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Working on a propeller at Readhead’s shipyard
Image by Tyne & Put on Archives & Museums
Workers fitting a propeller to its shaft at the shipyard of John Readhead & Sons Ltd, South Shields, May possibly 1963 (TWAM ref. 1061/1197).
This set celebrates the achievements of the shipyard of John Readhead & Sons. The firm has played a considerable function in the North East’s illustrious shipbuilding history and the improvement of South Shields.
The company started in 1865 when John Readhead, a shipyard manager, entered into organization with J Softley at a small yard on the Lawe at South Shields. Following the dissolution of the partnership in 1872, it continued as John Readhead & Co on the same web site till 1880 when the High West Yard was bought. Soon after Readhead’s four sons had been taken into the business in 1888 the organization traded as John Readhead & Sons becoming a limited company in 1908. In 1968 the business was absorbed by the Swan Hunter Group and in 1977 became element of the nationalised British Shipbuilders. In the exact same year the last vessel was launched and the internet site was sold off in 1984.
Readheads was prolific and built more than 600 ships from 1865 to 1968, including 87 vessels for the Hain Steamship Company Ltd and more than forty for the Strick Line Ltd. The shipyard also constructed four ships for the Prince Line, founded by Sir James Knott. The firm built vessels, which were involved in the key conflicts of the Twentieth Century. In the course of the Initial Planet War they built patrol vessels and ‘x’ lighters (motor landing craft utilised in the Gallipoli campaign) for the Admiralty. During the Second Globe War the firm constructed tankers for the Normandy Landings.
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