Stubbs' Yard

Loaning the slipway at the west of Old Quay Yard, which was known as Manchester Ship Canal Number 2 Slip but which was also the public slipway, Runcorn Town Slip, the firm of John Stubbs & Sons was well-known locally. Various other Stubbs men had run shipbuilding firms in the town (Charles Stubbs and Peter Stubbs each ran their own businesses), but the longest established was that of Samuel Stubbs of Percival Lane. The firm passed to his son, John, who moved to the Old Quay site and was so well established there that the slipway became known as Stubbs' Slip, (and the outer wall, Stubbs' Wall). The family were eventually in the ship repair trade rather than building ships, but they did continue to build boats at the Old Quay site. The final change to the company came when it went to the founder's grandson, Fred Stubbs, who continued in business until the 1950s.

The photo above is care of "Mr. Salty Dog" on the Flickr website (showing two vessels under repair on the slip) and the one on the left is care of Ken Stubbs, the grandson of Jack Stubbs the shipbuilder, and shows VOLANT having her keel rebuilt at the yard.