Sir Raylton Dixon
Encyclopedia
Sir Raylton Dixon was a shipbuilder at Middlesbrough
on the River Tees
. He was one of the seven children of Jeremiah Dixon (1804–1882) and Mary Frank (1803–1877) of Cockfield, County Durham
who were married on 21 July 1833 in St. Cuthberts, Darlington
. He was the great-grandson of George Dixon
of Cockfield Canal fame.
on 7 March 1908. Raylton Dixon & Co earned a reputation for the construction of sound, large cargo-liners and during the 1890s had contracts with all the major shipping companies of the time. They also turned out refrigerated ships for the meat industry.
Dixon was a close friend of George Young Blair
(1826–1894), whose firm, Blair & Co., built marine triple expansion engines and were fitted in Raylton Dixon ships.
Raylton Dixon ships played an important role in world history. The SS Montrose
was built in 1897 as a refrigerated cargo steamer, accommodating 12 first-class passengers. In 1900 she was chartered to make eight voyages to Cape Town
, ferrying the Dublin & Denbigh Imperial Yeomanry
, with their horses, to the Anglo-Boer War. In 1904 Doctor Crippen and his secretary, Ethel Le Neve, were aboard the ship and acted suspiciously, causing the master to radio Liverpool
, resulting in their arrest on the St. Lawrence River. In 1914 she was sold to the admiralty for use as a blockship in Dover
harbour, but broke her moorings during a gale and ran aground on the Goodwin Sands
, her mast remaining visible until 1963.
Raylton Dixon was knighted in 1890 for his contributions to shipbuilding.
, Mabel Cochrane, Harald Raylton and Amy Gertrude Inga Raylton.
Raylton Dixon was buried in St Cuthbert's Marton
Church yard.
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...
on the River Tees
River Tees
The River Tees is in Northern England. It rises on the eastern slope of Cross Fell in the North Pennines, and flows eastwards for 85 miles to reach the North Sea between Hartlepool and Redcar.-Geography:...
. He was one of the seven children of Jeremiah Dixon (1804–1882) and Mary Frank (1803–1877) of Cockfield, County Durham
Cockfield, County Durham
Cockfield is a village on the edge of Teesdale, County Durham, England. It is situated 8 miles to the south-west of Bishop Auckland, 15 miles north-west of Darlington and 40 miles south-east of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Remains found on Cockfield Fell suggest there was a settlement in the area during...
who were married on 21 July 1833 in St. Cuthberts, Darlington
Darlington
Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, part of the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It lies on the small River Skerne, a tributary of the River Tees, not far from the main river. It is the main population centre in the borough, with a population of 97,838 as of 2001...
. He was the great-grandson of George Dixon
George Dixon (Cockfield Canal)
George Dixon , was a chemist, mathematician, engraver, china-painter, engineer, geologist and coalmine operator, who helped pioneer the use of coal gas in heating and gas lighting - one of his gas experiments leading to the destruction of his own house...
of Cockfield Canal fame.
Business life
The yard first did business under the name Backhouse & Dixon. Raylton Dixon started the firm of Raylton Dixon & Co. in 1873 and it operated until 1923 when it was dissolved. At the height of its production the three Dixon brothers, Raylton, John, and Waynman, were involved in running the company. During its 50 year life the Cleveland Dockyard built more than 600 vessels, the first ship, the iron steamer SS Torrington, being launched in 1874. The ship was later renamed the SS Kwanon Maru No. 11 and ran aground and was wrecked off Yagoshi Point, HokkaidoHokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
on 7 March 1908. Raylton Dixon & Co earned a reputation for the construction of sound, large cargo-liners and during the 1890s had contracts with all the major shipping companies of the time. They also turned out refrigerated ships for the meat industry.
Dixon was a close friend of George Young Blair
George Young Blair
George Young Blair was a Scottish marine engineer, who specialised in the building of triple expansion engines at his factory Blair & Co., Ltd. in Stockton-on-Tees.-Business life:...
(1826–1894), whose firm, Blair & Co., built marine triple expansion engines and were fitted in Raylton Dixon ships.
Raylton Dixon ships played an important role in world history. The SS Montrose
SS Montrose
SS Montrose was a transatlantic ocean liner for Elder, Dempster & Company and the Canadian Pacific Steamship Company. She is most notable as the vessel on which Hawley Crippen and his lover, Ethel La Neve, fled England after Crippen's wife was murdered....
was built in 1897 as a refrigerated cargo steamer, accommodating 12 first-class passengers. In 1900 she was chartered to make eight voyages to Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, ferrying the Dublin & Denbigh Imperial Yeomanry
Imperial Yeomanry
The Imperial Yeomanry was a British volunteer cavalry regiment that mainly saw action during the Second Boer War. Officially created on 24 December 1899, the regiment was based on members of standing Yeomanry regiments, but also contained a large contingent of mid-upper class English volunteers. In...
, with their horses, to the Anglo-Boer War. In 1904 Doctor Crippen and his secretary, Ethel Le Neve, were aboard the ship and acted suspiciously, causing the master to radio Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, resulting in their arrest on the St. Lawrence River. In 1914 she was sold to the admiralty for use as a blockship in Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
harbour, but broke her moorings during a gale and ran aground on the Goodwin Sands
Goodwin Sands
The Goodwin Sands is a 10-mile-long sand bank in the English Channel, lying six miles east off Deal in Kent, England. The Brake Bank lying shorewards is part of the same geological unit. As the shoals lie close to major shipping channels, more than 2,000 ships are believed to have been wrecked...
, her mast remaining visible until 1963.
Raylton Dixon was knighted in 1890 for his contributions to shipbuilding.
Personal life
Raylton Dixon married Elizabeth Walker, daughter of Robert Walker, on 5 Aug 1863. Elizabeth was born in 1841 and died in 1915 aged 74. They produced eight children: Mary Alice Elizabeth Raylton, Florence Lilian, Bessie May Raylton, Ada Beatrice Averil Raylton, Clive Macdonnell RayltonClive MacDonnell Dixon
Clive MacDonnell Dixon was an English illustrator and soldier, best known for the charming images in his book The Leaguer of Ladysmith, created during the four-month Siege of Ladysmith in South Africa. This material also appeared in the Ladysmith Lyre at the time of the siege...
, Mabel Cochrane, Harald Raylton and Amy Gertrude Inga Raylton.
Raylton Dixon was buried in St Cuthbert's Marton
Marton, Middlesbrough
Marton — officially Marton-in-Cleveland — was a village in the North Riding of Yorkshire, which is now within the town boundaries of Middlesbrough, in the borough of Middlesbrough and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. Originally, the parish of Marton extended down to the River...
Church yard.