HYL002
Wear
North Hylton
Edward Brown's Shipyard
Sunderland
54.907672, -1.453711
Useful Links:
Opened:
1831
Closed:
1850
Owners:
Edward Brown
Types built here:
Customers (Not Exhaustive):
Estimated Output:
18
Construction Materials:
Wood
Status:
Redeveloped
Last Updated:
06/07/24
Description
*Please note, the coordinates cited pertain to the approximate location of the shipyard
Edward Brown established a shipyard at North Hylton by 1831, and constructed his first ship here in the same year. It was a snow, built to transport cargo from the Tyne for the North Sea trade to London. He had already been an established voice in the village, as he was a member of the Hylton Association in 1824. This was similar to a community watch type group who detected, apprehended and prosecuted felons for petty offences. At this time Edward Brown is noted to have lived at Hylton Ferry - likely the south side and was known as "Old Neddy" by the end, a veteran of the shipbuilding scene here as his trade was handed off to the more modern builders of Pile and Bartram. His shipyard stood on the north bank at either side of row which still stands today.
One ship was built in 1832, another cargo ship destined for the Tyne, but from 1833 he was constructing on average 2 ships a year from his yard until 1836. His ships were well utilised and lasted in service, in the case of Pallas, until 1877. From thereon construction became slightly more spurious, with a 5 year gap between 1839 and 1844. It appears he started up again with intensive production. 3 ships were constructed in 1846, with 2 more launched through to 1850. These were also all cargo vessels.
Sadly it's impossible to verify exactly which site at North Hylton it stood at. By 1857 there was a cluster of yards south of Barons Quay Wood which I feel is the most likely location. With this said, there were several yards at Nab End in the 1850s all connected by a waggonway from the original Ford Pottery works. Both features cranes and sawpits, but given the age of Brown's yard I wonder if it was closer to the settlement and established around the old rows.


Ordnance Survey, 1862
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Historic Environment Records
Durham/Northumberland: Keys to the Past
Tyne and Wear: Sitelines
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