's life insurance policy and some cash. Hercules Linton managed the design and shipbuilding and William Scott managed the counting house and engineering. In May 1868 Scott & Linton rented part of the Woodyard. The yard was previously occupied by Denny's until they moved across the river Leven upon expiry of their lease. However, the lack of business experience in the two partners showed as early as August. Correspondence between Scott and his father shows that cash flow problems emerged during the building of their first order, the small iron steamship Camel, for which there appeared to be no contracted stage payments during the build. Work had to be completed in October and the completed vessel delivered to J. Bibby & Co in Newcastle at which point Scott & Linton would then receive the full purchase price of £980. Cutty Sark and John Willis The agreement to build the Cutty Sark was signed by John 'Jock' Willis (also known as 'White Hat' Willis) on 1 February 1869 with a contracted completion date six