Shipbuilder Mitchison Friars Goose Gateshead

Above map showing the location of Mitchinson's yard is copyright of the Ordnance Survey

The above photo shows the Mitchison yard in July 1960 with vessels along the quay (R-L) trawler STARWOOD, trawler JANWOOD and probably COASTAL EMPEROR. Two further hulls in the water and another on the stocks.
The photo is copyright of Graeme Turner and from his late father Les' collection.

The above photo shows the Mitchison yard in July 1962 with vessels along the quay (L-R) tug MEADOW in for re-engining, trawlers KAKUM & ODAW and new tug CULTRA. Another vessel is just visible, still on the stocks.
The photo is copyright of Graeme Turner and from his late father Les' collection.

T Mitchison's shipbuilding yard was on the south bank of the Tyne at Friar's Goose, Gateshead.

In the 1830s this site was occupied by a wooden shipbuilding yard, later becoming a repair facility known as Anderson's Slipway. Mitchison bought the yard in 1919. Their first ship was the GREYFRIARS which was partially built by J & D Morris at Pelaw Main, until that yard went into liquidation in 1923.

Mitchison occupied the yard until 1955 mainly as a shiprepairer for small craft such as tugs. They had a slipway for vessels up to 230ft in length and a repairing quay.

In 1955 the yard was taken over by the London based firm of James Burness & Sons and the yard was refitted for shipbuilding. The GREYFRIARS of 1923 had been Morris' yard number 71 and Mitchisons decided to carry on with this sequence. They then built a number of small craft including fishing vessels and tugs. At this time the yard had 3 slipways and 2 side launching berths of up to 300 ft in length.

In 1962 the yard ran into financial difficulties due to the bankruptcy of the Seawork Group, of which Mitchison was a member. Three fishing vessels for British & Commonwealth Group company Seapool Ltd had been launched but were lying incomplete in the river. These vessels were eventally completed by their prospective owner. See Greenock Dockyard Co (Gateshead) Ltd for for further information on this. Also three orders for fishing boats were transferred to PK Harris & Sons Ltd at Appledore, which was also part of the Seawork Group. The yard eventually closed in 1964.

The following is a list of vessels built at the Mitchison yard:

Yd No	Year	Ship Name	D / H / P
72	1955	Kamaran (TT)	D / H / P
73	1956	Tewa (TT)	D / H
74	1956	Action	D / H / P
75	1956	Arthur (TT)	D / H / P
76	1956	Eskwater	D / H
77	1956	Varco (TT)	D / H / P
78	1956	Qatif 7 (TT)	D / H / P
79	1956	Qatif 8 (TT)	D / H / P
80	1957	Aberdeen Enterprise	D / H / P
81	1957	Boston Comet	D / H / P
82	1957	Aberdeen Progress	D / H / P
83	1958	Sirius Cove (TT)	D / H / P
84	1958	Wooree (TT)	D / H / P
85	1958	Star of Aberdeen	D / H / P
86	1958	Aberdeen Fisher	D / H / P
87	1959	Cashel (TT)	D / H / P
88	1959	Clonmel (TT)	D / H / P
89	1959	Orkan (TT)	D / H / P
91	1959	William Lamey (TT)	D / H / P
92	1959	Marwood	D / H / P
93	1960	Universal Star	D / H / P
94	1959	Paramount	D / H / P
95	1959	Partisan	D / H / P
96	1960	Island Mariner (TT)	D / H / P
98	1960	Lorwood	D / H / P
99	1960	Starwood	D / H / P
152	1961	Amanzule	D / H
153	1962	Kpeshie	Transferred
154	1962	Pawnpawn	D / H
155	1962	Kakum	D / H / P
156	1962	Odaw	D / H / P
500	1960	Leswood	D / H / P
501	1960	Dalewood	D / H / P
502	1961	Jasmin	D / H / P
503	1961	Japonica	D / H / P
504	1961	Juniper	D / H / P
506	1960	Coastal Emperor	D / H / P
507	1960	Coastal Empress	D / H / P
508	1960	Janwood	D / H / P
509	1960	Milwood	D / H / P
510	1961	Blacktail	D / H / P
512	1962	Dorade	D / H / P
514	1962	Sailfin	D / H / P
516	1963	Pelamid	D / H / P
518	1963	Relko	D / H / P
520	1963	Noblesse	D / H / P
522	1961	Burwood	D / H / P
523	1961	Clarkwood	D / H / P
524	1961	Donwood	D / H / P
526	1962	Cultra (TT)	D / H / P
527	1962	Hector Gull	Transferred
528	1962	Hector Gannet	Transferred
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