Shipbuilder: Robert Stephenson, Hebburn - History
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In 1887, Robert Stephenson took over a disused shipbuilding yard on the elbow of the River Tyne at Hebburn.
The yard was formerly occupied by McIntyre & Co Ltd and had been empty since 1884. It had a river frontage of 800 feet and five building berths within a total area of 17 acres.
In 1888 a boiler shop was erected on the site and a shear-legs capable of lifting 100 tons set up.
Their shipbuilding numbering system continued the sequence started by McIntyre in 1884 and therefore started with number 5.
A large graving dock, 700 feet long, 90 feet wide and 29 feet deep at the entrance was added in the early 1900s. The Hebburn Yard did not prove successful, and the last ship was completed in 1909. In 1912 the yard was taken over by Palmers becoming Palmers Hebburn Co Ltd. |