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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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952

SWI001

Wear

Low Southwick Slipway

Sunderland

Southwick

John Candlish, Robert Candlish, Robert Thompson

Created:

23 Jul 2024

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

HB003

Tyne

Hebburn Quay Shipyard

Hebburn

Hebburn

WP Huntley

Created:

9 Jun 2023

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

SWI005

Wear

Low Southwick, Hemsley Shipyard

Sunderland

Southwick

Joseph Hemsley

Created:

22 Jan 2025

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

WQ002

Tyne

Tyne Iron Shipbuilding Works

Wallsend

Willington Quay

Thomas Adamson (1852), William Adamson (1859-1863), Adamson & Pringle (1863-1864), Marshall Bros., W. B. Hornsby, Cole Bros. (1871-1876), W. J. Bone (1876), Tyne Iron Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. (1876-1927), J Bourn, Armstrong Whitworth (1927 - 1933)

Created:

9 Jun 2023

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

WLK003

Tyne

Walker, Raft Yard

Walker

Walker

Unknown

Created:

9 Jun 2023

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

SS015

Tyne

West Docks, Readhead Yard

South Shields

West Docks

John Readhead & Co. (1880 - 1968), Swan Hunter (1968 - 1982)

Created:

9 Jun 2023

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

GD008

Tyne

Engine & Gearbox Exchange Ltd

Gateshead

Dunston

Engine & Gearbox Exchange Ltd.

Created:

9 Jun 2023

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

WLK001

Tyne

Battle Hill, Shipyard

Walker

Walker

John Coutts (1842 - 1848), Miller, Ravenhill & Salkeld (1851 - 1855), Vernon?

Created:

9 Jun 2023

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

SUN014

Wear

North Dock, Blumer Shipyard

Sunderland

Monkwearmouth

George Booth, John Blakelock, John Blumer & Co. Ltd., Robert Pace, Colonel Arthur Robson

Created:

7 Jun 2024

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

BLY006

Blyth

High Pans, Shipyard

North Blyth

High Pans

Henry Debord (1798 - 1813)

Created:

17 Jul 2023

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

WAL003

Tyne

Swan Hunter (Coulson & Co) Shipyard

Wallsend

Wallsend

Coulson, Cooke & Co (1873 - 1874), John Coulson & Co (1876 - 1879), Swan Hunter (1896 - 2007)

Created:

9 Jun 2023

Updated:

12 Jun 2025

JW003

Tyne

Jarrow Quay Corner, Slipway

Jarrow

Jarrow

Thomas & Robert Brown (1813 - 1833), Drewett Brown

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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