Sunderland shipyards on film: An Echo look at Thompsons
and live on Freeview channel 276
Its 35 years this year since the last ship rolled out of a shipyard in Sunderland.
The town which once had 400 registered yards saw an end to shipbuilding in 1988.
We built a third of all UK ships
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Hide AdIt was an industry which employed thousands of locals. Wearside once built a third of all ships in the UK.
Today, we are focusing on one of the yards - Thompsons.
The Echo archives are filled with photos - from night-time scenes in 1951 and 1970 to royal visits with the Duke of Kent in 1940 and the Duke of Edinburgh in 1963.
Ships launches were a big occasion
We were there when the yard was modernised in 1970, and when ship launches brought out the crowds in 1957, 1958, 1962, and 1979.
Sadly, Thompsons was mothballed in 1986 but the memories live on. Share yours by emailing [email protected]
Who's next for a retro film launch
And why not tell us which shipyard should get our film focus next.
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