Historic Trades and Crafts of South Shields

South Shields was an industrial town before it was a seaside town. For two centuries, the south bank of the Tyne at its mouth was a landscape of glassworks, chemical factories, shipyards, and salt pans. The industries that employed thousands of people and made South Shields one of the most important ports on the coast have largely disappeared, but their legacy is written into the streets, buildings, and stories of the town.

Glass Making

Glass manufacturing was one of South Shields' earliest significant industries. Isaac Cookson established the first glassworks in the town in the 1730s, and the industry expanded rapidly. By 1827, there were eight glass works operating in South Shields.

The town's position at the mouth of the Tyne gave it access to the raw materials that glass making required: sand (imported by ship), soda ash (later produced locally at the alkali works), and cheap coal for the furnaces. The glassworks produced bottles, window glass, and tableware, and South Shields glass was exported across Britain and overseas.

Glass making was brutally hot work. The furnaces ran continuously, and workers shaped molten glass in temperatures that modern health and safety regulations would not permit. Child labour was common in the glass trade, with boys as young as eight working as "takers-in" who carried finished pieces to the annealing oven.

Best for: By 1827, South Shields had eight glass works -- the industry was founded by Isaac Cookson in the 1730s and supplied bottles and window glass across Britain.

The Alkali Industry

South Shields had the largest alkali works in the world. Isaac Cookson -- the same family that founded the glass industry -- established a small alkali works in the centre of town in 1822, moving shortly afterwards to Templetown near Jarrow Slake.

The alkali works produced soda ash (sodium carbonate) using the Leblanc process, which combined salt, sulphuric acid, limestone, and coal. Soda ash was an essential industrial chemical used in glass making, soap production, textile manufacture, and dozens of other processes.

The alkali industry was one of the most polluting trades ever practised. The Leblanc process produced vast quantities of hydrogen chloride gas and a foul-smelling waste called "galligu" that was dumped in enormous heaps. The pollution was so severe that it killed vegetation, corroded buildings, and caused chronic respiratory illness in the surrounding population. The Alkali Act of 1863 -- one of the first environmental protection laws in the world -- was passed partly in response to the damage caused by works like those in South Shields.

Shipbuilding

Shipbuilding became a dominant South Shields industry in the 1850s. The most notable yard was John Readhead & Sons, founded in 1865 by Alderman John Readhead. The yard specialised in small cargo ships and colliers -- the workhorses of the coal trade -- and built vessels for clients around the world until it closed in 1968.

During both World Wars, the South Shields yards built ships for the Royal Navy and the merchant fleet. The town's maritime expertise also extended to ship repair, marine engineering, and the manufacture of nautical equipment.

Best for: John Readhead's shipyard built cargo ships and colliers in South Shields for over a century, from 1865 until its closure in 1968.

Salt Panning

Salt production was one of the oldest trades on the Tyne. By the 18th century, North Shields and South Shields together had around 200 salt pans producing salt by boiling seawater in iron pans heated by coal. The salt pans created fumes that were notorious -- thick, acrid smoke that hung over the riverside and made life unpleasant for anyone living downwind.

The salt was used primarily for preserving fish and meat, and the trade was closely linked to both the fishing industry and the coal mines that supplied the fuel. The salt industry declined as rock salt from Cheshire became cheaper.

Marine Trades

South Shields developed a cluster of maritime trades that went beyond shipbuilding. The town became famous for seamanship and marine education:

• The Marine School was founded by Dr Thomas Winterbottom in 1837 to train merchant navy officers and engineers. South Shields developed a world-renowned reputation for excellence in marine engineering and seamanship.
• Pilot services guided ships in and out of the Tyne. The pilots of South Shields were highly skilled navigators who knew every sandbank and current in the river mouth.
• Rope making, sail making, and chandlery (ship's supply) all thrived in a town whose economy depended on the sea.

The Yemeni and Bangladeshi Communities

The maritime trades brought people to South Shields from across the world. Yemeni seafarers began settling in the town from the 1890s, making South Shields home to the oldest established Arab community in Britain. Bangladeshi merchant seamen arrived from the mid-20th century.

When shipping jobs declined, many members of these communities turned to other trades -- most famously the restaurant business. The Indian and Bangladeshi restaurants on Ocean Road are the direct commercial descendants of the maritime trade that first brought these communities to South Shields.

Evidence That Remains

• Mill Dam and The Customs House: The 1864 Custom House overlooks the historic waterfront where cargoes were landed and duties collected.
• South Shields Museum: Permanent displays cover the town's industrial, maritime, and multicultural heritage.
• The Word: Local history resources including newspaper archives and genealogy databases.
• Ocean Road: The restaurant strip is the living legacy of the seafaring communities that settled in South Shields.
• Pilot Street: Named for the Tyne pilots who guided ships through the river mouth.
• The Volunteer Life Brigade Watch House: The lifesaving service that the dangerous river mouth and its shipping traffic made necessary.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What were the main industries in South Shields?

South Shields' main historic industries were glass making (from the 1730s), the alkali chemical industry (the largest works in the world), shipbuilding (from the 1850s), salt panning, and the maritime trades including marine education, piloting, and chandlery.

Was there shipbuilding in South Shields?

Yes. John Readhead & Sons built cargo ships and colliers in South Shields from 1865 to 1968. During both World Wars, the South Shields yards built vessels for the Royal Navy and merchant fleet.

What is the connection between South Shields' industries and Ocean Road?

The maritime trades brought Yemeni and Bangladeshi seafarers to South Shields from the 1890s onwards. When shipping jobs declined, many turned to the restaurant business, creating the famous curry house strip on Ocean Road that exists today.