Alsupp and Sons
W. Alsupp & Sons of Strand Street, Preston
Sometimes spelt Allsup or Allsupp.
1874 'Shipbuilding on the Ribble.-A fine iron screw steamer called the Reliance was launched from the shipbuilding works of Messrs. W. Alsupp and Sons, Strand-road, Preston, last week. This vessel makes the twenty-sixth launched by Messrs. Alsupp since they started this line of business.' [1]
1884 'Whilst five men were yesterday engaged in knocking the wedges from underneath a small iron steamer which they proposed to launch from the shipbuilding yard of Messrs Allsupp and Sons, Preston, some part of the supporting gear snapped and the vessel fell upon the unfortunate workmen. One was killed at once ; a second, died a few hours later; and the other three were very seriously injured.' [2]
'THE DISASTER AT A LAUNCH A telegram to-day says : Two more men have died from injuries yesterday at disastrous ship launch at Allsupp's Yard, Preston, making four deaths in all. A riveter named Holmes is the only man remaining alive of the five crushed beneath the vessel, and his condition is very critical.' [3]
1893 Built a steam tug, 'Bute' for use on the Glamorganshire Canal. Withdrawn c.1914, having performed useful work bringing tinplate from Melingriffith to Cardiff docks for export.[4]. The source of this information includes a photograph of the tug in 1906, complete with a steel icebreaking blade on the bow, fitted in the winter of 1895, and points out that on board is Mr George Sharples, who helped build the boat in Preston and delivered it to Cardiff.
1899 'The main portion of the shipbuilding works of Messrs Alsupp and Co., Preston, was on Saturday night destroyed by fire. It is impossible at present to estimate the amount of damage.'[5]
Additional information and an 1882 photograph are provided in the Preston Digital Archive [6], including the following: The works official title was William Allsup and Sons Ltd. Shipbuilders, Engineers and Ironfounders, Caledonian Works. William Allsop (as he was originally known) was recorded as operating a shipyard at this location as early as 1854 in partnership with one Mr. Watson. However a shipyard had been established here as early as 1834 when the paddle steamer Enterprise was launched for the Mersey ferry service. William Allsup had been a millwright and engineer employed in the town's cotton trade. He retired from the business in 1873, transferring the enterprise to his sons.
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ Lancaster Gazette, 11th July 1874
- ↑ Shields Daily Gazette, 10th April 1884
- ↑ Worcestershire Chronicle, 12th April 1884
- ↑ 'The Glamorganshire and Aberdare Canals' Volume 2, by Stephen Rowson and Ian L. Wright, Black Dwarf Publications, 2001
- ↑ Cheltenham Chronicle, 4th March 1899
- ↑ [1] Preston Digital Archive