William Doxford & Sons
| Former type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Shipbuilding |
| Fate | Acquired |
| Successor(s) | A&P Group |
| Founded | 1840 |
| Defunct | 1986 |
| Headquarters | Sunderland, UK |
| Key people | William Doxford |
William Doxford & Sons Ltd, often referred to simply as Doxford, was a British shipbuilding company.
History
William Doxford founded the company in 1840.[1] From 1870 it was based in Pallion, Sunderland, on the River Wear in Northeast England. The Company was managed by William Doxford's four sons following his death in 1882.[1] It was renamed Doxford & Sunderland Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd in 1961 and Doxford & Sunderland Ltd in 1966.[1]Court Line took it over in 1972 and renamed it Sunderland Shipbuilders Ltd.[1]
In the 1970s a new all-weather Pallion yard was built which could build two ships of up to 30,000 tons deadweight side-by-side. The steel came in at one end, and the completed ship left from the other with engines installed and sometimes with the machinery running.[2]
Court Line collapsed in 1974 and the company was nationalised.[1] It was privatised in 1986 when it was merged with Austin & Pickersgill to form North East Shipbuilders.[1] However, within two years of the merger the Doxford Pallion yard was closed down.[3]
Operations
Doxford was a major British shipbuilder. It also made marine diesel engines, the last of which it built in 1980. An example is preserved in the Regional Museums Store at Beamish Museum.[citation needed]
References
- ^ a b c d e f Crockett, Margaret; Foster, Janet (October 2005). Report on the Access to Shipbuilding Collections in North East England (ARK) Project. The Archive – Skills Consultancy.
- ^ Wilson, Bill (2 September 1992). "Obituary: James Venus". The Independent.
- ^ "Last shipyard". BBC Online. 28 November 2008.
External links
- Doxford Engine Friends Association
- William Doxford and Sons page on Ships Nostalgia website. Membership (free) is required.
- A.Verheijden. "The Doxford: Opposed-piston Oil Engine".
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