By Mia Cox, Archivist
In 2012, thanks to a grant awarded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, North Yorkshire Archives opened up the Cochranes of Selby Archive [ZZU] – cleaning, listing, and repackaging a significant amount of the collection. Alongside this we held outreach events for local groups and schools with the help from a great team of dedicated volunteers – some being former employees of the shipyard drawing office. We continue to care for these records and are grateful the ‘Trawling Through Time’ Project allowed us to delve deeper into this fascinating collection. You can read more about the project on this blog post.
The Cochranes of Selby collection includes business and administrative records, such as minutes and wage books, as well as a large array of general arrangements and lines plans. The associated photographic collection is held at Hull Museums and Gallery. We have since received further deposits to the collection from former employees and those with connections to the company, which has provided amazing insight and context into the business and the people that worked there.
General Arrangement of the ferry boat, Hebridean Isles [ZZU]
The Hebridean Isles (1895) was the first ferry built by Cochranes and the first ferry commissioned by Caledonian MacBrayne to be built outside of Scotland. It was also Caledonian MacBrayne’s first ship to be launched sideways and their first to be launched by royalty – the Duchess of Kent. She retired in November 2024 after almost 40 years of service.
Cochranes of Selby publicity brochure featuring Caledonian MacBrayne’s ferry, Hebridean Isles [ZZU]
The GA plan for Volta (1899) YN 246. The Steam trawler contracted for Hancock and Galvin, Milford Haven, Wales was the first vessel launched at the Selby shipyard. 
The GA plan for Salvage Prince (1924) YN 793. A tugboat built for the Pyke Salvage and Navigation Company of Kingston, Ontario. Often vessels were renamed as they were bought and sold, however, Salvage Prince retained her name until she was scrapped in 1995. 
Kurd and Benvolio (1930) YN 1095 and 1096. British Royal Navy Trawlers used as minesweepers. Benvolio was lost after detonating a mine off the Humber in February 1940, and Kurd was sunk off the coast of Cornwall in July 1945, just two months after the war ended. 
The GA plan for Forth Bridge (1992) YN 173 new series. The tanker contracted for Eliza P-G Ltd. was the very last vessel built by Cochranes and launched at Selby.
Family Tradition: The Cochranes
Cochranes shipyard was founded in 1884 in Beverley by Andrew Cochrane (1839-1917), or Andrew Senior, who moved the company to Selby in 1898.
For the next 80 years the business remained a family concern, there always being a member of the Cochrane family working at the shipyard or in its offices.
Andrew Senior was known to be popular amongst the workmen, and on his golden wedding anniversary in 1914 he was presented with a gold loving cup by foreman joiner, William Cass (image to left).
Andrew Senior’s grandson, Andrew Lewis Cochrane (1892-1965) started his career at Selby in 1914 as an Assistant Yard Manager, before he joined the East Yorkshire Regiment later that year.
Donald M. Cochrane (1897-1962), grandson of Andrew Senior and brother of Andrew Lewis, started working in the shipyard in 1915. The same year, Andrew Lewis returned from the army to work in the yard.
Andrew Senior’s son, also named Andrew, or Andrew Junior (1865-1925), was elected as chairman of the company after the death of his father in 1917.
Minute book dated 12 September 1917 [ZZU]
Tom M. Cochrane (1882-1943), another son of founder Andrew Senior, was elected as chairman of the company in 1925 after the death of his brother Andrew Junior, and Sidney John Cochrane (1902-1960), grandson of Andrew Senior, also began work in the yard that year.
Andrew Lewis eventually became chairman, and retired from the company in 1963 – ending the reign of Cochranes at Selby when the business was passed to the Ross Group Ltd in 1965.
Family Tradition: The Workers
“Typical of many industries situated in a small town, there was always a strong family tradition of working in the Yard, with sometimes three generations in employment at the same time. The family commitment came from the top with the Cochranes being actively engaged in what was for over seventy years; their company.” From Cochranes of Selby: Yorkshire Shipbuilders by Eric Hammal and Peter D. Coates, 2013.
A photograph of the joiners and sawyers of Cochranes, taken c.1930 [ZZU]
This wonderful photograph was deposited by Eric Ward and is now part of the Cochranes of Selby Archive, ZZU. Confirmed workers featured in the photograph are Thomas Clark Stamford and his three sons, Charles, Reginald and Thomas. By the estimated date, it is likely also to feature William Cass and his son Fred Cass, both joiners at the company.
1921 census [Ancestry] and the 1945 Ordnance Survey map showing Selby [National Library of Scotland]
Census records show families working at Cochranes and living just a stone’s throw away from the shipyard in Selby – such as the Stamford family, four members working for the shipyard, living at 4 Staynor View, located near Carr Street, the road leading up to the shipyard. Others lived on Harold Street, Volta Street and Denison Road, all surrounding the shipyard & only a 2–3-minute walk to work.
Cochranes Careers: ‘The most popular man employed in the shipyard’
John ‘Jack’ Matthews was born on the 18th November 1864 in Scarborough. At age 14 he was apprenticed to Mr. Edmonds, shipwright of Scarborough. At age 21 he was working 52 hours a week for 6 shillings. Jack began working at Cochrane and Sons when the company was established in 1884/85 and remained a dedicated employee for more than five decades.
“As he stands in front of the moving mass of hundreds of tons of steel, he ducks down, and every ship passes over him as it slides on its way to take the waters of the River Ouse” The Leeds Mercury, April 11, 1927.
As foreman shipwright, Jack superintended the launch of over 1140 ships in his career – with only one mishap, when a ship got stuck on the slipway. Jack moved back to his hometown of Scarborough after a long, illustrious career at Cochranes – ‘a rare craftsman, with his heart in his work, and conscientious withal… he can look back with pride’ (The Daily Mail, August 8, 1932).
Mr. Harry Slack spent 39 years at Cochrane and Sons, 35 of those years as foreman shipwright. He joined the company in 1921, becoming foreman shipwright after the retirement of Jack and launched nearly 300 ships at Selby.
His predecessor, Jack Matthews, was his father-in-law, the two of them having been the only foreman shipwrights for Cochranes over a 62-year period. On his retirement in 1960 (pictured here), he was gifted a gold watch, cutlery, an electric razor, a clock and an electric toaster.
Cochranes Careers: ‘Shipyard Veterans’
“William Cass, foreman joiner, is seventy-one. He has made a model of every ship launched. Five of Mr Cass’s sons are employed in the yard, one having over thirty years’ service. He has also several grandsons working.” The Leeds Mercury, April 11, 1927.
Frederick Cass, son of William Cass, was born 3rd October 1891. At age 19 he was a ships joiner apprentice, following in the footsteps of his father who worked at Cochranes as a ships joiner since it was founded in 1884/85. At age 29, Fred is married with a daughter and is a ships joiner (1921 census). By 1939 Fred has been appointed foreman ships joiner (1939 register). His handwritten notes fill most of a foreman’s minute book covering 1955-1979 (ZZU, deposited by Eric Hammal) – a lovely piece of history, showing the care Fred and his fellow foremen had for their colleagues and how they often paid tribute to this with cards and gifts.
Sketches to Sea
Envoy Class: Enticer (YN 1282)
The Envoy Class ships were large steam, rescue tugs built to the order of the Ministry of Transport but handed over to the Royal Navy on completion in 1944. These photographs of the Enticer’s interior show a high standard to the accommodation areas, despite being built for war with a possible short life expectancy.
The Envoy Class design was developed from the Assurance Class (1940-1942), an earlier class of ships built for Admiralty at the start of WWII. These intricate designs were used as reference material for both ship sequences, and alongside the photographs, show the level of detail that went into a boat’s creation by Cochranes, from beginning to end.
These wonderful photographs and sketches were kindly deposited with us by Eric Hammal, former Company Naval Architect and Design Manager for Cochranes of Selby. In 2013, Eric, alongside Peter Coates, former Chief Engineering Draughtman, published a fascinating book on Cochranes Shipbuilders and its history, using material from the Cochranes collection we hold, as well as additional material they have since deposited with us.
We are incredibly grateful to hold the Cochranes of Selby Archive (ZZU), a significant collection that represents an important and cherished family business from North Yorkshire and we are proud to preserve it for the use of present and future generations. If you would like any further information on the collection and its contents, please do get in touch with us via email on archives@northyorks.gov.uk.
North Yorkshire Archives Blog 
Extremely interesting. My father worked as a joiner for 51 years at the yard & my uncle was yard manager in the 70’s/80’s. We have many photographs which my father took over years.
Hi John, we’re glad you enjoyed reading our blog post. We are always interested to hear about personal stories and records people hold relating to collections here at North Yorkshire Archives. We’d love to hear more about the photographs your father took – photographs are valuable additions to our collections and help bring a more personal dimension to the history of business and industry collections, such as Cochranes. If you’re happy to share, we can be contacted via email at archives@northyorks.gov.uk. Thanks again, Mia (Archivist).