James Laing
(1823-1901)
20 February 1862
Volume 6, page 46, sitting number 7056.
Born at Deptford House in Bishopswearmouth, Durham, on 11 January 1823, James Laing was the son of Philip Laing and Anne née Jobling. According to one online source (www.ghgraham.org): ‘At age 20, in 1843, he took over his father's shipbuilding business. […] After the launch of his first ship, the Agincourt, built for Duncan Dunbar (1804-1862), he delivered one or more ships to this well known owner every year for the next twelve years. The Dunbar ships were famous cargo and passenger liners, and the Laings enjoyed what was almost a monopoly in their building, until 1864, when the last of them, the Dunbar Castle, was launched.
‘The Laings were at the forefront when steel was introduced, and they began building oil tankers, and soon were specializing in this particular design. James's son Hugh came into prominence with the birth of the oil tanker, and concentrated his efforts on this new production. The result was that the Laings attracted world-wide attention and received many orders for this new design. […] For 58 years he had controlled the destinies of the Deptford yard, and witnessed several revolutions in ship design. When he took over the management from his father, they were building little wood ships at Deptford of 300 to 500 tons. At the end of his life the same yard, greatly extended, was producing big passenger liners and oil carrying steamers in steel.’
James Laing married twice and fathered a total of sixteen children.
On 28 July 1847 at Bishopwearmouth, Durham, ‘James Laing, Esq., of Deptford House [married] Mary, youngest daughter of H. Tanner, Esq.’ (Newcastle Guardian and Tyne Mercury, 31 July 1847).
His first wife died at Deptford House on 30 March 1850.
On 10 April 1855 at Southchurch, Durham, ‘James Laing, Esq., of Deptford House, Bishopswearmouth’ married ‘Theresa Talbot, daughter of Thomas Peacock, Esq., of Bishop Auckland’ (Newcastle Chronicle, 13 April 1855).
‘On Tuesday last, on the occasion of the marriage of James Laing, Esq., J.P. of Sunderland, with Miss Peacock, of Bishop Auckland, upwards of 300 of his workmen employed in the wood and shipbuilding, at Deptford, sat down to an excellent dinner of old English fare, which was served up in excellent style in the draughting loft of the establishment.’ (Durham Chronicle, 13 April 1855).
The family appear on the 1871 census living at Thornhill, Bishopwearmouth, Durham. The household included a 21-year-old son from James’s first marriage, eight children from his second, twelve servants and a live-in teacher. James gave ‘Shipbuilder' as his profession.
In 1897 he was knighted in recognition of his achievements.
Sir James Laing ‘of Thornill Sunderland and of Etal-manor Cornhill Northumberland’ died at Etal Manor on 15 December 1901, leaving an estate valued at £121,402.
‘Sir James Laing, the well-known Sunderland ship-builder, died yesterday morning at his Northumberland residence, Etal-manor, after an illness of a fortnight. Sir James, who was 78 years of age, was the only son of Philip Laing, of Deptford-house, Sunderland. Since 1868 he had been chairman of the River Wear Commissioners. In 1853 he organized and presided over the committee of shipowners who concluded a convention with the Suez Canal Company which resulted in the lowering of dues, abolition of pilotage charges, and the representation of British shipowners on the board of the company. Since that year he had been a director of the Suez Canal Company. He served as sheriff of Durham in 1879, was D.L. and J.P. for that county, and J.P. for Northumberland. Sir James Laing, who was knighted in 1897, married, first, in 1847, Mary, daughter of Henry Tanner, Bishopwearmouth, and second, in 1855, Theresa Talbot, daughter of Thomas Peacock. He unsuccessfully contested North Durham in 1881 as a Liberal (The Times, 16 December 1901).