Ouse Shipbuilding Co

Little is known about this small yard which was based at Hook on the River Ouse. It was set up during the First World War in response to the shipbuilding boom generated by War itself. It built a number of standard coasters and trawlers during this time. Following the war, the yard built engine amidships colliers for Norwegian companies. The yard was establishing good relations with Norwegian customers but was unable to capitalise on this, because it went out of business in 1923, following the slump of the early 1920s.

This shipyard was one of several in the U.K., established as an emergency measure to boost shipbuilding capacity during the First World War. It was laid down in 1916 and utilised second-hand buildings transferred from the defunct Maryport Shipbuilding Company in Cumbria. The first vessels, small naval drifters, were not completed until July 1918 and the last ship, a freighter was completed in June 1922, a total of 23 vessels in four years.

Sources of Information

• British Shipbuilding Yards. 3 vols by Norman L. Middlemiss
• [1] riversea.tugtalk.co.uk