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'Dawson and Beverley' was established fully in 1948 as a partnership between Ralph Dawson and Ronnie Beverley. Their maiden vessel was 'Vanguard' a 40ft (12m 19cm) coble mule built for David & Thomas Handside of Amble. Only a few years later however, the partnership was dissolved and the business became 'Ralph Dawson & Sons'. Over a period of 9 years, Ralph was joined by his 3 sons, Ronnie, Archbold and Ken.

 

 

The first workshop was a converted Nissan hut, situated on the harbour and the business grew by supporting maintenance and repairs of local vessels, as well as undertaking no less than 5 fishing vessel builds within the first 2 years of business.

 

The boatyard was a welcome addition to North Sunderland Harbour and during the first few years many willing local volunteers aided in the moving of the new vessels from the workshop to the slipway (some 180 metres), all solely by hand..

 

On the heels of 'Vanguard' (BH134) was 'Moonbeam' (BK253), a 26 ft (just under 8m) coble built for Ned, William and Raymond Stanton of Boulmer at a cost of £350. Although to be used for salmon drift netting, it was built without a hauler and one was added later fashioned from chains and a car axle. On the day of collection, 19th June 1948, the coble and its 'Ailsa Craig' engine was proven to the customers by Ralph Dawson, who accompanied them at the helm as far as Craster.

 

Only a month later, the 3rd vessel, a 35ft (10.66m) boat (carvel built with a cruiser stern) called 'Sarah Ann' (BK 244) was rolled out, ready for the local muscle to man-handle her to the waterline. Built as a potter for Tommy, Hector and Bill Douglas of Holy Island, she was eventually sold and relocated to the Scottish West coast.

 

1948 saw two further cobles finished at the yard, the 'Elizabeth Taylor' for George, David and Billy Taylor of Cullercoats, and the 'Golden Gleam' built for Maine downie of Boulmer. Interestingly, the larger of the two, the 'Golden Gleam' (BK259) was originally fitted with a second hand car engine due to the shortage of marine engines at the time; although it was later converted to be solely sail powered.

 

There was no let up come 1949 either, with a further 5 vessels being built and launched. In February, 'Margaret Alice' (BK2), a 31 foot (9.45m) vessel built for Dougie Drysale of Holy Island become the first to hit the brine, but was soon relocated to Blyth. Here it underwent various ownership and had a (albeit temporary), name change to 'Theodoran', before reverting back. March saw the completion and launching of the 14 foot (4.27m) dinghy 'Fairy' and April a 29 foot (8.84m) coble named 'Green Pastures' (BH7) for John Armstrong from Amble.

 

The fourth leaving the boat yard was 'June Morn' (BK33), who was also 29 foot and was built for Ralph Archbold of Craster and the fifth and final of the year was the 30 foot long (9.14m) Kathleen (BK46) built for the Stephensons of Boulmer. In testimony to the build quality of the vessels, 'Kathleen', with a new lick of paint looks as good as new and still operating from Hartlepool.

Two 35 foot (10.67m) cobles marked the beginning of the later part of the century, with the first, 'Research' (BK51) being built for Tom Douglas of Beadnell and completed on January 16th. The second, built for local man Robert Rutter was called 'Border Queen', registered as BK62 was completed on June 1st.

 

Bigger things lay ahead and on June 30th the next year, 'Faithful II', a 49 foot (almost 15 metre) long vessel powered by a 72hp Gardner engine was completed. The larger vessel meant more people came to witness the launch, and Gardner engines even used photos of the vessel to advertise their brand. With size however came issues; and the larger hull meant that some fitting had to be done with the vessel afloat. In fact, the engine itself wasn't fitted until she was alongside in the inner harbour.

 

Despite its size the initial travelling of the vessel from the yard was done by hand, with the latter parts aided by tractors. Built for a local fisherman with the same surname, 'Faithful II' had meant an unavoidable increase in workspace needed for Dawsons & Sons, and so a second shed had been built. This however was destroyed only 2 years later during some severe gales, and so a third, even bigger shed was built. Of course, the call for smaller vessels remained and the company amongst others built the first of two gun punts for Holy Island and 'Kittiwake', a 10 foot (3.04m) dinghy which was completed for Ken Dawson.

 

It was 1954 when the 'Barry B' (SN45) and 'Violet' (BK7), both over 30 foot were completed, the first for Barry Brunton from Cullercoats. 'Violet' was a truly 'local' boat, built for local man Dickie Donaldson, using locally sourced timber, built in the village and launched by her name sake, Violet Donaldson, Dickie's wife.

 

'Just Reward' (BK17) followed next in 1955, and was built for family member Barty Dawson and Vincent Morris of Craster, it was later renamed 'Eleanor Dawson'.

The next vessel of to be completed was almost 11 metres long (36 feet), had a 48hp engine and Hyland pot hauler and was built to complete a multitude of tasks. Costing £2500 'Margaret and Dennis' (SN6), was built for Douglas Clark of Cullercoats. Later in her life she became the 'Guiding Star' (LH194) and was displayed outside the Heritage Centre in St. Abbs for some time.

 

Charles Armstrong and Ralph Fleming of North Shields ordered 'Tudor Time' (SN21), which was duly delivered in 1957, complete with a Gardner 5Lw engine weighing over half a ton in itself. 'Sovereign I' (BK104) was next; ordered by William Dawson of Seahouses, she came complete with a Gardner 6L3 engine, weighing 2.65 ton and capable of 102hp when she was completed in 1958.

Twighlight Star (BK11.html6), was built and completed in 1959 for Doug Hall and George Avery to use as a potter.

 

She measured 36 feet (10.97 metres). The remainder of the year saw the building of 'Violet Stephenson' (BK12.html4) although she wasn't completed until January 1960. The coble was built for the Stephenson family of Boulmer, and until a couple of years ago was still there, and owned by the same family.  It is believed she now resides at Amble.

 

1961 saw the unveiling of 'Linda' (SA178); the biggest build to date. Some 54 feet in length (16.46m) she was built to resemble a Danish seiner under the instructions of the owners, 2 danishmen, Thomsen & Svenda Axelson living in Whitehaven. Seine fishing is when the boat drags the warps and the net in a circle around the fish and the motion of the warps herds the fish into the central net. She was sold and changed registration a couple of times before ending up as 'Kestrel' (DA15) before being scrapped just over 10 years ago.

 

'Guide me' (BK167) was built in 1962 for Seahouses man, Tom Hall originally as a potter, although later on she was fitted with a seine winch. The first Seahouses built 'Childrens Friend' (BK177) was completed for William Dawson of the village in 1963, again as a seine netter. 43 feet in length (16.46m) she too was fitted with a Gardner motor. She remained in the village until 1993 when she was decommissioned and taken to Holy Island to be used for storage, although a storm broke her free from the moorings and she was wrecked on the Farnes, now resting on the West Wideopens.

 

The Gardner engine made an appearance again in 1965, this time fitted to the 58ft (17.68m) 'Faithful' (BK204). Another Seahouses based seine netter, she was later converted into a pleasure cruiser in Wales and then as a cruising houseboat based in Plymouth.

 

Douglas Clark (See Margaret & Dennis) ordered his second Seahouses boat, the 'Margaret Clark' (SN160) which was designed by Reverend Harrison. She measured some 48ft (14.63m) in length and had a 16ft (4.88m) beam and was the first vessel built by Dawson and Sons to have a transom stern. She was built with a Gardner engine which was upgraded later on, and had a hydraulic winch to aid with the trawl. Despite the huge undertaking for such a vessel, concurrently 'Lisa Jane' a 25ft (7.62m) skiff pleasure craft was being built for local man Bill Weeks.

 

'1968 saw 'Burncrest' (SN28) be launched and at 51 ft long (15.54m), Dawson & Sons were going from strength to strength and the vessel designs evolving, this was maybe most evident by the adaptation of a drive tunnel, which aided the protection of the propeller. A smaller vessel at 36 ft (10.97m), 'Anne B' (BK257) was completed for William (Bill) Smailes of Craster in 1969 before the much larger, 60ft (18.29m) 'Crusader' (SH173) was completed in the same year for Thomas Cowling and James Robinson of Bridlington.

 

Ronnie Dawson was yet again put to the test installing both a 150hp Gardner 8L3 engine and a smaller L1 engine to give the vessel 110v. Although built for trawling, she was fitted with a combined winch allowing seine fishing and also a whaleback made from fibre-glass to offer welcome protection from the weather for the crew. But that wasn't all that was happening in 1969, and the overhaul of the 1887, Tweedmouth built sailing mule 'Blossom' was undertaken. Although the boat had had many alterations over the years, the skill and craftsmanship of Dawson & Sons ensured it was restored to its former glory and fully rigged ready for sail.

 

'Ann Noble' (HL26) was built in 1970 for Mr Alan Noble of Seaham and had an overall length of 35ft (10.67m) and was accompanied that year by its slightly bigger sister, St Cuthbert (BK266) which was 37ft (11.28m). St Cuthbert was built for Hanveys of Seahouses, built to not only be capable of potting, but also to accommodate up to 52 passengers and was used for Farne Island Trips. Her replacement was solely a passenger vessel (also named St Cuthbert) and arrived in 1985 and she was sold two years later in 1987.

 

The same year saw the beginnings of the 34ft (10.36m) coble 'Conquest' (SD26), which was commissioned by Alan Middleton of Sunderland. This would be the last vessel that Ralph Dawson would help build and unfortunately he never saw her completed, as at only 60 years of age he sadly passed away that year. 'Conquest' was completed in 1971 and she returned to the yard some time later for repairs after being holed by vandals.

 

Now under the expert eyes of his sons, Ralph's legacy continued into 1972, when Billy Shiel welcomed 'Glad Tidings III' (BK279) to his growing fleet. Similar to 'St Cuthbert' in size, it was also used for passengers as well as fishing, and later on, as passengers increased, she returned to the yard to have the wheelhouse moved from aft to for'd. The same year, another local Tom Hall replaced the first 'Guide Me' built at the yard with a second of the same name, albeit slightly smaller. Initially used as a potter, then as a seine netter, then as a trawl; she is now owned by Alan Dawson and used mainly for private charter angling trips.

 

'Silver Chord' (BK300) came next, built for Gordon Archbold and initially used as a potter. She was powered by a Gardner 6LX engine, giving 150hp and was converted to a trawling before eventually being decommissioned in the late 90's at Blyth. A year later in 1975, the beautifully finished 'Respect' (LH131) was floated complete with a trawl winch for John Douglas of the village. The 38ft (11.58m) changed hands and some time later on was somewhat neglected for a while (See here), she has undergone some renovation when she was resold, re-registered (CN131) and renamed 'Girl Errin' in 2012.

 

In 1976, the 32ft (9.75m) 'Eleanor Dawson' (LH277) was built for Bertie Dawson of Craster to replace the original 'Eleanor Dawson' (ex-'Just Reward'). Over the years she underwent many name changes and registrations including, 'Anja' and 'Ann Marie'  before reverting to her original name and number in Blyth.

 

Leith registered 'Rock of Ages' (LH143), was next off the line, built for local man David Shiel. She was to be used for trawling inshore and was finished with a varnished hull and for'd wheelhouse. 1977 wasn't a good year at the yard however, and Ken, the youngest of the brothers had to retire from boat-building after being injured whilst carrying out duties as a volunteer fireman. Not long after though, a third generation of the family joined the business; Ian Dawson (son of Archbold) and Ivan Graham (nephew) both worked on 'Supreme II' (LH50) for Eddie Grey of Craster. The 33ft (10.06m) coble was launched in 1979 and was used for both potting and salmon drift netting.

 

The second 'Childrens Friend' (LH177) was built in 1983 to replace the original. She measured 52 ft long (15.85m) and was built for local John Dawson to use for trawling. She followed her smaller sister up to Eyemouth later on.

 

Another local, John Shiel commissioned the 'Golden Gate' (LH43) and the 36ft (10.97m) duel purpose boat was launched in 1984. She was built with a for'd wheelhouse and was powered by an upgraded Gardner 6LXB engine. Almost identical in size, 'Unity' (LH86), came next. She was launched in 1986 and was built for Jim Stephenson of Seahouses as a potter. She was fitted with her wheelhouse aft, and can still be seen operating today.

 

The second 'Ann Noble', this one registered as LH 104 for Mr Alan Noble of Seaham was completed in 1987. Her wide beam of over 11ft (3.35m) allowed more pots to be worked, and she remained with Alan for 16 years until being sold and renamed 'Quiet Waters'. Next was another coble, 'Helen Esther' (LH185) was launched in 1988 for Beadnell owner John Dixon. The 35ft (10.67m) coble was built with a for'd wheelhouse, allowing more modern electrical equipment to be housed. 1988 also saw the launch of the 32ft (9.75m), beautifully varnished coble, 'Faithful', built for Paul Battey and company (Holy Island) to use as a pleasure boat.

 

1989 saw another "duel-hat" boat; the 'Britannia II' (BK25), built for John Mackay of Seahouses. Used for boat trips and potting, it was later sold to Hanveys and renamed 'St Cuthbert III' and used solely for boat trips.

 

After this, the orders declined, and although a few more smaller order for pleasure craft came in the maintenance of the local vessels wasn't enough for the company to continue. Dawson's and sons ceased to trade in 1995.