Short Brothers of Sunderland
Encyclopedia
Short Brothers Limited was a British
shipbuilding company formed in 1850 and based at Pallion
, Sunderland
since 1869. The company closed in 1964 when it failed to invest to build bigger ships.
and his four sons became partners in the business. In 1871 the yard built its first iron-hulled ship the High Stretfield and the company started using the name Short Brothers. John Y Short became a distinguished naval architect and at the 1878 Paris Exhibition
he was awarded a gold medal.
In 1883 Short's built a cargo liner
for James Knott's Prince Line of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. This was the beginning of a 35-year relationship in which Short's supplied Prince Line with a total of 37 ships. They included the passenger liner , built in 1897, which spent its early years of service carrying thousands of Italian migrants to the USA.
In 1895 John Y Short made a substantial investment in John Thomas North
's Nitrate Producers' Steamship Company Ltd ("Anglo Line"). Short's went on to supply the line with 30 ships, starting with and continuing until at least 1929.
From 1897 Short's undertook contract work for several Tyneside
shipyards. In 1900 John Y Short died, his brother Joseph took over and the business was converted from a partnership into a limited company, Short Brothers Limited. The yard now employed 1,500 people.
, plus merchant ships including four cargo ships to the War Shipping Controller's standard B type design. After the war Short's built its first two turbine steamers; the 7,607 GRT
sister ship
s (1921) and (1922) for Union-Castle Line
.
During the 1920s shipbuilding declined. Short's workforce struck in 1923 and 1926 and the yard closed in June 1930.
In 1933 Short's reopened to build , a tramp steamer designed by Joseph Isherwood
. She was the first of Isherwood's new "arcform" design, which increased cargo capacity by 10% and increased speed, but also reduced fuel consumption. Arcwear was launched in November 1933 and made her maiden voyage
in 1934. Her fuel economy and speed exceeded expectations but she rolled badly in heavy weather and did not even move smoothly in calm weather. Only a few further arcform cargo ships and tankers
were built. In 1938 Short's closed again, despite having a tramp ship still under construction.
In the summer of 1939 Short's reopened again. During the Second World War it built mostly tramp steamers, plus two tankers and one LCT
. Under the direction of the Ministry of War Transport by the end of 1944 Short's switched from building ships to its own design to assembling partly-prefabricated government standard C-type cargo ships. By the end of the war Short's was employing about 900 people.
In 1946 John H Short was company chairman and H.S. Short, great-grandson of the founder, joined the Board of Directors.
In the early 1960s the Short family did not want to invest in lengthening the yard's berths to build bigger ships. Therefore after Short's launched the universal bulk carrier
on 17th October 1963 and completed her in January 1964, they closed the business with the loss of 300 jobs.
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...
shipbuilding company formed in 1850 and based at Pallion
Pallion
Pallion is a suburb, civil parish and electoral ward of the City of Sunderland, in Tyne and Wear, England. Most of the buildings in the area were built during the Victorian Era and consist of large terraced houses built for wealthy shipbuilders, but also smaller one storey cottages in other areas...
, Sunderland
City of Sunderland
The City of Sunderland is a local government district of Tyne and Wear, in North East England, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough...
since 1869. The company closed in 1964 when it failed to invest to build bigger ships.
19th century
In 1850 George Short founded a shipyard at Hylton to build small wooden ships for local users. In 1860 Short moved the yard moved downriver to PallionPallion
Pallion is a suburb, civil parish and electoral ward of the City of Sunderland, in Tyne and Wear, England. Most of the buildings in the area were built during the Victorian Era and consist of large terraced houses built for wealthy shipbuilders, but also smaller one storey cottages in other areas...
and his four sons became partners in the business. In 1871 the yard built its first iron-hulled ship the High Stretfield and the company started using the name Short Brothers. John Y Short became a distinguished naval architect and at the 1878 Paris Exhibition
Exposition Universelle (1878)
The third Paris World's Fair, called an Exposition Universelle in French, was held from 1 May through to 10 November 1878. It celebrated the recovery of France after the 1870 Franco-Prussian War.-Construction:...
he was awarded a gold medal.
In 1883 Short's built a cargo liner
Cargo liner
A Cargo liner is a type of merchant ship which carried general cargo and often passengers. They became common just after the middle of the nineteenth century, and eventually gave way to container ships and other more specialized carriers in the latter half of the twentieth...
for James Knott's Prince Line of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. This was the beginning of a 35-year relationship in which Short's supplied Prince Line with a total of 37 ships. They included the passenger liner , built in 1897, which spent its early years of service carrying thousands of Italian migrants to the USA.
In 1895 John Y Short made a substantial investment in John Thomas North
John Thomas North
John Thomas North was a British investor and businessman. North was born in Leeds, Yorkshire, the son of a coal merchant and a churchwarden. At the age of fifteen he was apprenticed to millwrights and engineers before working for several years as a mechanic. He moved to Chile in South America...
's Nitrate Producers' Steamship Company Ltd ("Anglo Line"). Short's went on to supply the line with 30 ships, starting with and continuing until at least 1929.
From 1897 Short's undertook contract work for several Tyneside
Tyneside
Tyneside is a conurbation in North East England, defined by the Office of National Statistics, which is home to over 80% of the population of Tyne and Wear. It includes the city of Newcastle upon Tyne and the Metropolitan Boroughs of Gateshead, North Tyneside and South Tyneside — all settlements on...
shipyards. In 1900 John Y Short died, his brother Joseph took over and the business was converted from a partnership into a limited company, Short Brothers Limited. The yard now employed 1,500 people.
20th century
In the First World War the yard built 14 barges for the AdmiraltyAdmiralty
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...
, plus merchant ships including four cargo ships to the War Shipping Controller's standard B type design. After the war Short's built its first two turbine steamers; the 7,607 GRT
Gross Register Tonnage
Gross register tonnage a ship's total internal volume expressed in "register tons", one of which equals to a volume of . It is calculated from the total permanently enclosed capacity of the vessel. The ship's net register tonnage is obtained by reducing the volume of non-revenue-earning spaces i.e...
sister ship
Sister ship
A sister ship is a ship of the same class as, or of virtually identical design to, another ship. Such vessels share a near-identical hull and superstructure layout, similar displacement, and roughly comparable features and equipment...
s (1921) and (1922) for Union-Castle Line
Union-Castle Line
The Union-Castle Line was a prominent British shipping line that operated a fleet of passenger liners and cargo ships between Europe and Africa from 1900 to 1977. It was formed from the merger of the Union Line and Castle Shipping Line...
.
During the 1920s shipbuilding declined. Short's workforce struck in 1923 and 1926 and the yard closed in June 1930.
In 1933 Short's reopened to build , a tramp steamer designed by Joseph Isherwood
Joseph Isherwood
Sir Joseph William Isherwood, 1st Baronet was a British naval architect. He invented the Isherwood System of longitudinal construction of ships....
. She was the first of Isherwood's new "arcform" design, which increased cargo capacity by 10% and increased speed, but also reduced fuel consumption. Arcwear was launched in November 1933 and made her maiden voyage
Maiden voyage
The maiden voyage of a ship, aircraft or other craft is the first journey made by the craft after shakedown. A number of traditions and superstitions are associated with it....
in 1934. Her fuel economy and speed exceeded expectations but she rolled badly in heavy weather and did not even move smoothly in calm weather. Only a few further arcform cargo ships and tankers
Tanker (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:...
were built. In 1938 Short's closed again, despite having a tramp ship still under construction.
In the summer of 1939 Short's reopened again. During the Second World War it built mostly tramp steamers, plus two tankers and one LCT
Landing craft tank
The Landing Craft, Tank was an amphibious assault ship for landing tanks on beachheads. They were initially developed by the British Royal Navy and later by the United States Navy during World War II in a series of versions. Initially known as the "Tank Landing Craft" by the British, they later...
. Under the direction of the Ministry of War Transport by the end of 1944 Short's switched from building ships to its own design to assembling partly-prefabricated government standard C-type cargo ships. By the end of the war Short's was employing about 900 people.
In 1946 John H Short was company chairman and H.S. Short, great-grandson of the founder, joined the Board of Directors.
In the early 1960s the Short family did not want to invest in lengthening the yard's berths to build bigger ships. Therefore after Short's launched the universal bulk carrier
Bulk carrier
A bulk carrier, bulk freighter, or bulker is a merchant ship specially designed to transport unpackaged bulk cargo, such as grains, coal, ore, and cement in its cargo holds. Since the first specialized bulk carrier was built in 1852, economic forces have fueled the development of these ships,...
on 17th October 1963 and completed her in January 1964, they closed the business with the loss of 300 jobs.
Examples of ships built
- 1889 – – hull 184
- 1910 –
- 1918 –
- 1927 – – hull 425
- 1940 –
- 1941 –
- 1941 – – hull 466
- 1941 –
- 1941 –
- 1941 –
- 1942 – – hull 474
- 1942 –
- 1942 –
- 1942 –
- 1942 –
- 1943 –
- 1943 –
- 1943 –
- 1943 –
- 1943 – – hull 480
- 1944 –
- 1945 –
- 1945 –
- 1945 –
- 1946 –
- 1952 –