Church of St. Bartholomew, grave of C.S. Swan

Charles Sheriton Swan (1831-1879), shipbuilder and founder of C.S. Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson. Born at West Farm, Walker. One of 11 children of William Swan and Ann Sheriton. His father was secretary of the North Shields Railway Company. Charles was apprenticed with Charles Mitchell & Co. at the Low Walker Yard. He then worked in Russia as an engineer, becoming manager of the Volga Steamboat Company. In 1865 he succeeded younger brother Henry Frederick, as manager of the Mitchell's yard at St. Petersburg which made warships. In 1871 he returned to Tyneside and became managing director of Wallsend Slipway Company. In 1874 he was appointed manager of the failing Wallsend shipyard of Coulson and Cooke by his brother-in-law Charles Mitchell, who had taken it over. The firm of C.S. Swan became a success. In 1879 Charles was killed when he fell overboard a paddle steamer in Russia. In 1880 George B. Hunter replaced Charles at the shipyard. He went into partnership with Charles' widow to form C.S. Swan & Hunter. In 1903 the company merged with John Wigham Richardson to form Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson - a company large enough to bid for the contract to build the Mauretania.