Thomas Ridley Oswald was born about 1837 in Stepney Middlesex; He became an Engineer & Shipbuilder. He established a business in Bishopwearmouth, Co.Durham.  At first Oswald was not a successful businessman becoming  bankrupt in 1861(1861 Jurist), but then recovering to re-build his business in Sunderland; which by 1871 employed 19 men and boys (1871Census ,Sunderland).  The Sunderland Shipyard specialised in Iron Vessels :- 1861 Ironsides (898 tons ), 1866 Durham (995 tons), 1867Flamborough (670 tons),1871 Hylton Castle (1250 tons), 1873 Severn(1736 tons) and in 1874 Foyle (1660 tons). On moving to the Itchen he went into business with John Murry Mordaunt of Bitterne, and by 1881 was employing 1200 men.[note look up 1891&1901 census records]The yard was sold in 1900 aand Oswald moved to Milford, Glamorganshire. He died in Greenwich in 1916 aged 79.

...T R Oswald's son  William Digby Oswald (b So'ton 1880) was a decorated war hero...more

Oswald's business partner, John Murray Mordaunt, was Born December 30, 1837, Stratford-on-Avon, Warwickshire, he died December 21, 1923, Westminster, London (aged 85 years 356 days).In 1863 he played 2 first-class matches for Marylebone Cricket Club. In the 1881 census he is shown living at Middenbury House at Bitterne with his family; his occupation is listed as a shipbuilder. By 1901 he is living in Westminster as a stockbroker.

Record of American and Foreign Shipping, 1885

By 1900, the yard was in the hands Mordey, Carney and Co, whose first vessel was a floating bridge for the Southampton-Woolston crossing.

During the four years Mordey, Carney and Co were running the works, a total of 34 ships and barges were built

JAVA [1]

JAVA                        Photo P van Damme Colln.

Built 1900 by Mordey, Carney and Co. Ltd., Southampton. YN404. Steel Screw Tug. L31.64m. B6.16m D3.40m. 154grt. 500ihp 3cylTE 13"x22"x35"x27" stroke steam engine by builder. Acquired 1900. Disposed 2-1901. Scrapped 1967. Official No. 112731.

1900 Delivered to Watkins. 2-1901 Sold to URAG - Unterweser Co., Bremen renamed Unterweser XV. 1909 Owners Svenska Statens Jernvager, Treleborg, Sweden renamed Trelleborg SJ. 1967 Scrapped.

1904-2003   John I ThorneyCroft .

From 1904 Thorneycroft began a run-down of its Chiswick works and new orders were in the main transferred to Woolston.

Over the years, more than 600 ships were constructed at  "Thorny's"

The initial Thornycroft number to appear on the Woolston register was No 379, a small motor launch known as Albion. However, the first naval vessel to be built at Woolston was the Tribal-class destroyer HMS Tartar, launched on June 25, 1907.

Woolston was soon busy on a combination of commercial and naval work.

Work for the Royal Navy reached a peak during the world wars, although many ships were built for overseas customers, including cargo and passenger vessels as well as naval ships.

After 1945, Thornycroft reverted to  lean production, with work being confined to building tugs, ferries, launches and barges, with the occasional naval order to be completed.

Post war Production:

  1946 Crossbow, Weapons Class destroyer

1951  Duchess, Daring Class destroyer

1960 HMNZS Otago Type 12 frigate

1963 Gurkha Tribal Class general purpose frigate

1964 Juno ...... Leander Class frigate

1965 HMS Abdiel  minelayer

 .

refitted ex RN Battle Class destroyer HMS Sluys to be renamed Artemiz for the Shah of Iran.  

Type 21.  first of class HMS Amazon.   A further two Type 21’s were built at Woolston, Antelope and Active.

 1970, the Brazilian Navy issued a requirement for up to six new Frigates, and the VT design, the Mk 10 was based on an enlarged Type 21. The bid was accepted and the contract signed in September 1970. Four would be built at Woolston and two in Brazil with assistance and technology transfer from VT. A new covered shipbuilding facility was built at Woolston to help complete this prestigious order

 1977 three Type 42 Destroyers, HMS Southampton, Nottingham and Gloucester, the later proving to be the last large steel ship to built at Woolston until the Trimaran Triton was launched in 2000. 

1989 HMS Sandown

RV Triton. This advanced ship was launched in May 2000.