# John Lynn & Co Ltd, Sunderland



## Roger Jordan

I hesitated at putting this question on the bridge section, but I think it is the most appropriate.
I am sure that there will be some deck department people that will know the answer to this.
The last mention that I can find anywhere relating to John Lynn & Co Ltd, Sunderland, is in 1957, although there is currently a John Lynn steam winch of unknown age in an engine museum at Westonzoyland, Somerset. The first mention I have found indicates that the company was in existence prior to 1898, and I have found two references to it at St Luke's Engine Works, Sunderland, in 1932 and 1940. The company does not appear as an advertiser in old journals that I have, such as Motor Ship, Syren, and Shipbuilding & Shipping Record, nor does it shown up in Directory of Shipowners, Shipbuilders & Marine Engineers, at any time during 1919-1980. This suggests to me that maybe it did not need to advertise because the builders in Sunderland kept it ticking over very nicely.
I would be interested to know what happened to this company.
Regards
Roger Jordan


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## ccurtis1

John Lynns amalgamated with the Sunderland Forge and Engineering Co. Ltd about 1962/1963. The companies were over the road to each other in Pallion and the Forge absorbed certainly the apprentices and maybe some of the tradesmen before the factory of Lynns was closed. Writing was on the wall as just a few short years later, the Forge was closed too, with the demise of shipbuilding on the Wear


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## Mal Bedlington

*John Lynn & Co Sunderland*

John Lynn amalgamated with the Sunderland Forge, Pallion and the John Lynn factory was closed down. The factories were across the road from each other and some of the the John Lynn staff were transfered to the Sunderland Forge factory.

I know this as my father served his apprenticeship, as an engineer, at "Lynns" and was one of those transfered to "The Forge".

I myself worked briefly at the Sunderland Forge as a Marker Off, after serving my apprenticeship with Geo. Clark (Sunderland) the marine engine builders.

I hope this is of some help.

Mal Bedlington.


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## ccurtis1

Was Jock Watson on the machine shop marking off bench when you were at the Forge Mal? Was Joe Corry the machine shop foreman and Stan Metcalfe a chargehand? I was in the machine shop from 1960 to 1962 and moved up to the fitting shop for a further two years, where Ted Harrison was the foreman and Tommy Snowdon the chargehand.


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## Mal Bedlington

The marker off when I join The Forge was Jonny Brooks. There were two machine shop foremen, Stan Metcalfe and my father. Stan looked after the Forge work and my father Lynns work. Ted Harrison and Tommy Snowdon were there when I joined. Ted was eventually made Works Manager.


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## ccurtis1

Was Lynns work carried out in the Forge winch shop? Bob Shearer, the brother of the then works manager Bill Shearer was foreman when I was there. Mr Marston (The Rock) was appointed works manager when Bill Shearer retired, so Ted Harrison must have taken over from him.


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## Tudders

*Tudders*



ccurtis1 said:


> Was Jock Watson on the machine shop marking off bench when you were at the Forge Mal? Was Joe Corry the machine shop foreman and Stan Metcalfe a chargehand? I was in the machine shop from 1960 to 1962 and moved up to the fitting shop for a further two years, where Ted Harrison was the foreman and Tommy Snowdon the chargehand.


Yes Jock Watson was the marker off at that time because I was in the machine shop drawing office and the marking off bench was just outside of our office. I went next to the training school situated above the tool shop. Then into winch shop Bill Shearer was foreman Fitting shop for a while Ted Harrison was foreman and then onto the EFD till I finished my aprenticeship, left in1964 and joined Royal Mail Lines. My names Pete Tudberry is there anyone out there who was there whe I was there all those years ago. Regards Pete


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## A.D.FROST

Roger Jordan said:


> I hesitated at putting this question on the bridge section, but I think it is the most appropriate.
> I am sure that there will be some deck department people that will know the answer to this.
> The last mention that I can find anywhere relating to John Lynn & Co Ltd, Sunderland, is in 1957, although there is currently a John Lynn steam winch of unknown age in an engine museum at Westonzoyland, Somerset. The first mention I have found indicates that the company was in existence prior to 1898, and I have found two references to it at St Luke's Engine Works, Sunderland, in 1932 and 1940. The company does not appear as an advertiser in old journals that I have, such as Motor Ship, Syren, and Shipbuilding & Shipping Record, nor does it shown up in Directory of Shipowners, Shipbuilders & Marine Engineers, at any time during 1919-1980. This suggests to me that maybe it did not need to advertise because the builders in Sunderland kept it ticking over very nicely.
> I would be interested to know what happened to this company.
> Regards
> Roger Jordan



View attachment 28351


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## coley

*lynns and forge*



A.D.FROST said:


> View attachment 28351


hi, i served my time fitter/turner at lynns then transferred to forge. i left in 1967 for merch/navy. i never worked in forge machine shop...but can remember jimmy turnbull and norman leadbitter. i finished on the lathes in the EFD shop then went into fitting shop. teddy harrison was foreman and tommy snowdon was a chargehand. in EFD stan metcalfe was chargehand from Lynns on the lathes. can you rememember totty noble?
i played football for Lynns and the Forge. John Draper ran the forge a team and i was captain. he worked on the big lathe in the heavy forge.


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## joebuckham

have'nt had a chance to look yet but you could try this site


http://www.searlecanada.org/sunderland/sunderland001.html

regds joe b


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## A.D.FROST

coley said:


> hi, i served my time fitter/turner at lynns then transferred to forge. i left in 1967 for merch/navy. i never worked in forge machine shop...but can remember jimmy turnbull and norman leadbitter. i finished on the lathes in the EFD shop then went into fitting shop. teddy harrison was foreman and tommy snowdon was a chargehand. in EFD stan metcalfe was chargehand from Lynns on the lathes. can you rememember totty noble?
> i played football for Lynns and the Forge. John Draper ran the forge a team and i was captain. he worked on the big lathe in the heavy forge.


Hope this brings back some memories(Thumb)
View attachment 34650


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## ccurtis1

A.D.FROST said:


> Hope this brings back some memories(Thumb)
> View attachment 34650


I worked alongside Norman Leadbitter in the machine shop at the "Forge". He played for the TLF. Jack Goldsmith ran the "Forge"
senior team when I was an apprentice. Bill Liston, Alf Johnson were two of the players I recall. I left the "Forge in 1964 to join Silver Line and never worked ashore again.
I think you are slightly mistaken about Stan Metcalfe. Stan worked the big lathe in the machine shop at the "Forge" way before Johnny Lynns lads were absorbed into the "Forge". There were some pretty good footballers from Lynns who played in the Apprentices team.
Graham Defty, Geoff Vincent and Geordie Neil to name a few. It became Forge "A" and Forge "B" after the merger. Pete Tudberry, who has subscibed to this thread, was a smashing footballer who sometimes played for the company, but if memory serves me correctly he favoured Whitburn youths.
There were some great lads at the "Forge" both in the machine shop and the fitting shop. Billy Softly, Geordie Abbott (who did a trip or two with Ben Line) Wilfy Turnbull, Ernie Hood, Bob MacDonald (Who ran the under 18's footy team) Tony Wickens and Phil Nicholson.
A great place to "serve your time" was the "Forge"


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## ketley22

*More on John Lynn*

The information is taken from Sunderland Industrial handbook 1937


Clive


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## A.D.FROST

Now there's a word? thats discribes a Doxford "VIBRATIONLESS"


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## john trot

I was an apprentice at John Lynns from 1958 to 1963 to join the W R Smith line
with Billy Garret .I worker with Graham Defty on the V. T. L. Tommy Payton was 
shop forman, and Joe Clark was works manager. The canteen was very good
fish and chips for 1/-6. Iam still good frends with K Spence and Steve Bailly.
B b l jOHN TROTTER


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## joebuckham

Tudders said:


> Yes Jock Watson was the marker off at that time because I was in the machine shop drawing office and the marking off bench was just outside of our office. I went next to the training school situated above the tool shop. Then into winch shop Bill Shearer was foreman Fitting shop for a while Ted Harrison was foreman and then onto the EFD till I finished my aprenticeship, left in1964 and joined Royal Mail Lines. *My names Pete Tudberry is there anyone out there who was there when I was there all those years ago. Regards Pete*


peter, I wasn't there but I have great memories of rose crescent and my adopted family

trevor


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## chadburn

A.D.FROST said:


> Now there's a word? thats discribes a Doxford "VIBRATIONLESS"


Practically(almost) vibrationless whereas a VTE was indeed vibrationless(Jester). Graham Defty had if I remember correctly had a brother called Mick.


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## mcdutch8

We Have 4 winches(+1 broken) built by J Lynn & Co Ltd Sunderland.
The winches were converted from Steam power to compressed airpower and are only now being decommissioned,theyre still in working order but idle in our yard.

They were on a french built barge which was built in 1977.Dont know the age of the winches


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## mcdutch8

Pls find attached pics ..


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## R58484956

Greetings *mcdutch8* and welcome to *SN*. Bon voyage.


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## mcdutch8

Thank you for the welcome!Pleased to be here


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