Hughes Bolckow

Hughes Bolckow formerly Messrs, Hughes, Bolckow, and Co., Limited was a well known ship breaking company based out of Blyth, Northumberland.

Background
Intending to create an industrial park for dismantling obsolete warships in 1911 the company leased 6 acre of land from Lord Ridley and the Blyth Harbour Commissioners.

The company was responsible for scrapping a number of famous Royal Navy ships including the HMS Britannia. In response to requests from customers the company created a series of "choice Antiques" from the fine old seasoned timber they possess from the old HMS Britannia. The company even had a Ship Timber Department that would create articles manufactured from teakwood taken from obsolete battleships and preserved in “Solignum.”

During World War I Messrs, Hughes, Bolckow, and Co., Limited experimented with employing women in jobs that were traditional reserved for men. By 1916 13% of the workforce were women, the UK Ministry of Labour approved the work provided the women didn't have to lift a sledgehammer weighing more than 5 lbs.

In 1921 the company acquired four huge concrete hangers at the Marske by the sea Aerodrome in Germany. The hangers also had an attached 30 acres of land that the company will use to store material purchased by the company it had taken from dumps in France.

Over the course of its existence the company bought up a number of other companies like the Worth, Mackenzie ft Company, Limited which was purchased in 1935. By 1952 it had become a subsidiary of Metal Industries, Limited and was listed on their books. In 1960 The Hughes Bolchow Shipbreaking Co, Ltd., of Blyth changed its name to Hughes Bolckow Ltd. So as to serve notice that although its main activity is still in shipbreaking, the company was branching out.