Smiths Dock Company
Encyclopedia
Smiths Dock Company, Limited, often referred to simply as Smiths Dock, was a British
shipbuilding company.
in 1810 and traded as William Smith & Co. The company opened its dock in North Shields
in 1851. One of the first ships to be launched at the yard was the Termagent in 1852. The company changed its name to Smith's Dock Co. in 1891.
The company became associated with South Bank
in Middlesbrough
on the River Tees
in Northeast England
, after opening an operation there in 1907. Smiths Dock increasingly concentrated its shipbuilding business at South Bank, with its North Shields
Yard being used mainly for repair work (in particular oil tankers) from 1909 onwards. Despite the shift of focus, The Company's headquarters remained at North Shields.
Smiths Dock built many ships that served during World War II
, including trawlers that the Admiralty
requisitioned and converted to armed trawlers of the Royal Naval Patrol Service
such as HMT Amethyst
, or more notably, HMT Arab
, in which Lieutenant Richard Stannard
(RNR
) won the Victoria Cross
. Smiths Dock are perhaps most famous for preparing the design of the , an anti-submarine convoy escort of World War II celebrated in the novel The Cruel Sea.
In 1966 Smith's Dock merged with Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson
to form Associated Shipbuilders, later to become Swan Hunter Group.
In 1968, the company completed the first British-built and owned container ship
, the Manchester Challenge of 12,039 gross tons, for operation on Manchester Liners
new container service to ports on the St Lawrence Seaway, Canada. By 1971, the company had delivered three further ships of this design to Manchester Liners
.
The South Bank
shipyard on the River Tees
finally closed in February 1987.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
shipbuilding company.
History
The company was originally established by Thomas Smith who bought William Rowe's shipyard at St. Peter's in Newcastle upon TyneNewcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
in 1810 and traded as William Smith & Co. The company opened its dock in North Shields
North Shields
North Shields is a town on the north bank of the River Tyne, in the metropolitan borough of North Tyneside, in North East England...
in 1851. One of the first ships to be launched at the yard was the Termagent in 1852. The company changed its name to Smith's Dock Co. in 1891.
The company became associated with South Bank
South Bank, Middlesbrough
South Bank is a small town which forms part of the Middlesbrough urban area that lies 2.3 miles from Middlesbrough centre, in North East England. As the name suggests, it lies on the south bank of the River Tees. Although it is part of the Middlesbrough conurbation, it is a ward of Redcar and...
in Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
on the River Tees
River Tees
The River Tees is in Northern England. It rises on the eastern slope of Cross Fell in the North Pennines, and flows eastwards for 85 miles to reach the North Sea between Hartlepool and Redcar.-Geography:...
in Northeast England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, after opening an operation there in 1907. Smiths Dock increasingly concentrated its shipbuilding business at South Bank, with its North Shields
North Shields
North Shields is a town on the north bank of the River Tyne, in the metropolitan borough of North Tyneside, in North East England...
Yard being used mainly for repair work (in particular oil tankers) from 1909 onwards. Despite the shift of focus, The Company's headquarters remained at North Shields.
Smiths Dock built many ships that served during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, including trawlers that the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
requisitioned and converted to armed trawlers of the Royal Naval Patrol Service
Royal Naval Patrol Service
The Royal Naval Patrol Service was a branch of the Royal Navy active during the Second World War. The RNPS operated many small auxiliary vessels such as naval trawlers for anti-submarine and minesweeping operations to protect coastal Britain and convoys during WWII.-History:The Royal Naval Patrol...
such as HMT Amethyst
HMT Amethyst
HMT Amethyst was a naval trawler requisitioned by the Admiralty prior to the Second World War. She was sunk in the second year of the war....
, or more notably, HMT Arab
HMT Arab
HM Trawler Arab was a trawler launched in 1936. At the outbreak of World War II, she became a naval trawler serving in the Royal Naval Patrol Service during World War II. Lieutenant Richard Been Stannard won the Victoria Cross while serving as her commander during the Namsos campaign in 1940...
, in which Lieutenant Richard Stannard
Richard Been Stannard
Captain Richard Been Stannard VC DSO RD was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
(RNR
Royal Naval Reserve
The Royal Naval Reserve is the volunteer reserve force of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. The present Royal Naval Reserve was formed in 1958 by merging the original Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve , a reserve of civilian volunteers founded in 1903...
) won the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
. Smiths Dock are perhaps most famous for preparing the design of the , an anti-submarine convoy escort of World War II celebrated in the novel The Cruel Sea.
In 1966 Smith's Dock merged with Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson
Swan Hunter
Swan Hunter, formerly known as "Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson", was one of the best known shipbuilding companies in the world. Based in Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, the company was responsible for some of the greatest ships of the early 20th century — most famously, the RMS Mauretania which...
to form Associated Shipbuilders, later to become Swan Hunter Group.
In 1968, the company completed the first British-built and owned container ship
Container ship
Container ships are cargo ships that carry all of their load in truck-size intermodal containers, in a technique called containerization. They form a common means of commercial intermodal freight transport.-History:...
, the Manchester Challenge of 12,039 gross tons, for operation on Manchester Liners
Manchester Liners
Manchester Liners was a cargo and passenger shipping company, founded in 1898, based in Manchester, England. The line pioneered the regular passage of ocean-going vessels along the Manchester Ship Canal. Its main sphere of operation was the transatlantic shipping trade, but the company also...
new container service to ports on the St Lawrence Seaway, Canada. By 1971, the company had delivered three further ships of this design to Manchester Liners
Manchester Liners
Manchester Liners was a cargo and passenger shipping company, founded in 1898, based in Manchester, England. The line pioneered the regular passage of ocean-going vessels along the Manchester Ship Canal. Its main sphere of operation was the transatlantic shipping trade, but the company also...
.
The South Bank
South Bank, Middlesbrough
South Bank is a small town which forms part of the Middlesbrough urban area that lies 2.3 miles from Middlesbrough centre, in North East England. As the name suggests, it lies on the south bank of the River Tees. Although it is part of the Middlesbrough conurbation, it is a ward of Redcar and...
shipyard on the River Tees
River Tees
The River Tees is in Northern England. It rises on the eastern slope of Cross Fell in the North Pennines, and flows eastwards for 85 miles to reach the North Sea between Hartlepool and Redcar.-Geography:...
finally closed in February 1987.
See also
- List of shipbuilders and shipyards