William Doxford & Sons Ltd, often referred to simply as Doxford, was a British shipbuilding and marine engineering company.
 William Doxford & Sons' shipyard and engine works, River Wear 1967 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Shipbuilding Diesel engines |
| Founded | 1840 |
| Defunct | 1986 |
| Fate | Acquired |
| Successor | A&P Group |
| Headquarters | Sunderland, UK |
Key people | William Doxford |
History
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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 acquired by Northumberland Shipbuilding Company in 1918.[2]
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.[3]
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, the last ship built at Pallion was floated out of the yard in 1989 after which it closed as a shipbuilding yard. The old shipyard is now occupied by Pallion Engineering Limited, whilst the former marine engine works is occupied by W.H.Forster (Printers) Ltd.
Operations
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Doxford was a major British shipbuilder. It also made marine diesel engines, the last of which it built in 1980.
See also
edit- List of shipbuilders and shipyards
- Turret deck ship
- HMS Opal (1875)
- HMS Opal (1915)
- Badagry Palm (1979) – the last Doxford marine engine (J-Type)
- SS Waikato
References
edit- ^ 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 (PDF). The Archive – Skills Consultancy.
- ^ "Northumberland Shipbuilding Company". Grace's Guide. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
- ^ Wilson, Bill (2 September 1992). "Obituary: James Venus". The Independent.
External links
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- 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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