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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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SUN013

Wear

North Shore, Bell's Shipyard

Sunderland

Monkwearmouth

James Bell, James Leithead (1834 - 1844)

Created:

7 Jun 2024

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

SWI006

Wear

Southwick, Leithead Shipyard

Sunderland

Southwick

Andrew Leithead

Created:

4 Jun 2025

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

SS007

Tyne

Middle Docks

South Shields

Holborn

George Smith, Mr Dalton, Banks & Liddle, Richard Bulmer, James Hall, William Stoveld, Middle Dock Company, The Middle Dock and Engineering Company Ltd., British Shipbuilders

Created:

9 Jun 2023

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

SS005

Tyne

Winlo Yard

South Shields

South Shields

John Winlo, Peter Winlo

Created:

9 Jun 2023

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

NS001

Tyne

Low Lights Shipyard

North Shields

North Shields

John Hearn, James Dunn Burdis (1860 - 1870), Richard Wouldhave & William Johnson (1875 - 1885)

Created:

9 Jun 2023

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

WLK006

Tyne

Dobson Shipyard

Newcastle

Walker

William Dobson & Co Ltd. (1882 - 1928)

Created:

9 Jun 2023

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

BLY003

Blyth

Blyth Dock

Blyth

Blyth

William Stoveld & Co. (1811-1843), William Stoveld (1811 - 1852) , William Shepherd, Margaret Stoveld (1852 - 1856), George Robinson (1850s - 1863), Bowman and Drummond, Joseph Hodgson & Robert Soulsby, Blyth Shipbuilding Company

Created:

4 Jul 2023

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

SS009

Tyne

Fairle's Dock

South Shields

High Shields

Nicholas Fairles (1791 - 1800s), Laing Family (1807 - 1822), Messrs Witherby & Ihler

Created:

9 Jun 2023

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

TWE002

Tweed

Lee Shipyard

Berwick upon Tweed

Tweedmouth

George Lee, Lee & Wight, Robert Lee

Created:

1 Sept 2023

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

GD001

Tyne

Saltmeadows, Shipyard

Gateshead

Gateshead

John Robson (1817 - 1852), Jonathan Robson (1843 - 1859)

Created:

9 Jun 2023

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

SS012

Tyne

Low Dock (Brigham & Cowan Yard)

South Shields

Wapping Street

Thomas Winship, Brodericks (1773 - 1802), Brigham & Cowan, British Shipbuilders

Created:

9 Jun 2023

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

SS013

Tyne

Young's Dock

South Shields

Thrift Street

Cuthbert Bros. (1837 - 1871)

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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