Earle's Shipbuilding
Encyclopedia
Earle's Shipbuilding was an engineering
company that was based in Hull
, East Riding of Yorkshire
, England
from 1845 to 1932.
The company was started in Hull
in 1845 by two brothers, Charles and William Earle. The firm was made up of engineer
s and focussed on shipbuilding
and repair
. Its most notable association was with the Wilson Line
, for whom the yard produced many ship
s. Earle's also built vessels for many other British shipping firms, especially those operating on North Sea
routes such as the Great Eastern Railway and the Hull and Netherlands Steamship Co.
In 1871 Earle's was restructured as a joint-stock company and for a short time Sir Edward James Reed
served as its chairman and managing director.
Earle's built two steam yachts for Tsarevitch Alexander
: the Slavanka in 1873 and Czarevna in 1874. Also in 1874 Earle's built the unsuccessful , Sir Henry Bessemer
's experimental swinging-cabin paddle steamer
, which made its maiden (and only) public voyage in 1875. Earle's built the yacht Bosphorous for Khedive Isma'il of Egypt
and later built other yachts for wealthy clients.
Earle's was an early adopter of triple-expansion engines, for example installing them in the liner that the company built for Wilson Line in 1882.
Reed had been chief constructor to the Admiralty
and helped Earle's to win a number of naval orders including the ironclad warship
s Almirante Cochrane (1874) and Blanco Encalada (1875) for the Chilean Navy
Later naval orders included two Edgar class cruiser
s for the Royal Navy
: HMS Endymion
launched in 1891 and HMS St George
launched in 1892.
. However, Charles Wilson
bought the firm for about £170,000, keeping the Earle's name but making it a wholly owned subsidiary of Wilson Line.
In 1904 Earle's built for the Peruvian Corporation, a UK-owned company that ran Peru
's railways. She was built as a "knock down" ship; that is, she was bolted together at Earle's shipyard, then all her parts were marked with numbers, unbolted and packed into crates, and then shipped in kit form to Peru where they were transported inland, reassembled with rivets and in 1905 launched on Lake Titicaca
, the highest navigable lake in the World. In the 1920s Inca needed a new bottom, so Earle's made one in kit form and shipped that to Peru as well.
In 1929 Earle's built a larger "knock down" ship for the Peruvian Corporation, , which was launched on Lake Titicaca in 1931. By now manufacturing in the UK was declining in the Great Depression
and after the Ollanta Earle's built only three more ships. The UK Government sponsored a rationalisation of the shipbuilding industry and in 1932 the National Shipbuilders Securities
(NSS) took over Earle's. NSS sold Earle's tools and machinery, shipping the yard's large crane and other equipment to Kowloon
in Hong Kong
. The terms of Earle's closure included a restrictive covenant
on the site of the yard proscribing any shipbuilding there for the following 60 years.
for charter tourist cruises on Lake Titicaca.
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
company that was based in Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
, East Riding of Yorkshire
East Riding of Yorkshire
The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire, is a local government district with unitary authority status, and a ceremonial county of England. For ceremonial purposes the county also includes the city of Kingston upon Hull, which is a separate unitary authority...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
from 1845 to 1932.
Earle Brothers
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
in 1845 by two brothers, Charles and William Earle. The firm was made up of engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
s and focussed on shipbuilding
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
and repair
Maintenance, Repair and Operations
Maintenance, repair, and operations or maintenance, repair, and overhaul involves fixing any sort of mechanical or electrical device should it become out of order or broken...
. Its most notable association was with the Wilson Line
Thomas Wilson Sons & Co.
Thomas Wilson Sons & Co. was founded in 1822 as a joint venture by merchants Thomas Wilson, his partner John Beckinton and two unrelated men both surnamed Hudson. None came from shipping backgrounds but were quick to see the opportunity of becoming involved in the industry. They acquired their...
, for whom the yard produced many ship
Ship
Since the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...
s. Earle's also built vessels for many other British shipping firms, especially those operating on North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
routes such as the Great Eastern Railway and the Hull and Netherlands Steamship Co.
In 1871 Earle's was restructured as a joint-stock company and for a short time Sir Edward James Reed
Edward James Reed
Sir Edward James Reed , KCB, FRS, was a British naval architect, author, politician, and railroad magnate. He was the Chief Constructor of the Royal Navy from 1863 until 1870...
served as its chairman and managing director.
Earle's built two steam yachts for Tsarevitch Alexander
Alexander III of Russia
Alexander Alexandrovich Romanov , historically remembered as Alexander III or Alexander the Peacemaker reigned as Emperor of Russia from until his death on .-Disposition:...
: the Slavanka in 1873 and Czarevna in 1874. Also in 1874 Earle's built the unsuccessful , Sir Henry Bessemer
Henry Bessemer
Sir Henry Bessemer was an English engineer, inventor, and businessman. Bessemer's name is chiefly known in connection with the Bessemer process for the manufacture of steel.-Anthony Bessemer:...
's experimental swinging-cabin paddle steamer
Paddle steamer
A paddle steamer is a steamship or riverboat, powered by a steam engine, using paddle wheels to propel it through the water. In antiquity, Paddle wheelers followed the development of poles, oars and sails, where the first uses were wheelers driven by animals or humans...
, which made its maiden (and only) public voyage in 1875. Earle's built the yacht Bosphorous for Khedive Isma'il of Egypt
Isma'il Pasha
Isma'il Pasha , known as Ismail the Magnificent , was the Khedive of Egypt and Sudan from 1863 to 1879, when he was removed at the behest of the United Kingdom...
and later built other yachts for wealthy clients.
Earle's was an early adopter of triple-expansion engines, for example installing them in the liner that the company built for Wilson Line in 1882.
Reed had been chief constructor to the 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...
and helped Earle's to win a number of naval orders including the ironclad warship
Ironclad warship
An ironclad was a steam-propelled warship in the early part of the second half of the 19th century, protected by iron or steel armor plates. The ironclad was developed as a result of the vulnerability of wooden warships to explosive or incendiary shells. The first ironclad battleship, La Gloire,...
s Almirante Cochrane (1874) and Blanco Encalada (1875) for the Chilean Navy
Chilean Navy
-Independence Wars of Chile and Peru :The Chilean Navy dates back to 1817. A year before, following the Battle of Chacabuco, General Bernardo O'Higgins prophetically declared "this victory and another hundred shall be of no significance if we do not gain control of the sea".This led to the...
Later naval orders included two Edgar class cruiser
Edgar class cruiser
The Edgar-class was a nine-ship class of protected cruiser built around 1891 for the Royal Navy.-Design:Crescent and Royal Arthur were built to a slightly modified design with a raised forecastle and a pair of 6 inch guns replacing the forward 9.2 inch gun, and are sometimes considered a...
s for the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
: HMS Endymion
HMS Endymion (1891)
HMS Endymion was a first class cruiser of the Edgar class. She was launched on 22 July 1891. She took part in suppressing the Boxer Rebellion in China, during which time future rear admiral and VC recipient Eric Gascoigne Robinson served aboard her...
launched in 1891 and HMS St George
HMS St George (1892)
HMS St George was a first class cruiser of the Edgar class. She was launched on June 23, 1892.She took part in the 40 minute long Anglo-Zanzibar War and served in the First World War. She was designated as a depot ship in 1909, and sold for breaking up at Plymouth on July 1, 1920.-References:*...
launched in 1892.
Liquidation and takeover
Earle's faced difficulties when Charles died and William was taken ill. In the latter part of the 1890s the firm suffered both cash flow problems and a labour shortage and in 1900 it entered voluntary liquidationLiquidation
In law, liquidation is the process by which a company is brought to an end, and the assets and property of the company redistributed. Liquidation is also sometimes referred to as winding-up or dissolution, although dissolution technically refers to the last stage of liquidation...
. However, Charles Wilson
Charles Wilson, 1st Baron Nunburnholme
Charles Henry Wilson, 1st Baron Nunburnholme , was a prominent English shipowner who became head of the Thomas Wilson Sons & Co. shipping business.- Life :...
bought the firm for about £170,000, keeping the Earle's name but making it a wholly owned subsidiary of Wilson Line.
In 1904 Earle's built for the Peruvian Corporation, a UK-owned company that ran Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
's railways. She was built as a "knock down" ship; that is, she was bolted together at Earle's shipyard, then all her parts were marked with numbers, unbolted and packed into crates, and then shipped in kit form to Peru where they were transported inland, reassembled with rivets and in 1905 launched on Lake Titicaca
Lake Titicaca
Lake Titicaca is a lake located on the border of Peru and Bolivia. It sits 3,811 m above sea level, making it the highest commercially navigable lake in the world...
, the highest navigable lake in the World. In the 1920s Inca needed a new bottom, so Earle's made one in kit form and shipped that to Peru as well.
In 1929 Earle's built a larger "knock down" ship for the Peruvian Corporation, , which was launched on Lake Titicaca in 1931. By now manufacturing in the UK was declining in the Great Depression
Great Depression in the United Kingdom
The Great Depression in the United Kingdom, also known as the Great Slump, was a period of national economic downturn in the 1930s, which had its origins in the global Great Depression...
and after the Ollanta Earle's built only three more ships. The UK Government sponsored a rationalisation of the shipbuilding industry and in 1932 the National Shipbuilders Securities
National Shipbuilders Securities
National Shipbuilders Securities was a UK Government body established in 1930 to remove over-capacity from the British shipbuilding industry. Between 1930 and 1938 it bought numerous shipbuilders that were in economic difficulties. It closed most of the yards it bought, including Bow, McLachlan and...
(NSS) took over Earle's. NSS sold Earle's tools and machinery, shipping the yard's large crane and other equipment to Kowloon
Kowloon
Kowloon is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. It is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutter's Island in the west, Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and Victoria Harbour in the south. It had a population of...
in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. The terms of Earle's closure included a restrictive covenant
Restrictive covenant
A restrictive covenant is a type of real covenant, a legal obligation imposed in a deed by the seller upon the buyer of real estate to do or not to do something. Such restrictions frequently "run with the land" and are enforceable on subsequent buyers of the property...
on the site of the yard proscribing any shipbuilding there for the following 60 years.
Surviving Earle's ship
At least one Earle's-built ship survives. Ollanta, now retired from scheduled ferry service, is leased out by PeruRailPeruRail
PeruRail is a railway operator working tourist, freight, and charter services in southern Peru.The main line between the port of Matarani, Arequipa , Cuzco and Puno on Lake Titicaca was formerly known as the Ferrocarril del Sur , and was for a time owned and operated by the ENAFER state company...
for charter tourist cruises on Lake Titicaca.