Cotherstone Bridge

[fitter]

Bridge over the River Tees at Cotherstone. The date tells the tale --- no work in the shipyards.

[northeast]

Interesting one Tom, you wonder how many yards have relics like this around the country .... Furness from Haverton Hill were similarly engaged in bridges and other steelwork in the same period.

[CLYDEBRAE]

To give a perspective to the difficulties of the time, and taken from David Dougan's book "The History of North East Shipbuilding" first published 1968.
In 1929 North East yards launched 199 merchant ships over 100grt for 679,321grt. By 1932 it was down to 30 ships for 72,252grt and the following year saw a further reduction before things improved. Of the 30 launched in 1932, only 2, for 2,628grt, were attributed to Sunderland yards. (Table I - source Lloyd's Register of Shipping)
In human terms, Census Returns and Ministry of Labour statisitcs published for 1931 (Table V) illustrate how hard times were. North East statisitcs recorded 78,262 as employed or seeking employment in shipbuilding, including marine engineering. Of this total 48,337 (nearly 62%) were seeking employment and unemployed.

John

[fitter]

George, have you ever come across any contract lists for such undertakings? I've never seen any for the Wear, but then again I've never looked/.
John, attached is a list of 1924,5 & 6 outputs for UK shipbuilding yards. 1923 is on the edge of the page but its barely legible being in the centre of the publication it came from. Its a single sheet of paper that I have and don't know how I came to have it. It includes many long 'forgotten' names of shipbuilders, many from the Clyde. George Parkers "Astern Business" (the decline of British shipbuilding) is an interesting, modern perspective.
Hope the page is legible.

UK shipbuilding output 1920's

[CLYDEBRAE]

Thanks for the list which makes interesting reading.

[fitter]

See Tony Frost's post in Bartrams/South dock thread where Bartrams made caravans in the depression.

[magoonigal]

Link..............

viewtopic.php?f=172&t=9723