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West Dock - a general history

Official No. 26146: Code Letters PJWB.

Owners: 1849 Ralph Ward Jackson (Greatham) Robinson Watson (Stockton-on-Tees) & Cuthbert Wigham, West Hartlepool; 1860 Ralph Ward & William Charles Ward Jackson & Robinson Watson, Hartlepool; 1867 Ralph Ward Jackson, Robinson Watson & North Eastern Railway Co; 1868 John Cleghorn (York) West Hartlepool; by 1874-83 John Shepherd & James Morgan (North Shields) West Hartlepool.

Masters: 1849-55 Thomas Sharpe; 1870 Thomas Fiddler (died April 1870 aged 62) 1883 James Morgan.

10 March 1875 the West Dock was towing was assisting to tow the Laura Gillies up the Rriver from Shields to Gateshead when she was run into by the tug William and Jane belong to John W Robson of Blaydon. Both vessels were damaged, but the West Dock suffered the most. She was repaired by R Findley & So, engineers of North Shields. A suit was made against the owner of the William & Jane & all repair costs were awarded to the owner of the West Dock, James Morgan.

West Dock was lying at Whitehill Point when on 12 May 1883 the boiler exploded. After the steam had cleared away it was found that the side of the steamer had blown out & she was sinking so she was run ashore. She was broken up at North Shields in 1883.

 

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