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: Joseph & John Hair, St Peter's, Newcastle (1845 - 1857)
Above map showing the location of the Hair yard in 1858 is copyright of Ordnance Survey
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John & Joseph Hair had a pit-prop/timber yard, sawmill and shipyard at the western end of St Peter's near the Mushroom Quay area.
The Hair family were established pre-1822 as Coal Fitters, Agents and Timber & Raff Merchants with their Registered Office at 21 Quayside, Newcastle.
John and Joseph Hair were the principals in 1822 and by 1834 the firm was named Joseph Hair & Co, still at 21 Quayside but also at St Peter's.
It is thought that the Hairs used the experienced shipbuilder Robert Harrison as their shipbuilding "manager".
However, their business directory entries cease abruptly when John Hair was declared Bankrupt at the shipyard 23/05/1857.
The shipyard site may then have seen further use by iron shipbuilders such as L Kirkup and/or Barclay, Donald. By 1894 the site was shown on maps as being a Chemical Works and by 1912 a Chemical Manure Works, next to the St Lawrence Foreign Cattle Sanatorium. The Spiller's riverside mill which was built in 1938 then totally covered the site. The above is an extract from Tyne Shipyard Biographies, copyright of Ron French. |