While on a wander around the Bill Quay area I found this old and unused slipway which was part of R B Harrison and Sons one of the smaller shipyards/ship repair on the River Tyne. I believe it closed in the 1990's some time but that's just about all I know about it I'm afraid.
A fair bit of information about the yard has been posted in the comments section at the bottom of the page. If anyone has any information on the place please let me know.
EDIT: A reader called Elizabeth Fawcett sent me the following information about the yard.
I have been looking at the photo's of Robert Harrison's Shipyard. My nanna told me her Father, Philip Brown (b1852), was a friend of Bobby Harrison. She said Bobby had the money to buy the yard but not the knowledge so Philip Brown provided that. Bobby provided 2 Cottages for the Family called Riverside, or on different documents Whie Cottage and Rose Cottage. I have been looking for photographs. Philip Brown was a Ships Carpenter. The came from St Anthonys to start with. He died in 1914 at the Cottages his wife Sarah died 3 weeks after him. Hope this helps. If you have any information on the Cottages I would be grateful.
EDIT: Sitelines has the following information.
A wooden shipyard was set up by William Boutland at Bill Quay around 1820. This was taken over by R B Harrison in the mid-century and the yard became a repair facility. It continued in this role until the 1980s, renamed as the MEP Group.
17th March 2009
r.jpg "Harrisons Slipway")
r.jpg "Harrisons Slipway")
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r.jpg "Harrisons Slipway")
r.jpg "Harrisons Slipway")
r.jpg "Harrisons Slipway")
r.jpg "Harrisons Slipway")
More Information:
- Sand Dancers Forum - newspaper clippings featuring the yard
- Tyne Built Ships - Harrison's Yard in 1966
- World Sea Fishing - Harrison's Shipyard, Bill Quay
- Derelict Places - Harrisons Ship Yard
- Sitelines - Bill Quay, R B Harrison's Shipyard (MEP Group Yard)
See my other photos around Harrisons Slipway:
13 comments:
Hello outstanding collator of info on Tyneside photos !!
Re R.B.Harrison (Bill Quay)slipway:
some info given in "Lost Shipyards of the Tyne" page 83 (Book available from Newcastle Libraries)
i have more detail on R.B.H. in my unpublished "Yard Biographies" here at home... email me at
Best regards. Ron French.
Thanks. I'll check the book out.
You did'nt leave an email address though.
Hello, what fascinating site I found when looking up the Keelmens Hospital and seeing R.B.Harrisons Bill Quay also. I worked in the office of RBH in the early 60s, typing accounts etc. attending the switchboard and using an ancient Gestetner for copying job lists. RBH repaired tugs (incl. a paddle tug)and fishing vessels. There were four other men in the office apart from Mr. Stan Rooke the Manager. I used to use a loudhailer to call the workman up for telephone calls and one day I thought one of the men I could see from the office window in a brown overall was bending over and ignoring my call when Mr. Frank Knight, office manager, said "that's a brown ceramic pipe" - office hysteria prevailed. Regards - L. Armstrong.
Hello and thanks for your kind words.
Thanks also for the information about the yard and the funny story. :)
Hello, very interesting as I served my apprenticeship at Harrisons from 1971 and continued to work there as a Shipwright until 1979. Stan Rooke was still the manager then and the total workforce was close to 50. We had stopped building boats by then but continued with the repair and restoration of all kinds of vessels. I left the employ of RBH in 79 but I have very fond memories of those years spent working there, and I often wonder what happened to all those fine tradesmen. I myself am still working as a Shipwright down in Cornwall on the restoration of classic sailing/motor boats and its all thanks to R.B.Harrison.
Hi, just stumbled across this blog which is of great interest to me. Harrison's was my first job after leaving school in 1974 working in the office as a shipping clerk. Stan Rooke was the general manager and often gave me a lift home, Eric Wilson was the office manager and other names that come to mind were: Vernon Carter (office) john Newby (fabrication) oh! And that darling little Louie (canteen).
There were many characters working there and I've some great memories of my first ever job, such a pity the place has been swallowed up by the weeds.
Thanks for the memories as they add a personal touch to the page.
Spent a lot of my childhood at garages next site along, I've not been able to find any info or pictures of the place or pictures of what it was used as before garages and lock ups, if anyone can help me It would mean a lot, and I could relive my childhood of the 80s.
I served my time at RBH 1959/1965 as a welder and left to work on construction sites. I was down the yard this week and it's unbelievably overgrown by weeds and trees and total dereliction with the main jetty cracked and partially collapsed. Everything has been removed except the winch and compressor houses and crane plinths. Very very sad sight to what was a wonderful place to serve your apprenticeship along with day release to Hebburn Tech College(now demolished and new houses built) and do a year as a tradesman. Still remember lots of names if anyone's interested.
Served my time at Harrison 1965 till 1971....Ron Robinson....happy days
Hello my Dad James Walker worked there and retired around 1976, he worked there for about 19 years, he used to mention rookie the manager, chap Booby Glover, Ted Saunders, and also John mc Cann, i would love to hear the history of the yard when my Dad worked there, I am on Facebook if you have more history about the place kindest regards James Walker
Thanks James.
Any more new info will only be posted here as I don't do FB.
Thanks for some great information!
A friend of ours used to live in a house overlooking that yard I think.
I have been trying for some time to find any information about Frederick "Freddie?" Brown. I understand he worked at Harrisons (possibly some type of manager) in the 1950s - maybe after 1953? I have read a few blogs about Harrisons but most begin in the 1960s and I am not sure how long he worked there.
I think he was originally from Wiltshire but could be wrong.
If anyone has any details, I would love to hear. Hoped to contact James Walker who has commented above but there are too many James Walkers to find him on Facebook. I am on facebook as Susan Hunt (but with my maiden name Taylor inserted between Susan and Hunt). or I am on Twitter as @ susanhunt
Any info would be amazing. Thanks!
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