Blyth Shipbuilding Company

Company history

Early history

Shipbuilding began on the site on the south bank of the River Blyth in 1811. In the 1840s the yard was purchased by Beaumont and Drummond. In 1863 the yard was taken over by Hodgson and Soulsby who repaired and built small wooden sailing ships.{{Cite web |archive-date=12 February 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080212153013/http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/wiki/Blyth_Shipbuilding_and_Dry_Docks_Co |url-status=live

Foundation

On 2 March 1883 the Blyth Shipbuilding & Dry Docks Company Ltd. was registered as a limited liability company. It built cargo liners, tramp steamers and colliers. The fifth ship built at the yard was for the shipping company Stephens and Mawson of Newcastle. Daniel Stephens eventually became a Director, and then the Chairman of the company.

World War I

In 1914 a cargo ship under construction was purchased by the Admiralty and converted into the Navy's first seaplane carrier . During the war the company completed nine tramps and colliers, along with ten X-lighter landing craft{{Cite web |archive-date=15 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100915145809/http://www.riverseainternational.co.uk/x/xlighters.htm |url-status=live |archive-date=13 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110113193113/http://www.naval-history.net/WW1NavyBritish-Shipbuild02.htm |url-status=live

Reopening and World War II

In mid-1937 the yard was reopened under its original name. During World War II the Blyth company built five and two s, seven s, as well as two s and ten s.{{Cite web |archive-date=13 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110113195045/http://www.naval-history.net/xDKWW2-3908-02RNbuilding2.htm |url-status=live Hansard records on 8 December 1943 that a question was put to the First Lord of the Admiralty that a director of Blyth Shipyard and an Admiralty official, was convicted of fraudulently altering a tender to the extent of £12,000 enabling the shipyard to secure a contract.

Decline and final closure

Unfortunately rising costs and falling orders meant that, after losing money for five years, the yard was finally closed in 1967.{{Cite web |author-link=Hansard |access-date=4 January 2011 |archive-date=21 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220121092353/https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1966/oct/20/blyth-shipyard-closure |url-status=live

Shipping owners commissioning new tonnage

List representing some of the owners commissioning new tonnage -

Admiralty, Ampol Petroleum, Barberrys Steamship Co Ltd, Bulk Oil Steamship Co Ltd, Commonwealth of Australia, Companhia de Navegacao, Corporation of Trinity House, Wm. Cory & Son ltd, Dalhousie Steam & Motor Ship Co Ltd, Eagle Oil & Shipping Co Ltd, Elder Dempster Co Ltd, J & C Harrison Ltd, J Ludwig Mowinckel's Rederi A/S, A.P. Moller, Nomikos Ltd, Olsen & Ugelstad, Pacific Steam Navigation Co, Polish Ocean Lines, Rederi A/B Helsingborg, The St Denis Shipping Co Ltd, Stephenson Clarke Ltd, Straits Steamship Co Ltd, Trader Line Ltd, Vilhelm Torkildsen and Wahl & Co.

Facilities

Dry Docks

1. 376 ft by 52 ft
2. 314 ft 8 ins by 50 ft 6 ins
3. 467 ft 10 ins by 60 ft
4. 338 ft 9 ins by 44 ft 10 ins
5. 311 ft by 46 ft

Building Berths

1. 350 ft by 50 ft
2. 370 ft by 54 ft
3. 694 ft 9 ins by 95 ft
4. 566 ft by 90 ft

References