TYNE TUGS AND TUG BUILDERS
A history of Tyne Tugs, their builders and owners

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Above: Select the required shipyard by using the initial letter of the Surname eg: Eltringham, Hepple or Rennoldson.
KEY BELOW: D / H / P (D = basic dimensions are shown; H = a history is given; P = one or more photographs are available)

Shipbuilder: John Softley, North & South Shields (1874 - 1880)

John Softley was General Manager for Marshalls at Willington Quay before entering into a partnership with John Readhead in 1865. They built over 85 vessels under the name of Readhead Softley & Co. However the partnership was dissolved in 1872 after a great trade depression and Softley continued to build two of the vessels on the existing order book for his own account. Sofley was declared bankrupt in 1874 and his yard number 115 (not a tug) was completed by the owners.
He set up in business again two years later in conjunction with his sons as J Softley & Sons, building firstly in North Shields and then at the Thrift Street yard in South Shields. Unfortunately they also went into voluntary liquidation in 1880.

The following tugs were built by the various Softley companies:

Year Ship Name D / H / P Builder
1874 Admiral D / H / P John Softley & Co, South Shields
1874 Cruiser D / H / P John Softley & Co, South Shields
1874 Goole No 1 D / H / P John Softley & Co, South Shields
1876 Alexandra D / H / P Softley Bros, North Shields
1876 Criterion D / H / P Softley Bros, North Shields
1876 Flying Spray D / H / P Softley Bros, North Shields
1876 Wanderer D / H Softley Bros, North Shields
1877 Bangkok D / H / P John Softley & Sons, North Shields
1877 Seagull D / H / P John Softley & Sons, North Shields
1878 Premier D / H John Softley & Sons, North Shields
1878 Albatross D / H / P John Softley & Sons, South Shields
1878 Mentor D / H John Softley & Sons, South Shields
1879 Hanlan D / H John Softley & Sons, South Shields
1879 Silach D / H John Softley & Sons, South Shields
1879 South Shields John Softley & Sons, South Shields
1879 Stella D / H / P John Softley & Sons, South Shields
1879 Unknown John Softley & Sons, South Shields
1880 Gamecock D / H John Softley & Sons, South Shields
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