SWI001
Wear
Southwick
Low Southwick Slipway
Sunderland
54.917445, -1.398842
Useful Links:
Opened:
1846
Closed:
1857
Owners:
John Candlish, Robert Candlish, Robert Thompson
Types built here:
Customers (Not Exhaustive):
Estimated Output:
10
Construction Materials:
Wood
Status:
Repurposed
Last Updated:
27/08/24
Description
John Candlish is perhaps more famous in the city for other pursuits rather than his shipbuilding interests. You may find him in the middle of Mowbray Park, where he has stood on a granite plinth since 1875.
Candlish was born at Tarset, a small Northumberland settlement in 1816. He moved to Sunderland when his father John took a job at the Ayres Quay bottleworks at the Deptford peninsula. After receiving a decent education, he became a draper and was a partner in his own ship by the time he was 20. He then became a coal exporter, and that led him to a dip into shipbuilding.
Candlish started building ships at Low Southwick from 1846. Ships were built on a slipway, which helps narrow down our location to a patent slip near the Southwick Pottery which is long demolished. At least 8 vessels were constructed within a short period of 8 years between 1846 and 1854. His first ship was the Hindoo, a barque constructed for John Hay of Bishopwearmouth. We have a decent amount of information on his 5th ship Horatio, a brig constructed for Mr Joseph Culliford and was to be built for the Baltic or Mediterranean trades. It was wholly copper fastened and "of the highest class", though only lasted 8 months when it collided with another ship and was reduced to a wreck. He also repaired vessels here.
The yard is shown on the first Ordnance Survey. It was located at the bottom of Scott's Bank at Southwick, very close to the famous pottery and ferry which crossed to Deptford. The patent slip was significant - certainly the largest this part of the river, and was here long before Candlish got his hands on it. In fact, it's shown on an 1839 tithe plan of Southwick shown as being owned by Philip Laing and occupied William Woods (the entry will be updated once a little more research has been done). On the first Ordnance Survey, there were around 4 ancillary buildings and a large open yard, perhaps for berths.
It is well worth noting Robert Thompson, the founder of what became J L Thompson, was Candlish's foreman and went on to operate his own venture which we are more aware of.
The venture was ultimately unsuccessful however. It didn't make any money, and the company was later bought out. While a shipbuilder he was a Liberal councillor. He went on to briefly become secretary of the Sunderland Gas Co., as well as "The Sunderland News". His wealth finally came with the Seaham Bottle Works, when he was given patronage by the Marquis of Londonderry. He produced 20 million bottles a year from the 1850s, and contrary to Londonderry was known for his fair working conditions and holistic practices. Thanks to his influence he was the eminent guest of the Mowbray Park opening in 1857, and became Mayor of Sunderland the year after. Candlish became MP of Sunderland in 1865, thrusting his principles of social reform and free trade.
In respects of the yard, the slipway he utilised was demolished and replaced by the Cornhill Dock which partly still exists. This was built by Robert Thompson, the man I mentioned earlier, who bought out the yard in 1854 and constructed 21 wooden ships here before repurposing the yard for metal working. It does also appear John's son Robert made a couple of vessels here before it was demolished. 2 barques were constructed here by him between 1856 and 1857.
The Thompson yard will be covered in a separate entry when the site was totally cleared and rebuilt.
Ordnance Survey, 1862
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Historic Environment Records
Durham/Northumberland: Keys to the Past
Tyne and Wear: Sitelines
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