Richard Dunston

Richard Dunston was a shipbuilder on the Humber, England. The company started building wooden barges miles from the sea and evolved to pioneer fully welded steel ships of a single design. The yard is now closed, although the name continues in a ship repair yard.

Richard Dunston
TypePrivate company
IndustryShipbuilding
FateClosed
Founded1858 
HeadquartersHessle, East Riding of Yorkshire, England

History

Before 1858, Richard Dunston owned a boatyard at Torksey on the Foss Dyke, but in that year he sold the yard, and established a new one at Thorne, on the north bank of the Stainforth and Keadby Canal. It was 12 miles (19 km) from the River Trent,[1] and some 45 miles (72 km) from the sea. He built wooden barges, using locally-grown, hand-sawn timber.[2] In common with many boatyards at the time, Dunston's was self-contained, with facilities for making sails, ropes and running gear. This developed into a profitable sideline, supplying ropes to many local industries, and other items to chandlers based at Hull and Grimsby. While repairs to existing hulls were a major part of the output of the yard, vessels capable of carrying up to 80 tons were built, for use on the Humber and its connecting navigations. The hulls were initially clinker built, using overlapping joints between the timbers, but later carvel construction was used, where the timbers butted up against each other to produce a much smoother hull. By the end of the nineteenth century, boat sizes had standardised somewhat, with most craft being either Sheffield-sized keels with square rigging, or larger Humber sloops.[3] Sheffield-sized boats were 61.5 by 15.5 feet (18.7 by 4.7 m). Output was fairly low, with an average of one and a half vessels per year between 1858 and 1914,[4] although a celebration was held when the third vessel in one year was launched.[3]

In 1902, control of the yard passed to Thomas Dunston following the death of his father, and in 1910 to the 20-year-old grandson of the founder. He set about modernising the business to enable the construction of iron and steel ships, the first of which was completed in 1917. New buildings were erected, and new plant was installed to cope with the new method of construction, after which only one further wooden vessel was built.[3] It was supplied to a carrier based at Owston Ferry, was named Constance, and was completed in 1925.[5] The size of vessels that could be built at the Thorne site was limited by the size of Keadby lock, which was 79.5 by 21.5 feet (24.2 by 6.6 m).[6] Because it connected to the tidal River Trent, ships which were longer than this could pass through when the river was level with the canal, and both sets of gates could be opened, but the width was restricted to about 21 feet (6.4 m).[3]

Dunstons bought the Henry Scarr shipbuilding yard at Hessle in 1932, which allowed ships to be launched directly into the Humber.[7] They pioneered construction of all-welded ships in the UK, finding that they could mass-produce a single design more efficiently than traditional riveting. During the Second World War they designed the all-welded steel TID class tug, and built 159 of them, 152 at Thorne and seven at Hessle,[8] with one completed ship leaving the shipyard at six-day intervals.[2] Sections were fabricated elsewhere by companies with spare welding capacity, and were brought to the yard by lorry. Eight sections were needed to make a complete tug, and many of the shipyard welders were women.[9]

In 1974 the Dunston family sold both yards to the Ingram Corporation of America. In 1985, they were put up for sale again, but the Thorne yard closed as it was not financially viable.[10] The Hessle yard was the subject of a management buy out, funded by Dutch capital (?Damen Shipyards Group[7]). Following this, the yard built a variety of vessels, including four Clyde car ferries, a low air draft dry cargo ship, gas tankers and naval tugs.[10]

In December 1994, the company went into liquidation and the Hessle yard closed. It was used as a recycling yard for several years following its closure, but most of the site has now been rebuilt with offices and car showrooms. Richard Dunston ship repairs still exists further east along the Humber Estuary.

Ships built

Records of the ships built before the 1930s are not comprehensive, but after 1932, Dunston's built 1358 vessels at the Thorne yard and 636 at Hessle.[11]

Hessle

Yard NoNameTypeLaunchNotes
John M Rishworth1915
Hunt's KimSheffield Keel1923
Hunts-EdenSheffield Keel1924For John Hunt & Sons, Leeds
Hunts-EveSheffield Keel1924For John Hunt & Sons, Leeds
TID 172TID class tug[12]1946For Ministry of War Transport
EMPIRE FABRICEmpire F[13]1944For Ministry of War Transport
458EMPIRE FATHOMEmpire F[14]1945For Ministry of War Transport
Seaspring1957
S802Sir Winston ChurchillTopsail 3-masted schooner1966For Sail Training Association
DunsterR.M.A.S. Clovelly Class Fleet Tender1972(year of commissioning)[15]
FelstedR.M.A.S. Clovelly Class Fleet Tender1972(year of commissioning)
FotherbyR.M.A.S. Clovelly Class Fleet Tender1972(year of commissioning)
FroxfieldR.M.A.S. Clovelly Class Fleet Tender1972(year of commissioning)
HambledonR.M.A.S. Clovelly Class Fleet Tender1973(year of commissioning)
HarlechR.M.A.S. Clovelly Class Fleet Tender1973(year of commissioning)
HeadcornR.M.A.S. Clovelly Class Fleet Tender1973(year of commissioning)
HeverR.M.A.S. Clovelly Class Fleet Tender1973(year of commissioning)
HolmwoodR.M.A.S. Clovelly Class Fleet Tender1973(year of commissioning)
HorningR.M.A.S. Clovelly Class Fleet Tender1973(year of commissioning)
LamlashR.M.A.S. Clovelly Class Fleet Tender1974(year of commissioning)
LechladeR.M.A.S. Clovelly Class Fleet Tender1974(year of commissioning)
LlandoveryR.M.A.S. Clovelly Class Fleet Tender1974(year of commissioning)
Loyal SupporterR.M.A.S. Loyal Class Fleet Tender1978(year of commissioning)
Loyal WatcherR.M.A.S. Loyal Class Fleet Tender1978(year of commissioning)
MeltonR.M.A.S. Clovelly Class Fleet Tender1981(year of commissioning)
MenaiR.M.A.S. Clovelly Class Fleet Tender1981(year of commissioning)
MeonR.M.A.S. Clovelly Class Fleet Tender1982(year of commissioning)
MilfordR.M.A.S. Clovelly Class Fleet Tender1982(year of commissioning)
H915OxcarTug1978For Forth Ports Authority
H952MV Loch StrivenRo-Ro Ferry1986For Caledonian MacBrayne
H953MV Loch LinnheRo-Ro Ferry1986For Caledonian MacBrayne
H954MV Loch RiddonRo-Ro Ferry1986For Caledonian MacBrayne
H955MV Loch RanzaRo-Ro Ferry1987For Caledonian MacBrayne
H961DunkerTug1988For Helsingsborgs Bogser
H968GeiraFerry1988For Shetland Islands Council
H973Roseberry CrossTug1989For Cory Towage
H974Cleveland CrossTug1989For Cory Towage
H1004Fiery CrossTug1993For Cory Towage
H1005Phoenix CrossTug1993For Cory Towage
Sources: Ships Photos[16] and Historic Ships Register[17]

Thorne

Yard NoNameTypeLaunchNotes
Advance (VIC 24)Clyde puffer1942Ministry of War Transport[18]
T131Annie HHumber sloop1925For J W Handson
Annie MaudCarvel-built keel1898For Robinson Bros, millers, Rotherham. 1 of 4
T164A.Victorymotor barge1929For James Barraclough
T128BeecliffeSheffield-sized1924For S&SYN, mortgaged to Bleasdales. Motorised in 1937
T178DanumSheffield lighter1932For Hanleys, Doncaster. Motorised 1944
T171Dauntlessmotor tank barge1930For James W Cook
T179DaybreakHumber Keel1936For Hanley's, flour millers of Doncaster[19][20]
T107Dovecliffe1923For Bleasdales. Motorised in 1945
T170Drakedump tank barge1930For James W Cook
Enterprise1921For South Yorkshire Navigation Co
T133FerncliffeSheffield-sized keel1925For S&SYN, mortgaged to Bleasdales. Motorised 1937
Furley's ElseCarvel-built keel1914For Furley & Co
T186Gainsborough Tradermotor barge1931For Furley & Co
T116GarSheffield-sized steel keel1924For Furley & Co
T118HighcliffeSheffield-sized1924For Bleasdales. Motorised 1943
John AdamsBattleship tender1934For British Admiralty
Leicester TraderTrent dumb boat1953
T122Lightcliffe1924For Bleasdales. Motorised 1937
T897CormooringSalvage Vessel1955now Medway Rhino
MaydayCarvel-built keel1900For Thos Hanley & Sons, millers, Doncaster
T136Michael80-ton motor tank barge1925For Harkers
T153Rosa A110-ton dumb tank barge1928For Harkers
TID43TID Tug1943now Seaport Alpha
T142Salvager ASloop1926For A Leggott, Owston Ferry. Motorised 1933
T98Selby Argo220-ton steel lighter1921For Selby Oil Mills. 1 of 5
T114ShirecliffeSheffield-sized1923For Bleasdales. Motorised 1945
SouthcliffeHumber Keel1940For W Bleasdale & Co
T187TrentSteamer1931For Grimsby Packet Co
VIC 32Victualling Inshore Craft1939For British Admiralty
VIC 96Clyde puffer1945For British Admiralty
T106WharncliffeSheffield-sized1923For Bleasdales. Motorised 1953
T132WhitliffeSheffield-sized1925For S&SYN, mortgaged to Bleasdales
Sources: Historic Ships Register[21] and Taylor 2009.

Bibliography

  • Taylor, Mike (2009). Richard Dunston Limited of Thorne & Hessle. Barnsley: Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-84563-094-2.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

Footnotes

  1. Taylor 2009, p. 6
  2. "History of Richard Dunston, Limited". Century of Shipbuilding – Richard Dunston by Civil Engineering Publications Ltd. Thorne-Moorends Town Council. Archived from the original on 17 September 2010. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
  3. Taylor 2009, p. 7
  4. Taylor 2009, p. 11
  5. Taylor 2009, p. 19
  6. Taylor 2009, p. 142
  7. "Newsletter Number One". Medway Maritime Trust. Spring 2010. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
  8. "History of Richard Dunston, Ltd, Thorne & Hessle". Medway Maritime Trust. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
  9. "History of TID Tugs". Medway Maritime Trust. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
  10. "Richard_Dunston". Graces Guide. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
  11. Taylor 2009, p. 10
  12. "Steam Tug TID 172". Retrieved 19 July 2010.
  13. "EMPIRE FABRIC". Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  14. "EMPIRE FATHOM". Retrieved 7 March 2010.
  15. Moore, John, Captain, RN (1985). Jane's Fighting Ships 1984–85. London: Jane's Publishing Co. pp. 623–631.
  16. "Richard Dunston". Ships Photos. Archived from the original on 21 July 2010. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
  17. "Henry Scarr Ltd". National Historic Ships. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
  18. "Clyde Puffer". TradBoat. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
  19. "Daybreak". National Historic Ships. Retrieved 17 October 2010.
  20. Martin H. Evans and Janet West. "Non-Museum vessels, in private ownership – Daybreak". Maritime and Naval Museums in Britain and Ireland. Retrieved 17 October 2010.
  21. "Richard Dunston Ltd". National Historic Ships. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
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