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Shipbuilding Archive.

The North East was the engine of the world. It powered the planet with its coal, but transported it with its ships. Though the docks are filled in, the collective memory of the hard graft and creaking hulls live on. 

The Shipbuilding Archive is an ongoing, long term project to uncover and document every known shipyard in the North East and its location. From medieval times to the 18th and 19th centuries, pinning names and stories to our to our river banks provides even greater meaning to the landscapes around us.

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47.6
95.2
142.8
190.4
238
285.6
333.2
380.8
428.4
476
523.6
571.2
618.8
666.4
714
761.6
809.2
856.8
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952

GD002

Tyne

Tyne Main, Shipyard

Gateshead

Gateshead

Robson & Gray, Gaddy & Lamb

Created:

9 Jun 2023

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

SEA002

Seaham

Seaham Harbour, South Shipyard

Seaham

William Henzell (1834 - 1853), Edward Potts (1853 - 1861), Robert Potts (1861 - 1880), George Hardy

Created:

19 Oct 2023

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

HD002

Tyne

Tyne Improvement Commission, Repair Yard

Wallsend

Howdon

Tyne Improvement Commission, William Press Ltd.

Created:

9 Jun 2023

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

HYL001

Wear

North Hylton, Lister & Bartram Shipyard

Sunderland

North Hylton

George Bartram, John Lister, Robert Appleby Bartram

Created:

3 May 2024

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

HYL003

Wear

Hylton Ferry, Shipyard

Sunderland

South Hylton

Thomas Davie, Nicholas Davie

Created:

2 Oct 2024

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

SUN007

Wear

North Sands, Austin Yard

Sunderland

Monkwearmouth

Peter Austin

Created:

2 Apr 2024

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

PLW001

Tyne

Morris Shipyard

Hebburn

Pelaw Main

John Morris & David Morris (1847 - 1921)

Created:

9 Jun 2023

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

GD010

Tyne

Hillgate Quay, Shipyard

Gateshead

South Shore

Henry Forster

Created:

15 Aug 2024

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

SUN027

Wear

Deptford North Shipyard

Sunderland

Deptford

James Johnson (1815 - 1834)

Created:

2 Apr 2025

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

SEA001

Seaham

Paxton Taylor & Co Shipyard

Seaham

Thomas Stonehouse (1831 - 1832), Paxton Taylor (1831 - 1836)

Created:

12 Oct 2023

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

HAR004

Hartlepool

Blumer Shipyard

Hartlepool

Middleton

Luke Blumer, George Blumer, Madge Blumer, Withy Alexander

Created:

12 Dec 2023

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

GD004

Tyne

Anderson's Slipway

Felling

Friars Goose

Archibald Irwin, Robert Fairs (1847 - 1895), Tyne Wherry Co. (1901), John Anderson, T Mitchinson Ltd. (1955 - 1963), James Burness & Sons

Created:

9 Jun 2023

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

Background photo: Readhead's Shipyard c1960 by Ronald Sanderson, copyright free from Tyne and Wear Archives

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