KEY BELOW: D / H / P (D means basic dimensions are shown; H means a history is given; P means one or more photographs are available)
Shipbuilder: Bainbridge & Wilson, Willington Quay (1864 - 1866)
Shipbuilder: Bainbridge, Davy & Hopper, Willington Quay (1864 - 1866)
Above image is copyright of Lloyd's Register Foundation
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The firm is first seen as Bainbridge & Wilson but also later seen as Bainbridge, Hopper & Wilson; Bainbridge, Davy & Hopper and Bainbridge & Co.
The latter description perhaps accurately describing the more fluid nature of the company make up.
The original owners appear to have been John Bainbridge (1822-1916) a Master Shipsmith and John Straker Wilson a Shipbroker, both of Byker in Newcastle.
Later additions were Herbert Davy and Richard Smith Hopper.
There is no clear indication of the location of the yard. There are suggestions that it may have been on the old Adamson site, prior to Cleland setting up there. The dates would certainly allow this. However, in the Newcastle Journal of Monday 30/01/1865, the launch of the steam tug ROYAL SAXON is described as follows. "Messrs Bainbridge, Davies (sic), and Hopper's premises are on the east side of Messrs Palmer's at Howdon at Willington Quay". The Adamson / Cleland's site, previously mentioned, was on the west side of Palmer's yard. In the Shields Daily Gazette of Friday 17/02/1865: "Yesterday afternoon a boiler exploded at Messrs Bainbridge & Co's iron shipbuilding-yard, Willington Quay, at about half-past two o'clock. One half of the boiler was sent through two brick walls across the road into Dr Dickenson's garden,and the other half was thrown into the river close beside one of the Commissioner's dredgers. Fortunately no lives were lost. The engineer was slightly scalded. The cause of the explosion has not yet been ascertained." The partnership was declared bankrupt 27/01/1866. A son of John Bainbridge was James L Bainbridge, who was a Boiler and Ship Smith at 15 Sandgate on Newcastle Quayside from about 1887 to at least 1934. The above details are based on an extract from Tyne Shipyard Biographies, copyright of Ron French. The following yard numbers are based on launch dates. |
| Yd No | Year | Ship Name | D / H / P |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1864 | MacGregor (TT) | D / H / P |
| 2 | 1865 | Royal Saxon (TT) | D / H |
| 3 | 1865 | Southampton | D / H |
| 4 | 1865 | Basingstoke | D / H |
| 5 | 1865 | Venice | D / H |
| 6 | 1866 | Florence | D / H |
| ----- | -------------------- | ---------- |