Market, Spring Lane or Forsythe's Dock

A dock is first shown in this position on Blackburne’s plan of the town (c.1789). From at least 1794, the dock and associated yard were owned by Simon Temple. The yard and the dry dock were taken over in 1806 by Thomas Forsyth and Co., when it was described as a ‘Business of repairing ships’. Wood’s Plan of South Shields of 1827 shows ‘Mr Forsyth’s Dock’ and it continued to be run by the Forsyths until 1859. In 1879, the yard launched the last wooden sailing ship built on the river, the barque Britomart. In the same year, the dock was lengthened and purchased by the Newcastle businessman, James Nelson. From around 1885, Tyne Dock Engineering had taken over the use of the dock and in 1889, the business was turned into a joint stock company, Tyne Dock Engineering and Co. In 1939, the yard was extended along the Quayside and over Thrift Street subsequent to a series of demolitions as part of the Riverside Development Scheme.