TYNE TUGS AND TUG BUILDERS
A history of Tyne Tugs, their builders and owners

Home

Builders

Engineers

Owners

Tugs

About

Select

Owner

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

XYZ

Above: Select the required Tug Owner by using the initial letter of the Owner's Name eg: Batey, Lawson or Tyne.
KEY BELOW: D / H / P (D = basic dimensions are shown; H = a history is given; P = one or more photographs are available)

Tug Owner: Robert Armstrong, Newcastle

Robert Armstrong owned tugs in his own right and also with other shareholders, especially John Batey (see here).
The following tugs were owned (or in part) by Robert Armstrong:

Tug Name Year D / H / P
Charles Dickens 1872 D / H / P
Clarence 1866 D / H / P
Little Western 1844 D / H
Providence 1870 D / H
Providence 1871 D / H
Rosamond 1859 D / H
Sir Colin Campbell 1858 D / H
Star 1866 D / H
Venus 1867 D / H
-------------------- ----- ----------


Above chart shows pre-ownership (in lilac) and ownership (in maroon)


On the 21/08/1884 the Albert Edward Dock near North Shields was opened by the Prince & Princess of Wales.
The Prince & Princess were carried down the river in the paddle steamer PARA E AMAZONAS, recently built by Andrew Leslie & Co at Hebburn (see here). Also in the river procession was the steamer PROVIDENCE which carried the Stewards Committee of the Newcastle Freemen. The steamer was under the control of Captain Armstrong and for his services the Stewards presented him with a silver medal to commemorate the event.
It is highly likley that Captain Armstrong was in fact Robert Armstrong who was a part owner of PROVIDENCE.

Newcastle Journal, Tuesday, 09/09/1884

Above photos are courtesy of Sid Patterson