William Boutland was operating at Bill Quay from 1818. Other builders such as Robert and John Maddison rented part of the yard. John Robson also made use of the Boutland Yard and was documented as there in 1869 and listed in Kelly's Directory 1881/2 and also in other directory entries in 1885/6. The list of vessels is largely from customs registrations as at the National Archives and includes a few steam vessels as well as ships built or altered at the yard. Some other owners of ships at Bill Quay are listed.

" A fine wooden dock for repairing vessels."

"Freehold land and riverside property situate at Bill Quay in the Parish of Jarrow in the County of Durham containing in the whole about 7 acres 3 roods 14 perches and having a river frontage of 1,177 feet."

"An excellent SHIP and BOAT-BUILDING Yard, with about 363 yards of River Frontage, and a BOILER BUILDER SHED and QUAY ROOM; together with several HOUSES and COTTAGES."

"A deep water quay 373 feet in length, workshops and all the necessary appliances for carrying on shipbuilding on an extensive scale or any other business requiring water accommodation."

"Another slipway and premises adjoining in the occupation of Robert Maddison."

"The Shipbuilding Plant and Materials including a horizontal engine 14 horsepower, boiler with all machinery and materials for working a patent slipway; 5 cranes; 6 winches; Bogies; Jack Screws; Lathe; Cramps; Boiler and Steam Kiln; English and Foreign Oak Elm and Yellow Pine Timber; Staging Planks; Deck Deals old and new rope; chains; iron and wood blocks; shovels; whip and cross saws; Augers; caulking ions; Ring Bolts; Wood and metal pumps; Paints; oils; Naptha; Pitch; Coal Tar; New and old iron; grindstones; Treenails; Ladders and a quantity of gear and materials, about 100 casks and buoys (for raising ships)."

"In the Blacksmiths shop are 3 pairs of bellows; 4 anvils; 4 vices; Tongs Hammers and all necessary tools."

"Among the contents of the office will be found a Prices Fireproof safe, copying press, timepiece etc."

William Boutland has been described as an "inventive genius" and "a rough hearty old boatbuilder"

Shipbuilding on the Tyne suffered a series of ups and downs with William Boutland being financially embarrassed.

The Journal, 27 July 1833 featured the following advertisement:-

To Be sold by auction by Mr B. Heward at the Low Crane House Newcastle, this day, Saturday 27 July, at five o'clock in the afternoon, all that fine STEAM BOAT, EARL GREY, of 14 Horse Power; built in this Port of the best seasoned Materials, for private use, tows remarkably fast, and will turn round in her own length; draws only 3� feet of water, and is well found with all requisite stores.

For further particulars apply to Mr Wm. Boutland, Shipbuilder, Bill Quay where the Vessel now lies; or Mr Heward Ship and Insurance Broker, Low Street, Sunderland. Bill Quay, near Newcastle, 20 July 1833

The Earl Grey was still for sale in 1835

Newcastle Courant 25 August 1835.

To be sold by auction

at the Crown and Thistle Hotel Groat Market 43/64 of the fast sailing steam vessel Earl Grey. The vessel built in 1832; of best material, copper fastened and has within the last month undergone considerable repair may be inspected at Bill Quay by applying to Mr Michael Wilson.

The failure to sell vessels had an unfortunate effect as the Newcastle Courant 21 November 1835 shows: -

Fiat of Bankruptcy is awarded and issued forth against William Boutland of Bill Quay in the County of Durham shipbuilder, Dealer and Chapman. The said William Boutland is required to surrender himself to the Commissioners, Bankrupt Commission Room, Royal Arcade Newcastle upon Tyne on 4 day of November next and on 24th day at 1 o'clock to make a full discovery and disclosure of the Estate.

Mr John Theodore, solicitor 41 Mosley Street Newcastle upon Tyne Messrs Megsion, Pringle and Mainsty 3 Kings Rd Bedford Sq London

On 23 November 1835 at 5pm Mr Webb, at the Peacock Hotel, Trinity Chare, Quayside was selling The Low Crane Public House (Occupied by Mr Thomas Wilson as tenant) and a front shop occupied by Mr John Robison, draper. Both of these were the property of Mr William Boutland, a bankrupt. The Low Crane Public House contained 16 rooms, 2 store cellars, a brewhouse capable of brewing 11 half barrels. It was situated on the quayside next to the Custom House, frontage 26 feet and depth 71 feet.

On the 10th of December the Assignees were asked to meet in order to 'assent or dissent selling to the said bankrupt William Boutland part of the household furniture of the said bankrupt.'

The Fiat of bankruptcy was dated 6 October 1835 with William bankrupt within the technical meaning of the Act. On the 18 November the duly appointed assignees of William Boutland's Estate, Effects Real and Personal were: -

Robert Scott of Gateshead, Timber Merchant. William Robson of Newcastle upon Tyne, Drysalter. Robert Hood Haggie of Gateshead, Roper

In April 1836 the above assignees sold the 62 ton smack Unity to Peter Cassiter and George Robertson of Kirkwall. William had bought the smack in 1833.

I found no William listings in the Custom Register for 1836 and no adverts that mentioned him, though ships previously mentioned appear.

The London Gazette for 1837 has a number of notices that refer to the bankruptcy. The Commissioners met on 23 March to audit the accounts. On the 25 April there was a meeting to:

'take the last examination of the said bankrupt. Creditors who have not already proved their debts are to come prepared to prove the same or they will be excluded from the dividend and those who have already proved their debts are to consent or dissent from the allowance of this certificate. All other claims not proved will be disallowed.'

The advert of 19 December 1837 stated:

the Certificate of the said William Boutland be allowed unless it can be shown to the Court to the contary on or before the 9 January 1838.

This was not quite the end of litigation as assignees of another bankrupt claimed after the dividend had been announced. It is stated in the affidavits by Boutland�s assignees that a short period previous to Slack�s bankruptcy that a demand was made by Boutland for the payment of a debt alleged due from Slack to Boutland against Slack, the existence of which Slack never denied. The Judge stated that this would make me suspicious as to which party would receive the balance in his favour when the accounts came to be finally adjusted. I think the assignees of Boutland have done their duty by advertising their dividend in the Gazette and the notice in an obscure newspaper, as it is called, is just one step more than necessary. Sir George Rose concurred with Sir John Cross. Petition by Slacks assignees dismissed with costs

William was soon up and running again.

Despite the bankruptcy at least two boat races were organised:-

In September 1838 the Newcastle Journal reports a boat race from the Tyne Bridge to the Scotswood Bridge between the Crusader and The Wm Boutland. The crews had changed boats since the last match. The Crusader men won in gallent style in The Wm Boutland. The previous match is reported in the Weekly Chronicle, 1 Oct 1836. Both vessels were four oared rigs and the 1836 race was between Newcastle Bridge and Hebburn Quay, the race taking 20 minutes and being won by the Crusader. Reference to both these races is made in the Thomas Chicken papers where it states that the 1838 race was for 30 guineas. It also says that the 1836 race was won by the Crusader W Boutland the favourite.

Other shipbuilders also had problems around the 1830s: -

eg In 1834 bankruptcy proceedings were renewed against George Gray and William Robson of South Shore Gateshead.

In June 1839 William was again advertising on his own behalf.

Newcastle Courant 7 June 1839

For sale by private contract.

A turn steam ferry boat. Strongly built, 2 engines of 22inch cylinder. Well adapted for a dredging machine or other purposes. Now lying at Bill Quay where she can be seen and further particulars known on application to W BOUTLAND

The Boutland Firm were involved with salvage as well as building as these notes from 1834 show: -

Newcastle Journal 15 February 1834

All persons having any claim against the sloop Glenmariston of this port are requested to send the same without delay to:- Mr Wm Shepherd Dock Office Blyth or Mr Wm Boutland shipbuilder Bill Quay

William had enlarged the Glenmariston by June 1834 and was listed as the owner. It was now a 83 ton schooner, having been built in Invernesshire in 1820

Newcastle Journal 25 April 1846

Mr Boutland has been engaged during the last week trying to raise the Lady Feversham which has remained so long in Shields harbour. Seven keels, two brigs, and a sloop have hove down on the wreck, besides empty casks, buoys and rafts on the deck; and on Wednesday a preliminary trial took place, but it was found that more power was required and three additional ships are therefore to be hove down next week. The wreck has already been displaced about two feet.

The Bill Quay slipway was part of the The Woodgate and Hainingwood Estate. In 1846 it was advertised as one of the lots at an Auction to be conducted by John Charlton at the House of Miss Bell in Grey Street Newcastle upon Tyne. The sale was in fact 23 February 1847.

Lot 4. An excellent SHIP and BOAT-BUILDING Yard, with about 363 yards of River Frontage, and a BOILER BUILDER SHED and QUAY ROOM; together with several HOUSES and COTTAGES. This Lot will be sold subject to a lease granted to Mr William Boutland for 20 years, from 1st of May 1840, at the ground rent of �49.

Durham Cathedral Estates deposits suggest that the 1846 lease was owned by William Clayton Walters and Peregrine George Ellison. (This 1846 lease was for a much larger plot of land, which was subsequently subdivided.) The 1846 reference is made in an 1853 lease which was to run for 21 years, running from 20/7/1853, granted to John Anthony Woods and Thomas Hood Henderson, who are described simply as "merchants". The annual rent was 12s 7d (plus 12s 6d for redeemed land. A William Boutland deed (reference CCD 44/166296) was a grant of reversion (ie sale of the property, subject to the existing lease), dated 19th June 1855, from the Dean and Chapter of Durham (ie Durham Cathedral), to William Boutland. The grant is of property in Bill Quay (Gateshead, otherwise described as Hayning Shore or Nether Heworth), viz land, a shipbuilding yard, quay and buildings, total 7 acres, 3 roods and 14 perches. The grant is made for a consideration (payment) of �950, and the deed records the consent of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners (in accordance with 19th century acts of Parliament regulating the sale of church lands). It recites a lease of the property by the dean and chapter to John Anthony Woods and Thomas Hood Henderson, 28th September 1853, for 21 years, and also that this lease was assigned (transferred) to William Boutland on 25th May 1855.

The Will of William Boutland and subsequent Chancery case shows William Boutland as Holder of the Freehold of The Bill Quay Yard.

The brothers William Edward, John George, Edward Pringle and Robert Pringle had 16 shares each in the Flirt in 1854 however it is not clear when the 'Boutland Brothers' became a business. They were also shareholders in the Marinus in 1857. The 1857 registration was added to at 1pm in March 1858. It states that Edward Pringle Boutland died Intestate 7 December 1857. It may be that they did nor become a business, as opposed to vessel shareholders until after William's death. Ward's Directory of Newcastle & District 1861/2 page 483 lists 'Boutland Brothers' as a business but following Robert�s death in February 1862 William Edward and John George dissolved the remaining partnership as from 10 October 1862 though this was not promulgated in the London Gazette until 1864. (London Gazette, 13 Sept 1864 page 4432.)

Thomas Riseborough And Anthony Barber of Sunderland owned the Nestor, a snow 217 tons, (capacity 15 keels), and had it registered on the Tyne 1851 -1853. The 1853 owners were John White and Robert Storey. The Riseborough family are related to the Boutlands by marriage later in the century

In 1872 William E Boutland, Mathew & William Reay of Bill Quay, (amonst others) signed a petition asking the NER Company to provide a road to Pelaw station so that travellers did not have to trespass to reach the ststion.

Harrison's Yard has now closed. Earlier pictures can be found at: -

Newcastle upon Tyne registered vessels unless otherwise stated.

Registrations (form 19) do not list builder from 1855 until 1872.

William Boutland of Bill Quay 1792-1859

John George Boutland 1828-1911 and family

Information relating to the Rambler and George (1848 Registrations) can be found at:

The Dictionary of Tyne Sailing Ships. (About 1830 to 1930) Richard E Keys

(Includes an Index of builders, owners and masters.) ISBN 0 9521 275 1 2

Notes on The History of Shipbuilding in South Shields 1746-1946 Amy C Flagg

Published 1979 ISBN 0 906617030

Building Ships on the North East Coast. Joe Clark

(2 Volumes 1640-1914 and 1914 to c1980s. ISBN 1-898880-04-2, 1-898880-05-0)

The Records of the Company of Shipwrights of Newcastle upon Tyne 1622-1967 Edited by D J Rowe.

2 volumes. Surtees Society 1970. Printed by Northumberland Press Ltd, Gateshead, 1970.

Discover Your Neighbourhood, An Introduction to Local Studies. Les Turnbull

Published by Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council. ISBN 0 905977 06 8 (Relates to Bill Quay)

The Township of Heworth J M Hewitt

Portcullis Press ISBN 0 901273 19 8

St Mary Heworth, A History and Guide. Joan M Hewitt

Printed by the Parochial Church Council, 1991.

Butland Ancestors and Chronicles Vol 3 No 1, January 1996, ISBN 0959-048X John Butland Watts

Sea Beezes. July 1969 page 450

An 1846 Lloyds Register and a Marwoods Maritime Directory are available via Google Books