John Readhead & Sons
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
John Readhead & Sons was a shipyard on the River Tyne in South Shields, Tyne and Wear, England founded in 1865.
Company typePrivate
IndustryShipbuilding, ship repair,
engine building, boilermaking
engine building, boilermaking
Founded1865
Defunct1984
| |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Shipbuilding, ship repair, engine building, boilermaking |
| Founded | 1865 |
| Defunct | 1984 |
| Fate | Acquired |
| Successor | Swan Hunter |
| Headquarters | South Shields, UK |
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History
John Readhead and John Softley founded the business in 1865 in South Shields as Readhead and Softley.[1] The first ship they built was a small collier called Unus.[1] On 17 May 1950 the oil tanker 'Muristan' was launched at the yard for the Strick Line[2]
Swan Hunter bought the company in 1967 after publication of the Geddes Report which recommended rationalisation of shipbuilding on the River Tyne.[3] It was nationalised with the rest of Swan Hunter in 1977. The yard at South Shields closed in 1984.[4]
