Gregson

[northeast]

Did Gregson also occupy the former Blyth DD & SB site at Cowpen Quay?

[creemaster]

Slightly before my time but...
Blyth Harbour Commission took the western side of the yard which saw the slipways filled in, sheds erected and the site, now known as Wimbourne Quay was the primary quay for imports of Scandinavian paper products and occasional news print from Canada.
Gregsons took over the drydocks at the eastern end of the site and built several vessels, including PRINCESS ANNE which was present at the Silver Jubilee fleet review.
They were, I think, based in Millwall before moving to somewhere on Kitty Brewster Trading Estate when they took on the site at Blyth
Gregsons went into receivership in 1972, they began in 1923. but their story continued up to 2020 after several strike offs from and reinstatements to the Register of Companies and Companies House show no accounts since 2003 and still registered on Kitty Brewster.
I think Fergusons Transport took over their yard which they used for their lorries which hauled paper products out of Blyth to the Manchester based news papers.
Full Circle
TA Dah!!
And
Around the time I got married, 1987, there was a company interested in taking over the drydocks and adjacent building to build luxury yachts.
My late father in law was Commercial Manager at the Harbour back then and he told me about this venture. It came to nowt, but I bet George you had many tales of grand plans that never got of the ground or worse began work and then flitted leaving you to clear up the mess
Regards
Graham

[northeast]

So the answer seems to be 'yes'

[magoonigal]

Gregsons only built the Hull of the PRINCESS ANNE. When they went into administration she was laid up for a while and then completed

[northeast]

Gregsons only built the Hull of the PRINCESS ANNE. When they went into administration she was laid up for a while and then completed

Indeed, she went to the ex Cleland yard of Swan Hunter for completion.

http://www.shippingandshipbuilding.uk/v ... NCESS+ANNE

AND the present Mrs. Robinson chose all the soft furnishings for the cabins ... how about that, then?

[Dennis Maccoy]

Didn't Gregson also build a number of RMAS Fleet Tenders in the early seventies?

[northeast]

Indeed they did, full list here

http://www.shippingandshipbuilding.uk/l ... lder=10821

[creemaster]

Oh I bet you love being dragged around Dunelm and Next on a rainy Saturday* (*other rainy days are available)
After Gregsons left the yard went in the opposite direction with Kitson Vickers moved in to 'break up' vessels.
They lasted until 1979/80 when they left leaving a load of scrap in the flooded drydocks.
Classic was HMS MATAPAN which arrived on a high tide one evening in summer 1979. On boarding the pilot asked what her draft was in order to get over the sil into
the dock. Unfortunately they forgot about the sonar underneath the hull so she lay on the Dun Cow until the tide was high enough to get into the dock.
History then repeated itself as the company that arrived to break up the Russian submarines and frigates in the early 1920s were - yep - Kitson Vickers in another disguise.
Regards
Graham

[creemaster]

And for a while there was a small German built coaster called HUBERT resident in the dry dock for repairs. I think she changed her name to LEE SHORE while there and then sifted to Sunderland for more repairs/lay up in the South Dock. Later became LEE SHORE and was later broken up as MILL SUPPLIER IN 1995
What I do remember is her skipper came charging out of the dock gate and wrote off one of the boatman's mini's.
Funny what you remember - AND FORGET!
Regards
Graham