Coal and the industrial revolution in the North East Region
During the years of the industrial revolution, North Tyneside gave the world a clear lead in several fields, but two of these deserve special mention. They are the locomotion and steam turbine.
The men whose names are forever linked with these developments are George Stephenson and Sir Charles Parsons. Stephenson was an Engineer at the old Killingworth Colliery and developed his first locomotives here for hauling coal down to the staithes at Wallsend for shipment.
Stephenson's Cottage still stands on Great Lime Road in Forest Hall and the Sun Dial carved from stone by George and his equally famous son Robert, still counts the hours above the front door.
The men whose names are forever linked with these developments are George Stephenson and Sir Charles Parsons. Stephenson was an Engineer at the old Killingworth Colliery and developed his first locomotives here for hauling coal down to the staithes at Wallsend for shipment.
Stephenson's Cottage still stands on Great Lime Road in Forest Hall and the Sun Dial carved from stone by George and his equally famous son Robert, still counts the hours above the front door.
1700 - 1800 GEORGIAN ERA
1760 - SHAFTO MP (County Durham) Bobby Shafto becomes an MP for County Durham.
January 1760 - PRESS GANG (North Shields)
Sixty men are captured by Press Gangs but they manage to take control of the ship that captured them and sail into Scarborough where they escape.
1782 - MARSDEN GROTTO (South Shields) Quarryman 'Jack the Blaster' blasts a home at Marsden Rock.
1790 - WORLD'S FIRST LIFEBOAT (South Shields)
William Wouldhave and Henry Greathead invent the first lifeboat called The Original.
1760 - SHAFTO MP (County Durham) Bobby Shafto becomes an MP for County Durham.
January 1760 - PRESS GANG (North Shields)
Sixty men are captured by Press Gangs but they manage to take control of the ship that captured them and sail into Scarborough where they escape.
1782 - MARSDEN GROTTO (South Shields) Quarryman 'Jack the Blaster' blasts a home at Marsden Rock.
1790 - WORLD'S FIRST LIFEBOAT (South Shields)
William Wouldhave and Henry Greathead invent the first lifeboat called The Original.
1800 - 1850
May 25 1812 - Felling Colliery Disaster (Felling) 92 men and boys in a colliery explosion at Felling near Gateshead. Concerted efforts begin to improve mine safety and develop a safety lamp. The efforts are headed by Dr Clanny of the Sunderland Society and the Reverend John Hodgson of St. Mary's Church, Heworth at whose church the men and boys were buried.
1813 - PUFFING BILLY (Wylam-on-Tyne)
The Puffing Billy and Wylam Dilly locomotives are developed by William Hedley at Wylam colliery
1815 - SAFETY LAMP INVENTED (Britain)
A miners safety lamp is invented by Humphry Davy and George Stephenson. It should reduce the number of colliery gas explosions.
May 23, 1822 - FIRST SECTION OF RAILWAY (Stockton)
George Stephenson is appointed the engineer for the Stockton and Darlington Railway project. The first section of rail is laid near St John's Well at Stockton by Thomas Meynell of Yarm.
1826 - BOWES RAILWAY (Gateshead) The Bowes Colliery Railway is built near Gateshead.
May 25 1812 - Felling Colliery Disaster (Felling) 92 men and boys in a colliery explosion at Felling near Gateshead. Concerted efforts begin to improve mine safety and develop a safety lamp. The efforts are headed by Dr Clanny of the Sunderland Society and the Reverend John Hodgson of St. Mary's Church, Heworth at whose church the men and boys were buried.
1813 - PUFFING BILLY (Wylam-on-Tyne)
The Puffing Billy and Wylam Dilly locomotives are developed by William Hedley at Wylam colliery
1815 - SAFETY LAMP INVENTED (Britain)
A miners safety lamp is invented by Humphry Davy and George Stephenson. It should reduce the number of colliery gas explosions.
May 23, 1822 - FIRST SECTION OF RAILWAY (Stockton)
George Stephenson is appointed the engineer for the Stockton and Darlington Railway project. The first section of rail is laid near St John's Well at Stockton by Thomas Meynell of Yarm.
1826 - BOWES RAILWAY (Gateshead) The Bowes Colliery Railway is built near Gateshead.
1850 - 1900
1900 - 1950
1950 - 2000
21st Century
RISE AND FALL OF COAL MINING 1800-1990Coal mining continued to grow throughout the later nineteenth and early twentieth century. The nineteenth century development of coal mining in Durham, brought about a tremendous increase in the population of the North East, as many previously rural villages, grew into small colliery towns almost overnight. This was particularly the case in County Durham, where villages seemed to spring up from virtually nowhere at all. In 1787 there were around 7000 colliers employed in the coal mines of North East England and by 1810 this number had only increased to 10,000. Just over a hundred years later, in 1919, there were 223,000 coal miners working in the region and 154,000 of these were in the county of Durham. It reached a peak in County Durham in 1923 when 170,000 miners were employed in the industry.
One obvious question is where did all this labour come from? They of course came from all parts of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, though in the main they originated from the local region, from existing areas of the Northumberland and Durham coalfield, but also from the dales and rural areas of Northumberland and Durham. Many of course originated from the larger towns of the region and even non-mining towns like Darlington would have made a major contribution to the increasing coal workforce. Coal mining employment in County Durham would eventually reach a a peak in 1923, when 170,000 miners were employed.
The two world wars helped to boost the need for coal in industry, but in the later half of the twentieth century colliery closures began to increase. One major event in the history of the mines was the nationalisation of the industry in 1947, when the coal mines, previously under the management of private concerns were brought under the control of the government. By the time of Nationalization, the number of miners in County Durham, had fallen to 108,000 and there were 127 collieries. Nationalization was not enough to save many pits from closure as many mines were worked of their coal or sometimes controversially declared 'uneconomic'. In the two decades from 1950-1970 around a hundred North East coal mines were closed often with shattering consequences for small mining communities which relied on coal mining for work.
The closures continued throughout the eighties and nineties, despite vehement protests from the miners and their unions and an often violent miners' strike. In 1994 the closure of the Wearmouth Colliery in Sunderland saw the end of the last remaining colliery in the Durham coalfield.
One obvious question is where did all this labour come from? They of course came from all parts of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, though in the main they originated from the local region, from existing areas of the Northumberland and Durham coalfield, but also from the dales and rural areas of Northumberland and Durham. Many of course originated from the larger towns of the region and even non-mining towns like Darlington would have made a major contribution to the increasing coal workforce. Coal mining employment in County Durham would eventually reach a a peak in 1923, when 170,000 miners were employed.
The two world wars helped to boost the need for coal in industry, but in the later half of the twentieth century colliery closures began to increase. One major event in the history of the mines was the nationalisation of the industry in 1947, when the coal mines, previously under the management of private concerns were brought under the control of the government. By the time of Nationalization, the number of miners in County Durham, had fallen to 108,000 and there were 127 collieries. Nationalization was not enough to save many pits from closure as many mines were worked of their coal or sometimes controversially declared 'uneconomic'. In the two decades from 1950-1970 around a hundred North East coal mines were closed often with shattering consequences for small mining communities which relied on coal mining for work.
The closures continued throughout the eighties and nineties, despite vehement protests from the miners and their unions and an often violent miners' strike. In 1994 the closure of the Wearmouth Colliery in Sunderland saw the end of the last remaining colliery in the Durham coalfield.
Early colliery railways of the 1700s were using horse-drawn wagons to haul coal to the Tyne and Wear. Later, stationary engines hauled coal along inclined railways, but locomotives, effectively steam engines on wheels, were the next stage of development. Locom otives were developed at collieries like Wylam, Killingworth and Hetton by George Stephenson and William Hedley and these developments eventually led to the creation of The Stockton and Darlington Railway of 1825.
Shipbuilding on the Tyne
ABERDONIANS ON TYNESIDE
In 1841, there appeared on Tyneside, the first of 'Three Wise Men' from Aberdeen, who were to be very influential in the shaping of the iron shipbuilding industry in North East England. He was John Henry Sangster Coutts, who could claim to be the builder of the first sizable iron ship on the River Tyne... this was the P.S.'Prince Albert' of 1842.
He was followed from Aberdeen by Charles Mitchell, who eventually had his own shipyard on the Tyne, at Walker. Mitchell went on to fame and fortune, and in later years was to be a generous benefactor to Aberdeen University.
In 1853, on the south bank of the Tyne, at Hebburn, the third man from Aberdeen arrived, to set up an iron shipyard, he was Andrew Leslie, a Shetlander, who had served as a boilermaker in Aberdeen, before coming south to England.
A special thanks to local maritime historians Ron French and Dick Keys for help in compiling this page.
In 1841, there appeared on Tyneside, the first of 'Three Wise Men' from Aberdeen, who were to be very influential in the shaping of the iron shipbuilding industry in North East England. He was John Henry Sangster Coutts, who could claim to be the builder of the first sizable iron ship on the River Tyne... this was the P.S.'Prince Albert' of 1842.
He was followed from Aberdeen by Charles Mitchell, who eventually had his own shipyard on the Tyne, at Walker. Mitchell went on to fame and fortune, and in later years was to be a generous benefactor to Aberdeen University.
In 1853, on the south bank of the Tyne, at Hebburn, the third man from Aberdeen arrived, to set up an iron shipyard, he was Andrew Leslie, a Shetlander, who had served as a boilermaker in Aberdeen, before coming south to England.
A special thanks to local maritime historians Ron French and Dick Keys for help in compiling this page.
John Henry Sangster Coutts (1810-1862)
1810 Born in Aberdeen. Coutts was always regarded as a gifted Aberdonian from his precocious up-bringing. Coutts had been the son to a farmer named Patrick Coutts in Aberdeenshire. Had been titled one of the "Three Wise Men" from Aberdeen, Coutts was fundamental and the foundation to the innovative iron ship building industry in Tyneside.
John Coutts was very adamant about making it known he was not related to the well renowned and highly reputable Scottish Coutts Family, who was well known for banking. It was in 1840 when Coutts had traveled south to Tyneside to open his own shipyard in an old wooden shipyard at Low Walker on the Tyne.
1842 It was at this old wooden shipyard on the Tyne that Coutts had built and then launched the famous P.S. Prince Albert; the first iron ship of substantial size to fare the seas and the river Thames.
1844 Built the Q.E.D. in his old shipyard in Tyneside. The Q.E.D. was an Iron-hulled barque ship. The Q.E.D. had an auxiliary engine system - a new system - along with the innovative feature, and a world's first, of a water ballast; it carried double bottoms. These innovations weren't just for the novelty but would eventually become the norm many different industries especially in the collier trade. The elaborate water ballast had virtually replaced the sand-and-gravel ballasts that were the industry standard previously.
In 1848, Coutts took William Parkinson as a partner and started a new trading company called Coutts and Parkinson; they had a shipyard at Willington Quay.
In 1852, their yard built the 900 ton W. S. Lindsay, the largest iron ship that had been built to date for the eponymous merchant William Schaw Lindsay. She was designed to take emigrants to Australia and although she cost one-third more than similar vessels, the ship was three times more efficient with 280 cabins including 60 in first class. The vessel overturned in a storm in The Downs on her maiden voyage with 300 passengers aboard; she had to be towed back to London at a cost of £3,000.
1810 Born in Aberdeen. Coutts was always regarded as a gifted Aberdonian from his precocious up-bringing. Coutts had been the son to a farmer named Patrick Coutts in Aberdeenshire. Had been titled one of the "Three Wise Men" from Aberdeen, Coutts was fundamental and the foundation to the innovative iron ship building industry in Tyneside.
John Coutts was very adamant about making it known he was not related to the well renowned and highly reputable Scottish Coutts Family, who was well known for banking. It was in 1840 when Coutts had traveled south to Tyneside to open his own shipyard in an old wooden shipyard at Low Walker on the Tyne.
1842 It was at this old wooden shipyard on the Tyne that Coutts had built and then launched the famous P.S. Prince Albert; the first iron ship of substantial size to fare the seas and the river Thames.
1844 Built the Q.E.D. in his old shipyard in Tyneside. The Q.E.D. was an Iron-hulled barque ship. The Q.E.D. had an auxiliary engine system - a new system - along with the innovative feature, and a world's first, of a water ballast; it carried double bottoms. These innovations weren't just for the novelty but would eventually become the norm many different industries especially in the collier trade. The elaborate water ballast had virtually replaced the sand-and-gravel ballasts that were the industry standard previously.
In 1848, Coutts took William Parkinson as a partner and started a new trading company called Coutts and Parkinson; they had a shipyard at Willington Quay.
In 1852, their yard built the 900 ton W. S. Lindsay, the largest iron ship that had been built to date for the eponymous merchant William Schaw Lindsay. She was designed to take emigrants to Australia and although she cost one-third more than similar vessels, the ship was three times more efficient with 280 cabins including 60 in first class. The vessel overturned in a storm in The Downs on her maiden voyage with 300 passengers aboard; she had to be towed back to London at a cost of £3,000.
COUTTS & PARKINSON. (1849-1855)
Coutts and Parkinson, one of the earliest iron shipbuilders on the Tyne, of Willington Quay, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
See John Henry Sangster Coutts and William Parkinson
1850 Coutts and Parkinson had one iron East Indiaman on the stocks and received an order for another of about 1000t, which was thought to be the largest iron sailing vessel then constructed.
1851 Coutts and Parkinson received another order from a Clyde firm to build a vessel for the Calcutta trade.
1853 Raylton Dixon was apprenticed ("went through his degrees") at Coutts and Parkinson.
1855 Coutts and Parkinson were iron ship builders at Willington Quay, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. No mention in directories after this date.
Coutts and Parkinson, one of the earliest iron shipbuilders on the Tyne, of Willington Quay, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
See John Henry Sangster Coutts and William Parkinson
1850 Coutts and Parkinson had one iron East Indiaman on the stocks and received an order for another of about 1000t, which was thought to be the largest iron sailing vessel then constructed.
1851 Coutts and Parkinson received another order from a Clyde firm to build a vessel for the Calcutta trade.
1853 Raylton Dixon was apprenticed ("went through his degrees") at Coutts and Parkinson.
1855 Coutts and Parkinson were iron ship builders at Willington Quay, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. No mention in directories after this date.
CHARLES MITCHELL.
Scotsman Charles Mitchell started building ships in his own right at Low Walker on Tyne in 1852 and purchased a 6.5 acre site at Wallsend in 1873 to soak up excess orders from his Walker shipyard. The new yard failed financially and was handed to his brother-in-law Charles Swan.
1858 Two ‘kits’ for screw steamers were supplied for erection on the Volga under the supervision of Charles S. Swan. Henry F. Swan joined the yard as an apprentice at this time too.
1864 Henry was sent to St Petersburg to build five small warships. Many orders from Russia were taken at the yard.
1865 See 1865 Tyne Shipbuilders for detail of the tonnage produced at Low Walker and St Petersburg
1867 The first British gunboat was built at the yard (Staunch of 1867) followed by 27 similar gunboats built as the ‘Ant’ class up to 1881.
Charles and his brother Henry were directors of the Wallsend Slipway Company, a repair yard established by Mitchell in 1871.
1871 The first undersea telegraph cables were being laid. The Hooper Telegraph Company ordered a ship to lay 5000 miles of cable off the South American coast. Hooper 4935/73 was built in 100 days.
1871 Public company, the Wallsend Slipway Co, was formed by a group of Newcastle shipowners, and one shipbuilder, to repair the vessels of their respective fleets. Yard established by Charles Mitchell; named after two 300 foot slipways to be used for the sole purpose of repairing ships. The company was registered on 2 October.
1871 acquired a small site at St. Peter's, further up-river towards Newcastle. At this site, 2 of his associates began building ships under the style of Coulson, Cooke and Company.
1873 Charles Mitchell purchased a site at Wallsend to deal with excess orders from his Low Walker Yard. John Coulson, yard manager from Low Walker, and Richard Cooke, were placed in charge.
1873 Coulson, Cooke and Co moved to a larger site, some 6.5 acres in area, at the river-front of Wallsend and bordering the shipyard of Schlesinger, Davies and Co.
1874 That firm ran into financial difficulties and it became necessary for Mitchell to take over the Wallsend yard. He entrusted it to the management of his brother-in-law, Charles Sheridan Swan, who continued the work of the firm through mixed fortune until his untimely, accidental death in 1879.
1877 A 1,000 ton floating dock was built for the Dutch Government and towed out to Java.
1878/80 George Burton Hunter, a young Wearside shipbuilder, had dissolved his partnership with a S. P. Austin and Son and entered into negotiations with Charles Mitchell and H. F. Swan. The outcome of this was a new partnership with Charles Swan's widow C. S. Swan and Hunter, with Hunter as managing director
The backbone of the Low Walker yard was tramps for British owners, with 16 being produced for a number of different owners.
1882 450 ships were completed during the life of the yard. The company then merged with W. G. Armstrong and Co to form Armstrong, Mitchell and Co
In 1878 Charles arranged a partnership with Sunderland shipbuilder George Hunter but in 1879 Charles died after falling overboard on a channel steamer returning from the continent with his wife. Hunter went into temporary partnership with Swan's wife before becoming Managing Director in 1880. Swan Hunters built their first steel ship at Wallsend in 1884 and their first Oil Tanker in 1889.
Scotsman Charles Mitchell started building ships in his own right at Low Walker on Tyne in 1852 and purchased a 6.5 acre site at Wallsend in 1873 to soak up excess orders from his Walker shipyard. The new yard failed financially and was handed to his brother-in-law Charles Swan.
1858 Two ‘kits’ for screw steamers were supplied for erection on the Volga under the supervision of Charles S. Swan. Henry F. Swan joined the yard as an apprentice at this time too.
1864 Henry was sent to St Petersburg to build five small warships. Many orders from Russia were taken at the yard.
1865 See 1865 Tyne Shipbuilders for detail of the tonnage produced at Low Walker and St Petersburg
1867 The first British gunboat was built at the yard (Staunch of 1867) followed by 27 similar gunboats built as the ‘Ant’ class up to 1881.
Charles and his brother Henry were directors of the Wallsend Slipway Company, a repair yard established by Mitchell in 1871.
1871 The first undersea telegraph cables were being laid. The Hooper Telegraph Company ordered a ship to lay 5000 miles of cable off the South American coast. Hooper 4935/73 was built in 100 days.
1871 Public company, the Wallsend Slipway Co, was formed by a group of Newcastle shipowners, and one shipbuilder, to repair the vessels of their respective fleets. Yard established by Charles Mitchell; named after two 300 foot slipways to be used for the sole purpose of repairing ships. The company was registered on 2 October.
1871 acquired a small site at St. Peter's, further up-river towards Newcastle. At this site, 2 of his associates began building ships under the style of Coulson, Cooke and Company.
1873 Charles Mitchell purchased a site at Wallsend to deal with excess orders from his Low Walker Yard. John Coulson, yard manager from Low Walker, and Richard Cooke, were placed in charge.
1873 Coulson, Cooke and Co moved to a larger site, some 6.5 acres in area, at the river-front of Wallsend and bordering the shipyard of Schlesinger, Davies and Co.
1874 That firm ran into financial difficulties and it became necessary for Mitchell to take over the Wallsend yard. He entrusted it to the management of his brother-in-law, Charles Sheridan Swan, who continued the work of the firm through mixed fortune until his untimely, accidental death in 1879.
1877 A 1,000 ton floating dock was built for the Dutch Government and towed out to Java.
1878/80 George Burton Hunter, a young Wearside shipbuilder, had dissolved his partnership with a S. P. Austin and Son and entered into negotiations with Charles Mitchell and H. F. Swan. The outcome of this was a new partnership with Charles Swan's widow C. S. Swan and Hunter, with Hunter as managing director
The backbone of the Low Walker yard was tramps for British owners, with 16 being produced for a number of different owners.
1882 450 ships were completed during the life of the yard. The company then merged with W. G. Armstrong and Co to form Armstrong, Mitchell and Co
In 1878 Charles arranged a partnership with Sunderland shipbuilder George Hunter but in 1879 Charles died after falling overboard on a channel steamer returning from the continent with his wife. Hunter went into temporary partnership with Swan's wife before becoming Managing Director in 1880. Swan Hunters built their first steel ship at Wallsend in 1884 and their first Oil Tanker in 1889.
ANDREW LESLIE & CO. (1853-1894)
At Hebburn Quay, on the South bank of the Tyne. The site would evolve into 'Hebburn Shipyards' and later shipbuilding operation of R & W. Hawthorn, Leslie & Co. Ltd
18 June,1853 'Newcastle Journal entry' 'Enterprising Mr. Leslie of Aberdeen has taken an eligible site of around 8 acres at Hebburn Quay for iron Shipbuilding and is laying down a large iron ship at present. This is evidence of Tyne shipbuilders and others, being aware of the proximity of iron works and coal supplies for iron shipbuilding purposes.'
Andrew Leslie (1818-1894) was Shetland-born, with work experience at Aberdeen in shipbuilding, and credited with a brief partnership with John Coutts on his arrival. He reclaimed much river frontage, by use of contents of Hebburn Ballast Hill to set up ground for his (later) dry dock and building slips, at invitation of the River Committee.
As sole proprietor of Hebburn Shipyard, he laid the foundations of a shrewdly-run firm that became highly respected name in shipbuilding and marine engineering.
Leslie recruited many workers from N.E. Scotland, many to found long-serving families and earn Hebburn Quay the nickname of 'Little Aberdeen.' This largely self-contained community had 400 Leslie-built houses near the Yard, and they in turn made a large contribution to the erection of Institute / Schools next to St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, whose 200 ft. steeple is still a riverside landmark today.
The original firm launched 255 ships at Hebburn until 1885, also constructing a useful dry dock 1866 (still extant) which brought additional income from ship repair work.
Andrew Leslie retired in 1884, and his much younger partner Arthur Coote (married to Leslie's adopted daughter) quickly made a partnership with locomotive and marine engine builder, R.& W. Hawthorn of Newcastle. The new firm, R.& W. Hawthorn, Leslie & Co. now controlled the Loco Works at Forth Banks, Newcastle; Marine Engine Works at St. Peters and Hebburn Shipyard.
During his retirement, 'Auld Andra' visited his many relatives in Shetland and the crofting folk there, still talk of his many purchases of land for them and general good and generous deeds, for the people he had never forgotten.
Andrew Leslie died peacefully at his home Coxlodge Hall, Gosforth in 1894, and his funeral procession to Newcastle Central Station was a huge affair with hundreds of his old foremen and workers walking the four miles en route, to see him 'awa hame' on a special train to Edinburgh, for burial at Leith Cemetery. Mrs. Leslie had predeceased him and was already in her family (Jordan) plot there.
At Hebburn Quay, on the South bank of the Tyne. The site would evolve into 'Hebburn Shipyards' and later shipbuilding operation of R & W. Hawthorn, Leslie & Co. Ltd
18 June,1853 'Newcastle Journal entry' 'Enterprising Mr. Leslie of Aberdeen has taken an eligible site of around 8 acres at Hebburn Quay for iron Shipbuilding and is laying down a large iron ship at present. This is evidence of Tyne shipbuilders and others, being aware of the proximity of iron works and coal supplies for iron shipbuilding purposes.'
Andrew Leslie (1818-1894) was Shetland-born, with work experience at Aberdeen in shipbuilding, and credited with a brief partnership with John Coutts on his arrival. He reclaimed much river frontage, by use of contents of Hebburn Ballast Hill to set up ground for his (later) dry dock and building slips, at invitation of the River Committee.
As sole proprietor of Hebburn Shipyard, he laid the foundations of a shrewdly-run firm that became highly respected name in shipbuilding and marine engineering.
Leslie recruited many workers from N.E. Scotland, many to found long-serving families and earn Hebburn Quay the nickname of 'Little Aberdeen.' This largely self-contained community had 400 Leslie-built houses near the Yard, and they in turn made a large contribution to the erection of Institute / Schools next to St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, whose 200 ft. steeple is still a riverside landmark today.
The original firm launched 255 ships at Hebburn until 1885, also constructing a useful dry dock 1866 (still extant) which brought additional income from ship repair work.
Andrew Leslie retired in 1884, and his much younger partner Arthur Coote (married to Leslie's adopted daughter) quickly made a partnership with locomotive and marine engine builder, R.& W. Hawthorn of Newcastle. The new firm, R.& W. Hawthorn, Leslie & Co. now controlled the Loco Works at Forth Banks, Newcastle; Marine Engine Works at St. Peters and Hebburn Shipyard.
During his retirement, 'Auld Andra' visited his many relatives in Shetland and the crofting folk there, still talk of his many purchases of land for them and general good and generous deeds, for the people he had never forgotten.
Andrew Leslie died peacefully at his home Coxlodge Hall, Gosforth in 1894, and his funeral procession to Newcastle Central Station was a huge affair with hundreds of his old foremen and workers walking the four miles en route, to see him 'awa hame' on a special train to Edinburgh, for burial at Leith Cemetery. Mrs. Leslie had predeceased him and was already in her family (Jordan) plot there.
1886-1967
R.& W. HAWTHORN LESLIE & CO. (1886-1967)
At Hebburn Quay, the site of Andrew Leslie's original 1853 Hebburn Shipyard. Many ships built at Hebburn were engined by the firms own St. Peters Works,. The production of this famous yard ran from Yard No. 258 "PORT PIRIE" 1886, to their final ship, Yard No.766 "WILTSHIRE" of 1968.The accessible Yard List of the firm shows a great variety of vessels, passenger ships, early oil tankers, British and Foreign naval vessels. Lake Steamers. Even links with Port Line produced orders for at least 21 vessels over the years.
Yard No. 615 H.M.S. "KELLY" an R.N. destroyer flotilla leader, commanded in her brief but glorious career by the 'dashing' Lord Louis Mountbatten, had her first brush with the enemy in May 1940, limping back to Hebburn for major repairs and burial of her dead. Lost in 1941 off Crete, her survivors Association meet annually in Hebburn.
During World War Two, the Yard produced some 58 vessels, from an Aircraft Carrier, 2 Fast Minelayers, 16 Destroyers, 15 Tankers, 3 Cruisers, and 2 Refrigerated Cargo Ships, to Steam Gunboats and D-Day landing craft .... all to do their bit.
Post-war, order books were full and berths busy, as the job of replacing lost tonnage for mainly British companies was undertaken. Among these were some 9 British Tankers and two notable tankers for the Anglo-Saxon Company, the "AURIS" and the "AURICULA" both with revolutionary engineering features, devised by the energetic John Lamb and his back room team from the R.& D. Dept. of Sell Oil. The postwar 'boom' started to tail-off about 1955 and orders became tight, so that by 1967, the firm was receptive to a proposal for a 'consortium' of Tyneside shipbuilders (recommended by the Geddes Report on Shipbuilding) : this to consist of themselves, Swan Hunter, Vickers Walker Naval Yard, Readheads and Clelands.
This came into being on 1 January 1968, as 'Swan Hunter & Tyne Shipbuilders Ltd.' It rapidly became obvious to the Hebburn workforce, that Swans held all the cards, and many unsettling changes took place, leading to the rundown of the Hebburn Shipyard and relegation to a minor role in the overall strategy of the new operation. Very little use was made of the collective expertise of an excellent settled workforce and a shipyard with a high reputation for varied kinds of specialist ships.
Nationalisation and 'British Shipbuilders' succeeded the Consortium, as owners of Hebburn Shipyard, but the decline continued, whether intended or not. By 1985 the Offices and Sheds were being used as a 'Training, Education and Safety Centre' for the apprentices and trainees of British Shipbuilders.
The rest of the site was deserted, slips and dry dock alike, then South Tyneside Council late 1985, went into negotiation with British Shipbuilders for acquisition of the deserted 3.5 acres, including the dry dock. EEC grants were applied for, to develop the site as a Shipbuilding Exhibition Centre and feasibility studies were done. Exhibits gathered at Hebburn included the last Hawthorn-Leslie marine engine, rescued from an old test-bed at Sunderland and the last World War 2 destroyer H.M.S. "CAVALIER" bought as a floating display item. She moved to Chatham naval museum in February 1999 when the S.E.D. did not materialise.
Remaining area of shipyard and dock was sold to Cammell Laird; they folded in 2001, with 800 men and work available, when their Mersey base went into liquidation and A. & P. (Tyne) Ltd. took over at Hebburn. Bellway Homes had built 'Hebburn Village' around the Yard perimeter c.1992 on some of the land occupied by 'Andrew Leslies Houses' in former years.
R.& W. HAWTHORN LESLIE & CO. (1886-1967)
At Hebburn Quay, the site of Andrew Leslie's original 1853 Hebburn Shipyard. Many ships built at Hebburn were engined by the firms own St. Peters Works,. The production of this famous yard ran from Yard No. 258 "PORT PIRIE" 1886, to their final ship, Yard No.766 "WILTSHIRE" of 1968.The accessible Yard List of the firm shows a great variety of vessels, passenger ships, early oil tankers, British and Foreign naval vessels. Lake Steamers. Even links with Port Line produced orders for at least 21 vessels over the years.
Yard No. 615 H.M.S. "KELLY" an R.N. destroyer flotilla leader, commanded in her brief but glorious career by the 'dashing' Lord Louis Mountbatten, had her first brush with the enemy in May 1940, limping back to Hebburn for major repairs and burial of her dead. Lost in 1941 off Crete, her survivors Association meet annually in Hebburn.
During World War Two, the Yard produced some 58 vessels, from an Aircraft Carrier, 2 Fast Minelayers, 16 Destroyers, 15 Tankers, 3 Cruisers, and 2 Refrigerated Cargo Ships, to Steam Gunboats and D-Day landing craft .... all to do their bit.
Post-war, order books were full and berths busy, as the job of replacing lost tonnage for mainly British companies was undertaken. Among these were some 9 British Tankers and two notable tankers for the Anglo-Saxon Company, the "AURIS" and the "AURICULA" both with revolutionary engineering features, devised by the energetic John Lamb and his back room team from the R.& D. Dept. of Sell Oil. The postwar 'boom' started to tail-off about 1955 and orders became tight, so that by 1967, the firm was receptive to a proposal for a 'consortium' of Tyneside shipbuilders (recommended by the Geddes Report on Shipbuilding) : this to consist of themselves, Swan Hunter, Vickers Walker Naval Yard, Readheads and Clelands.
This came into being on 1 January 1968, as 'Swan Hunter & Tyne Shipbuilders Ltd.' It rapidly became obvious to the Hebburn workforce, that Swans held all the cards, and many unsettling changes took place, leading to the rundown of the Hebburn Shipyard and relegation to a minor role in the overall strategy of the new operation. Very little use was made of the collective expertise of an excellent settled workforce and a shipyard with a high reputation for varied kinds of specialist ships.
Nationalisation and 'British Shipbuilders' succeeded the Consortium, as owners of Hebburn Shipyard, but the decline continued, whether intended or not. By 1985 the Offices and Sheds were being used as a 'Training, Education and Safety Centre' for the apprentices and trainees of British Shipbuilders.
The rest of the site was deserted, slips and dry dock alike, then South Tyneside Council late 1985, went into negotiation with British Shipbuilders for acquisition of the deserted 3.5 acres, including the dry dock. EEC grants were applied for, to develop the site as a Shipbuilding Exhibition Centre and feasibility studies were done. Exhibits gathered at Hebburn included the last Hawthorn-Leslie marine engine, rescued from an old test-bed at Sunderland and the last World War 2 destroyer H.M.S. "CAVALIER" bought as a floating display item. She moved to Chatham naval museum in February 1999 when the S.E.D. did not materialise.
Remaining area of shipyard and dock was sold to Cammell Laird; they folded in 2001, with 800 men and work available, when their Mersey base went into liquidation and A. & P. (Tyne) Ltd. took over at Hebburn. Bellway Homes had built 'Hebburn Village' around the Yard perimeter c.1992 on some of the land occupied by 'Andrew Leslies Houses' in former years.
Copyright ©David Thornton Bolt 2024