The Joiners work consisted of manufacturing and installing the wood bulkheads and furniture in the accommodation areas of the ship.

Email;-
My late father Bill Slater joined Readhead's in 1956 as deputy foreman joiner. He was promoted foreman joiner in the late sixties following the retirement of his predecessor Bill McHale. He was made redundant around 1975 by the new owners of the yard, Swan Hunter (Swine and Grunters as he referred to them).
My dad's particular talent lay in interior design, and he did all the design work for the officers' quarters in particular. He was very proud of his work on the Strick boats, whose officers' quarters were particularly sumptuous. I remember being taken as a child to see a Strick boat (they were always boats not ships) at South Shields as a child in the early sixties - don't ask me which one, it may have been the Siestan. I was also taken to see one at Wallsend Slipway a few years later.
I have a few photos of cabin interiors, and I also have a copy of the centenary book along with two pewter tankards from around that time.
Readheads were always a bit paternalistic and I don't think the pay was as good as it should have been. I suppose that was compensated for by the free goose we received each Christmas from the company. There seemed to be a spirit of loyalty about the place and pride in the job though.
Talking of spirits, there was always a goodly stock of whisky in our household at Christmas, courtesy of various suppliers.
Regards and thanks for a fascinating site.

The Wood Machinist operates a wood turning lathe, circular saw, planing machine and other woodworking machines to produce parts required by the Joiners for fitting onboard ship.

The Riggers

The Riggers were responsible for all of the steel wire rope and fibre ropes and the associated thimbles, shackles, etc. They had a Rigging Loft in the roof of the Main Fabrication shed. They also maintained the yards crane ropes and lifting slings and were responsible for the inspection and testing of lifting appliances.

In the 1960's Dennis Slater was Foreman Rigger. He was a smashing bloke. It was amazing to see him hanging on the end of a crane hook being lifted on to the ship, long before the Rules about Health and Safety.

Domestic Pipe work would be made and fitted by the Plumbers.

Readheads Plumbers shop was situated across the road to the main shipyard.

The Electricians

The Electricians covered all aspects of installation of the ships electrics and included miles of wiring from switchboards, navigation equipment as well as all of the lighting systems.

Many thanks to Bill Just for this memory;-
I worked there as a maintenance Electrician from 1961 approx, till 1972.working all over the shipbuilding yard, and a few years on the welding plant, with Jimmy Todd, Trevor Musgrove, Ray Hewittson, Railton Moore, Ian McCann, Bob Spitiri, Ronnie Billson, Ronnie Winter, Jimmy Bass, to name just a few, my memories are of a family run business, lots of Fathers and sons, working there ,and great camirady as well, I well remember the Electricians Shop, in the Engine Works, and of Burt Robinson Foreman, and Ronnie Mitchell Chargehand, I always say I really enjoyed working there, mind you not a lot of money was ever paid as wages there. My first ships I can remember where the two Cunard ships, Media, and Saxonia. Any one can contact me any time if they wish to do so. Regards Bill Just

The Painters carried out the finished painting of the external deckhouse and all of the internal painting in the accommodation spaces.

The Spray Painters would use a compressed air operated spray gun to spray paint the ships plates and sections.

Shipbuilding has always been a dangerous occupation and accidents often happened. Readheads had their own Medical Centre with a full-time Nurse. There was also a shipyard First-Aid team who would be required to attend an incident on board a ship or anywhere around the yard. They were all trained by the St. John's Ambulance organisation and received a certificate on completion of the course. Regular 'mock-up' accident situations were held in the shipyard as part of their on-going training.

Boatbuilders

Readheads used to build their own lifeboats up to the beginning of the Second World War. This was discontinued when they were superseded by fibreglass lifeboats which were supplied by specialist companies.

Models were made by specialist companies.

This model ship of Himmerland (Ship No. 623) was auctioned in 2006 and the highest bid was 4697 euros.

Description: 
Model ship, M/S Himmerland. Built in 1967 by John Readhead & Son Ltd, England. Display case included. L. 120, H. 118 L.130 W. 26 cm.