Richardson Brothers
Richardson Brothers, ship builders and engine makers, of Hartlepool.
1850 Thomas and John Richardson inherited an iron foundry and a shipbuilding business on the death of their father, Thomas Richardson (1795 - 1850). They continued to trade under his name, as T. Richardson and Sons, until 1855.
1854 The brothers launched the Sir Colin Campbell, the first iron ship to be built in the Hartlepools.
1855 changed the name of the shipbuilding side of the firm to Richardson Brothers
Built a further eight ships over the next few years. Then the firm ran into financial problems.
1857 Richardson Brothers stopped shipbuilding. From this point they concentrated on the other side of their business, which was making engines for ships (marine engines) as T. Richardson and Sons.
1863 The yard remained empty until taken over by John Pile and run by his brother as T. H. Pile and Co.