G.K. Stothert & Co Overview and Operations

G.K. Stothert & Co has a long history of providing high-quality products and services to its customers. The company was founded in 1856 and has been in operation for over 160 years.

G.K. Stothert & Co's operations are centered around the production of gates, fences, and other metal products. Their products are made from high-quality materials and are designed to last.

The company has a strong commitment to quality and customer service. This is reflected in their attention to detail and dedication to meeting customer needs.

For another approach, see: First Quality

G.K. Stothert & Co operated from 1852 to the 1920s, with a significant presence in Bristol's shipbuilding industry. The company was founded by George Kelson Stothert, a pioneer in iron shipbuilding and marine engineering.

In 1852, Stothert opened his shipbuilding works at Hotwells, Bristol, where he built ships until 1904. The yard's location played a crucial role in its operations, with easy access to the River Avon.

Expand your knowledge: Bristol & West

The company's early years saw the construction of several large vessels, including the Scamander, Meander, and Araxes, which were built for the Moss Line of Liverpool between 1854 and 1855. These ships were notable for their size, ranging from 780 to 1156 tons.

G.K. Stothert & Co became known for producing river and canal tugs, with an order of three tugs for the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal Company in 1860 marking the beginning of this specialization. By 1904, the company had built thirteen such tugs for various clients, including the Severn & Canal Carrying Company.

G. K. Stothert was a pioneer in iron shipbuilding and marine engineering, opening his shipbuilding works at Hotwells in 1852.

He made stationary and marine steam engines, and his company built ships until 1904.

The firm established a partnership with Ernest T. Fripp in 1854, and later became a limited company in 1909.

Stothert's company built a 400 HP tandem compound mill engine in 1883, with cylinders 23" and 43" dia., and a stroke of 4' 6".

They also installed a 250 HP engine at Richard Hayward and Co’s Coker Sailcloth Works in 1880.

In 1892, the company built engines for the SS Tredegar, owned by the Port of Bristol Authority and Osbourne and Wallis.

The last ships built by the company were two tugs in 1904, after which they focused on ship repairs and rebuilds until closing in the 1920s.

The company employed 25 people in 1914, and was known as engineers, shipbuilders, and repairers.

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The company's operations were deeply rooted in their location, which played a crucial role in their success.

In 1852, the company started leasing an existing shipyard adjacent to the Cumberland Basin that was owned by the Society of Merchant Venturers.

The premises had been used by George Lunnell between 1834 and 1851, and the site consisted of slipways, Hotwells Dry Dock (now Pooles Wharf Marina) and Merchant's Dock (now filled in, although the old entrance is still visible).

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In 1897, part of the site was sold by the Merchant Venturers to the Great Western Railway, which allowed a line to be built to Canon's Marsh.

These works restricted access to the shipyard from Hotwell Road and reduced the size of Merchant's Dock.

The company opened an Avonmouth repair branch shortly after the completion of the Royal Edward Dock, which was in operation until at least 1920.

This was housed in a building to the north of the Dry Dock.

G.K. Stothert's shipyard built several large vessels in the mid-19th century, including the Scamander, Meander, and Araxes, which ranged in size from 780 to 1156 tons.

These vessels were built in 1854 and 1855 for the Moss Line of Liverpool. The company also built river and canal tugs, with thirteen being used by or on behalf of the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal Company and its successors.

The company's first order for the canal company was for three tugs in 1860, including the Moss Rose, Mayflower, and Violet. The Mayflower's current boiler, dating from 1909, is yard No. 303.

The Danks, Venn, and Sanders tug Pioneer was used by its owners on the Canal from 1858 onwards, and may have passed into the hands of the Canal Company at a later date.