Norman Dunn's 'Hebburn and our Neighbours Forum'

Norman Dunn's 'Hebburn and our Neighbours Forum'
[ Norman Dunn's 'Hebburn and our Neighbours Forum' ]

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What a sad sight

Posted by Norman on 9/11/2024, 9:28 am

My son Matthew was out doing his gas servicing/repairs and took these 2 photos for us when passing Leslies on Thursday.
Hawthorn Leslies gone and ready to become another Hebburn Housing Estate.
So sad that all our great employers are gone. Where will young people leaving school find their career's?

Re: What a sad sight

Posted by Stan Wears on 9/11/2024, 10:24 am, in reply to "What a sad sight"

History down the pan Norman. So sad..

Re: What a sad sight

Posted by Mac Hardy on 9/11/2024, 10:28 am, in reply to "Re: What a sad sight"

Worked there for a number of years, the Best yard on the Tyne, what a sad end, all those jobs lost.

Re: What a sad sight

Posted by Mac Hardy on 9/11/2024, 10:51 am, in reply to "Re: What a sad sight"

When you think of all the jobs that have gone, Hawthorne Leslies, Reyrolles, Pyro, Bitumastic, Bushings, the Banks etc makes for concern for young people getting work !

Re: What a sad sight

Posted by John Shearer on 9/11/2024, 12:23 pm, in reply to "Re: What a sad sight"

It wasn't that the yards and factories had gone, there was nothing invested to take their place. All the profits and money went South.

Re: What a sad sight

Posted by Geordieboy ns on 9/11/2024, 6:15 pm, in reply to "Re: What a sad sight"

Just guessing, it was probably WW2 that helped create the industrial North ? Other industries have been created ,container shipping car manufacturing etc., But none require the manpower of yesterday. As mentioned what jobs are available for today's youngsters. Sad to see the demise of ship building in the north.

Re: What a sad sight

Posted by Allan Campbell on 9/11/2024, 8:49 pm, in reply to "Re: What a sad sight"

The problem with most of the industries in Hebburn was that they did not advance with the times.

When I left Hebburn Palmer Drawing office in early 1966 it was still working in the old way.

When I started in Harrogate in the same line of work in 1968, but as a designer and the Drawing office was next to our office.

I could see the changes a working practices, more efficient.

I seem to recall in about that time quite a few of the steel fabrication firms on Tyneside started to close. Only Frasers kept going.

Reyrolle stuff too good, Leslie’s could not build the big stuff required and ships from Japan and South Korea bigger and cheaper.

The company that I worked for in Harrogate from 1968 closed in 1992 uncompetitive, new kids on the block cheaper and more efficient but the crash of 1988 was really the death knell for the company which had geared up for the London building boom that crashed in 1988.

Those that embraced CAD and other advanced technology in the workshops took over.

The steel fabrication trade has always been a bit risky looking back in hindsite.

Allan C.

Re: What a sad sight

Posted by Stan Wears on 11/11/2024, 5:15 pm, in reply to "Re: What a sad sight"

CAD is useful but it is found that because it has no thinking capabilities, mistakes cannot be easily spotted. It is useful for offshore design where there are miles of pipes at different levels preventing clashes, but Like you Allan, I am old school and prefer proven ways!

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