Richard Dunston

Richard Dunston Ltd. was best known for building tugs. Based in two yards,, one on the West side of Hull at Hessle and the other at Thorne on the Stainforth and Keadby Canal in Yorkshire, England, the yard was able to make a wide variety of hip sizes.

Shipbuilding

• 1850s- From the 1850s until 1911 the yard mainly made wooden barges at its thorne yard.
• 1900s - From 1917 onwards the move into steel onstruction led to orders form the Navy and this led to the company becoming of limited liablity status in 1919.
• 1930s - The Hunston family purchased the Hessle yard Henry Scarr Ltd on the banks of the Humber. This yard was renamed Richard Dunston (Hessle) Ltd in 1961 and prior to this traded under its old name.
• World war II - The combined output of the two yards was immense with nearly four hundred small craft being manufactured. These included 150 "TID" steam tugs, thirty larger tugs, 34 standard coasters,, 27 "VIC" type Cl;yde puffers, a dozen "CHANT" Channel tankers along with naval dockyard craft, target vessels, barges, lighters and other smaller craft.
• 1940s-1960s - The yard mainly conitnued making barges and lighter tugs for British and foreign companies. The yard madeover 75 tugs in thirty years. In the mid 60s on eof the berths was enlarged so that bigger colliers could be made. Coastal tankers were also produced at this stage.
• 1970s - In 1974 the Dunston family sold the Hessle and Thorne yards to the Ingram Corporation of America and the yards remained American owned until 1985 when they were put up for sale again. The Thorne yard was closed down as it was not financially viable and the hessle yard was part of a managmewnt buy out funded by Dutch capital.
• 1980s - The Hessle yard built a variety of vessels from the late 70s onwards including four Clyde car ferries, a low air draft dry cargo ship, gas tankers and naval tugs. The yard went into liquidation on 9th december 1994. Although the outfitting quays have closed down, the repair business vcontinues to operate.

Sources of information

British Shipbuilding Yards. 3 vols by Norman L. Middlemiss