Richardsons Westgarth & Company
Encyclopedia
Richardsons Westgarth & Company was a leading British
shipbuilding and marine engineering
business. The Company was based in Hartlepool
and was a major employer in the area.
concern based in Hartlepool
under the name of T Richardson & Sons. In 1900 it merged with Sir C. Furness Westgarth and Company of Middlesbrough
and W. Allen and Company of Sunderland to form Richardsons Westgarth. As part of the merger Furness Withy
, a shipping business, took a controlling interest in the Company.
The Company was at the forefront of the development of steam engines and diesel engines for large ships throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It built engines for many ships including SS Empire Amethyst
. It acquired the firm of George Clark in Sunderland in 1938. In 1962 its marine activities were merged with that of Weir Group
and its began focussing on engineering for power station
s such as Trawsfynydd
and Dungerness 'B'. It ceased operations in Hartlepool
in 1982.
The Company then diversified into steel processing and was acquired by Klöckner
, one of the world's largest steel stockholders, in 2000.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
shipbuilding and marine engineering
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...
business. The Company was based in Hartlepool
Hartlepool
Hartlepool is a town and port in North East England.It was founded in the 7th century AD, around the Northumbrian monastery of Hartlepool Abbey. The village grew during the Middle Ages and developed a harbour which served as the official port of the County Palatine of Durham. A railway link from...
and was a major employer in the area.
History
The Company was established in 1832 by Thomas Richardson as a marine engineeringEngineering
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...
concern based in Hartlepool
Hartlepool
Hartlepool is a town and port in North East England.It was founded in the 7th century AD, around the Northumbrian monastery of Hartlepool Abbey. The village grew during the Middle Ages and developed a harbour which served as the official port of the County Palatine of Durham. A railway link from...
under the name of T Richardson & Sons. In 1900 it merged with Sir C. Furness Westgarth and Company of Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
and W. Allen and Company of Sunderland to form Richardsons Westgarth. As part of the merger Furness Withy
Furness Withy
Furness Withy was a major British transport business. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange.-History:The Company was founded by Christopher Furness and Henry Withy in 1891 in Hartlepool. This was achieved by the amalgamation of the Furness Line of steamers with the business of Edward Withy and...
, a shipping business, took a controlling interest in the Company.
The Company was at the forefront of the development of steam engines and diesel engines for large ships throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It built engines for many ships including SS Empire Amethyst
SS Empire Amethyst
Empire Amethyst was a 8,032 ton tanker which was built in 1941. She was torpedoed and sunk by U-154 on 13 April 1942.-History:Empire Amethyst was built by the Furness Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Haverton Hill-on-Tees as yard number 330. She was launched on 8 July 1941 and completed in December 1941...
. It acquired the firm of George Clark in Sunderland in 1938. In 1962 its marine activities were merged with that of Weir Group
Weir Group
The Weir Group plc is an engineering company headquartered in East Kilbride, Scotland. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.-History:...
and its began focussing on engineering for power station
Power station
A power station is an industrial facility for the generation of electric energy....
s such as Trawsfynydd
Trawsfynydd nuclear power station
Trawsfyndd nuclear power station is a disused Magnox power station situated at Trawsfynydd in Gwynedd, Wales.-History:Construction of the power station, which was undertaken by a consortium involving Crompton Parkinson, International Combustion, Fairey Engineering and Richardsons Westgarth, and...
and Dungerness 'B'. It ceased operations in Hartlepool
Hartlepool
Hartlepool is a town and port in North East England.It was founded in the 7th century AD, around the Northumbrian monastery of Hartlepool Abbey. The village grew during the Middle Ages and developed a harbour which served as the official port of the County Palatine of Durham. A railway link from...
in 1982.
The Company then diversified into steel processing and was acquired by Klöckner
Klöckner
Klöckner & Co. is a German metal handler headquartered in Duisburg. Europe's largest independent distributor of steel, it is a leading supplier to the European and North American markets....
, one of the world's largest steel stockholders, in 2000.
Further reading
- A History of Thomas Richardson & Sons and Richardsons Westgarth 1832-1994, Printability Publishing, 1994, ISBN 978-0-9501306-6-8