J.L. Thompson and Sons
Encyclopedia
J.L. Thompson and Sons was a shipyard
on the River Wear
, Sunderland, which produced ships from the mid-18th century until the 1980s. The world-famous Liberty Ship
was among the designs to be created, produced and manufactured at the yard's base at North Sands.
, who was born in 1797. As a boy he had enjoyed a busy life on the River Wear
, playing among the keels
, and at 18 he started work as an apprentice shipwright. He spent his evenings, however, learning draughtsmanship on his kitchen floor and, by the age of 22, had built several craft in a berth below the Lambton Drops
.
Robert’s first association with North Sands came in 1820, when he joined forces with seven business associates to build a 12 keel
vessel in just six weeks. But it took him another 17 years to launch his own company, going into business with his three sons – all apprenticed as shipwrights – at Washington Stays
. Unfortunately, the depression
which gripped Britain
at this time quickly caused the firm’s collapse, and the sons were forced to take positions at other firms. Down, but not out, Robert decided to fight back. His firm, Robert Thompson & Sons, was launched once more on February 13, 1846. It was to prove a huge success.
North Sands became the new home of the firm and, with a staff of just eight, they built a brig of 12 keels – Pearl – in 11 weeks – with work starting at 4am each day. Pearl brought in a £300 profit and helped establish the yard’s reputation for good shipbuilding. The yard’s first ship, Vencedora, soon followed. “The launch of Vencedora was the occasion of great rejoicing,” states a centenary brochure published by Thompsons in 1946. “The apprentices followed the ancient custom and went through the ceremony of ducking and plunging into the water as soon as the ship was safely launched. Carpenter
s allowances at this time were a pint of beer
in the forenoon
for caulking
, a pint for the keel seam and three pints of beer on the launching day.”
A Partnership Deal was signed for the yard in 1853, with the firm now including Robert senior and junior, as well as Thompson’s two other sons, Joseph and John. Joseph, however, quickly found himself in charge following the retirement of Robert senior and junior, as well as John, between then and 1860. Already experienced in designing vessels, he devoted his energies to furthering the business, being joined by his own sons, Robert and Joseph, within a few years. The year 1870 was a particular highlight, as it saw the last wooden ship built at North Sands. It was named Peace to commemorate the end of the Franco-Prussian War
. Iron ships were, by now, far more popular and the crafts which had flourished in the days of sail – mast, rope and sail making - were all affected by the steamer age. Thompsons underwent a major overhaul to prepare for metal vessels and in 1871, just after the finishing touches were made, its name was changed to Joseph L Thompson.
By the year 1880, the firm was in possession of the entire North Sands area, where seven shipyards had previously existed. Its 100th vessel was launched four years later. But, as its prosperity flourished, so the health of Joseph Thompson senior and junior declined. The senior Mr Thompson died in 1893, while his son was forced to retire. The business then passed to Robert Thompson, eldest son of Joseph, whose expert abilities as a shipbuilder were already recognised nationwide. The year 1896 saw the firm celebrate its Golden Jubilee in style, with ship number 336 being launched in January. The ship weighed 4,932 tonnes and measured 396 feet (120.7 m)– a giant when compared to the original Pearl – which was just 80 ft (24.4 m).
World War I
found Thompson's specialising in cargo vessels and Admiralty
craft. King George V
even paid a visit in June 1917, to praise the work being done. The depression
which followed the war, however, hit Thompsons hard. Indeed in 1923, for the first time in the firm’s history, not a single ship was launched in a year. The yard managed to struggle back with orders the following year, but the "Hungry Thirties
" saw depression hit the yard again and only a skeleton staff was kept on. After lying virtually idle for four years, it was decided that cheaper production, construction improvements and improved ship performances were the way forward. Under the direction of Major Robert Norman Thompson and his son, Robert Cyril Thompson, research led to the creation of a distinctive new ship model - the Liberty Ship
. The first ship built to the design, Embassage, was launched in 1935 and created "exceptional interest" among ship owners. Orders, once again, flooded in.
The largest ship ever built at North Sands, the oil tanker
Sandanger, followed in 1938, just before war work again took over the yard during World War II
. Workers churned out 40 vessels during the war, a proud figure that was noted at the highest levels. The King
and Queen
, Mrs Winston Churchill
and the Duke of Kent
were just three of the high-ranking visitors to tour the site. But Hitler’s
Luftwaffe
managed to disrupt the work at times, bombing the site twice in May 1943. A ship was sunk and the joiners’ shop severely damaged. The year 1946 saw Britain once more at peace and staff at Thompson’s celebrate its 100th anniversary. A statement in the firm’s anniversary brochure reads: “In the capable hands of those who today lead and control the fortunes of the firm, the aim still remains to give the best and deliver ships of the highest quality.”
The neighbouring yard of John Crown & Sons Ltd
was bought by Thompsons in its centenary year, to allow the building of larger and faster vessels. In the 1960s, Thompson’s spent millions of pounds expanding their capacity to build ships of up to 150,000 tons. Bigger and bigger ships were built by workers throughout the next two decades, but the yard was eventually mothballed until 1986, when the ITM Challenger was built. Today, the site is home to Sunderland University and the National Glass Centre
.
Shipyard
Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
on the River Wear
River Wear
The River Wear is located in North East England, rising in the Pennines and flowing eastwards, mostly through County Durham, to the North Sea at Sunderland.-Geology and history:...
, Sunderland, which produced ships from the mid-18th century until the 1980s. The world-famous Liberty Ship
Liberty ship
Liberty ships were cargo ships built in the United States during World War II. Though British in conception, they were adapted by the U.S. as they were cheap and quick to build, and came to symbolize U.S. wartime industrial output. Based on vessels ordered by Britain to replace ships torpedoed by...
was among the designs to be created, produced and manufactured at the yard's base at North Sands.
History
The founder of J.L. Thompson and Sons was Robert Thompson, the son of a Master MarinerMaster mariner
A Master Mariner or MM is the professional qualification required for someone to serve as the person in charge or person in command of a commercial vessel. In England, the term Master Mariner has been in use at least since the 13th century, reflecting the fact that in guild or livery company terms,...
, who was born in 1797. As a boy he had enjoyed a busy life on the River Wear
River Wear
The River Wear is located in North East England, rising in the Pennines and flowing eastwards, mostly through County Durham, to the North Sea at Sunderland.-Geology and history:...
, playing among the keels
Keels
Keels may refer to:* Keels, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada* Paul Keels , play-by-play announcer...
, and at 18 he started work as an apprentice shipwright. He spent his evenings, however, learning draughtsmanship on his kitchen floor and, by the age of 22, had built several craft in a berth below the Lambton Drops
Lambton, Tyne and Wear
Lambton is a village in Washington, Tyne and Wear, North East, England. It lies about northeast of Chester-le-Street. It is historically linked to the Lambton family, Lambton Castle and being the home of the Lambton Worm....
.
Robert’s first association with North Sands came in 1820, when he joined forces with seven business associates to build a 12 keel
Keel
In boats and ships, keel can refer to either of two parts: a structural element, or a hydrodynamic element. These parts overlap. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in construction of a ship, in British and American shipbuilding traditions the construction is dated from this event...
vessel in just six weeks. But it took him another 17 years to launch his own company, going into business with his three sons – all apprenticed as shipwrights – at Washington Stays
Washington, Tyne and Wear
Washington is a town in the City of Sunderland in Tyne and Wear, England. Historically part of County Durham, it joined a new county in 1974 with the creation of Tyne and Wear...
. Unfortunately, the depression
Long Depression
The Long Depression was a worldwide economic crisis, felt most heavily in Europe and the United States, which had been experiencing strong economic growth fueled by the Second Industrial Revolution in the decade following the American Civil War. At the time, the episode was labeled the Great...
which gripped Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
at this time quickly caused the firm’s collapse, and the sons were forced to take positions at other firms. Down, but not out, Robert decided to fight back. His firm, Robert Thompson & Sons, was launched once more on February 13, 1846. It was to prove a huge success.
North Sands became the new home of the firm and, with a staff of just eight, they built a brig of 12 keels – Pearl – in 11 weeks – with work starting at 4am each day. Pearl brought in a £300 profit and helped establish the yard’s reputation for good shipbuilding. The yard’s first ship, Vencedora, soon followed. “The launch of Vencedora was the occasion of great rejoicing,” states a centenary brochure published by Thompsons in 1946. “The apprentices followed the ancient custom and went through the ceremony of ducking and plunging into the water as soon as the ship was safely launched. Carpenter
Carpenter
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
s allowances at this time were a pint of beer
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
in the forenoon
Forenoon
Forenoon is the time of day from 6:00 am to 12:00 noon.The term should not be confused with "fore noon" , which is a translation of the Latin "ante meridiem" as used in the 12-hour clock, meaning a time of day from midnight to noon....
for caulking
Caulking
Caulking is one of several different processes to seal joints or seams in various structures and certain types of piping. The oldest form of caulking is used to make the seams in wooden boats or ships watertight, by driving fibrous materials into the wedge-shaped seams between planks...
, a pint for the keel seam and three pints of beer on the launching day.”
A Partnership Deal was signed for the yard in 1853, with the firm now including Robert senior and junior, as well as Thompson’s two other sons, Joseph and John. Joseph, however, quickly found himself in charge following the retirement of Robert senior and junior, as well as John, between then and 1860. Already experienced in designing vessels, he devoted his energies to furthering the business, being joined by his own sons, Robert and Joseph, within a few years. The year 1870 was a particular highlight, as it saw the last wooden ship built at North Sands. It was named Peace to commemorate the end of the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
. Iron ships were, by now, far more popular and the crafts which had flourished in the days of sail – mast, rope and sail making - were all affected by the steamer age. Thompsons underwent a major overhaul to prepare for metal vessels and in 1871, just after the finishing touches were made, its name was changed to Joseph L Thompson.
By the year 1880, the firm was in possession of the entire North Sands area, where seven shipyards had previously existed. Its 100th vessel was launched four years later. But, as its prosperity flourished, so the health of Joseph Thompson senior and junior declined. The senior Mr Thompson died in 1893, while his son was forced to retire. The business then passed to Robert Thompson, eldest son of Joseph, whose expert abilities as a shipbuilder were already recognised nationwide. The year 1896 saw the firm celebrate its Golden Jubilee in style, with ship number 336 being launched in January. The ship weighed 4,932 tonnes and measured 396 feet (120.7 m)– a giant when compared to the original Pearl – which was just 80 ft (24.4 m).
World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
found Thompson's specialising in cargo vessels and Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
craft. King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
even paid a visit in June 1917, to praise the work being done. The depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
which followed the war, however, hit Thompsons hard. Indeed in 1923, for the first time in the firm’s history, not a single ship was launched in a year. The yard managed to struggle back with orders the following year, but the "Hungry Thirties
1930s
File:1930s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: Dorothea Lange's photo of the homeless Florence Thompson show the effects of the Great Depression; Due to the economic collapse, the farms become dry and the Dust Bowl spreads through America; The Battle of Wuhan during the Second Sino-Japanese...
" saw depression hit the yard again and only a skeleton staff was kept on. After lying virtually idle for four years, it was decided that cheaper production, construction improvements and improved ship performances were the way forward. Under the direction of Major Robert Norman Thompson and his son, Robert Cyril Thompson, research led to the creation of a distinctive new ship model - the Liberty Ship
Liberty ship
Liberty ships were cargo ships built in the United States during World War II. Though British in conception, they were adapted by the U.S. as they were cheap and quick to build, and came to symbolize U.S. wartime industrial output. Based on vessels ordered by Britain to replace ships torpedoed by...
. The first ship built to the design, Embassage, was launched in 1935 and created "exceptional interest" among ship owners. Orders, once again, flooded in.
The largest ship ever built at North Sands, the oil tanker
Tank ship
A tanker is a ship designed to transport liquids in bulk. Major types of tankship include the oil tanker, the chemical tanker, and the liquefied natural gas carrier.-Background:...
Sandanger, followed in 1938, just before war work again took over the yard during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Workers churned out 40 vessels during the war, a proud figure that was noted at the highest levels. The King
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
and Queen
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
, Mrs Winston Churchill
Clementine Churchill, Baroness Spencer-Churchill
Clementine Ogilvy Spencer-Churchill, Baroness Spencer-Churchill, GBE, CStJ was the wife of Sir Winston Churchill and a life peeress in her own right.-Early life:...
and the Duke of Kent
Prince George, Duke of Kent
Prince George, Duke of Kent was a member of the British Royal Family, the fourth son of George V and Mary of Teck, and younger brother of Edward VIII and George VI...
were just three of the high-ranking visitors to tour the site. But Hitler’s
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
managed to disrupt the work at times, bombing the site twice in May 1943. A ship was sunk and the joiners’ shop severely damaged. The year 1946 saw Britain once more at peace and staff at Thompson’s celebrate its 100th anniversary. A statement in the firm’s anniversary brochure reads: “In the capable hands of those who today lead and control the fortunes of the firm, the aim still remains to give the best and deliver ships of the highest quality.”
The neighbouring yard of John Crown & Sons Ltd
John Crown & Sons Ltd
John Crown & Sons Ltd, was a British shipbuilding company founded in 1847 and based on the River Wear, Sunderland.-Ships built by John Crown & Sons Ltd:-See also:* List of shipbuilders and shipyards...
was bought by Thompsons in its centenary year, to allow the building of larger and faster vessels. In the 1960s, Thompson’s spent millions of pounds expanding their capacity to build ships of up to 150,000 tons. Bigger and bigger ships were built by workers throughout the next two decades, but the yard was eventually mothballed until 1986, when the ITM Challenger was built. Today, the site is home to Sunderland University and the National Glass Centre
National Glass Centre
The National Glass Centre is a cultural venue and visitor attraction located in Sunderland, North East England.-Background:The National Glass Centre is located in Monkwearmouth, on the north banks of the River Wear, on the former site of J.L. Thompson and Sons shipyard. The centre is close to the...
.
See also
- Thompson family history
- Lady ElizabethLady ElizabethLady Elizabeth is the name of two ships:*Lady Elizabeth , an iron and timber barque wrecked off Rottnest Island in 1878*Lady Elizabeth , an iron barque which was damaged off Cape Horn in 1913 and sunk at the Falkland islands in 1936...
(1869) (1879) - List of ship launches in 1905
- Liberty shipLiberty shipLiberty ships were cargo ships built in the United States during World War II. Though British in conception, they were adapted by the U.S. as they were cheap and quick to build, and came to symbolize U.S. wartime industrial output. Based on vessels ordered by Britain to replace ships torpedoed by...
- USS Culgoa (AF-3)USS Culgoa (AF-3)USS Culgoa was a refrigerated supply ship in the United States Navy.Culgoa was built in 1889 by J.L. Thompson and Sons, Ltd. of Sunderland, England and purchased at Cavite, Philippines on 4 June 1898. During the naval blockade of Manila, the vessel supplied the American squadron with ice and meat...
- SS Drakensburg CastleSS Drakensburg CastleThe Empire Allenby was a 9,904 ton cargo liner which was built in 1944. She was renamed Drakenburg Castle in 1946, and scrapped in 1959.-History:...
- National Glass CentreNational Glass CentreThe National Glass Centre is a cultural venue and visitor attraction located in Sunderland, North East England.-Background:The National Glass Centre is located in Monkwearmouth, on the north banks of the River Wear, on the former site of J.L. Thompson and Sons shipyard. The centre is close to the...
- List of Liberty ships
- Silver Line (shipping company)
- Type C1 shipType C1 shipType C1 was a designation for small cargo ships built for the U.S. Maritime Commission before and during World War II. The first C1 types were the smallest of the three original Maritime Commission designs, meant for shorter routes where high speed and capacity were less important. Only a handful...
- Type C2 shipType C2 shipType C2 ships were designed by the United States Maritime Commission in 1937-38. They were all-purpose cargo ships with five holds, and U.S. shipyards built 173 of them from 1939-1945. Compared to ships built before 1939, the C2s were remarkable for their speed and fuel economy. Their design speed...
- Allied technological cooperation during World War IIAllied technological cooperation during World War IIThe Second World War was not won by one nation; the Allies had to cooperate while fighting on the ground, as well as by sharing technological resources and innovations...