Born in South Shields in 1947, Fred’s lifelong passion for boats began early. Leaving school at 15, he joined Robson Boat Builders, where he honed his skills. Over the years, Fred became a true expert in all things boat-related, from repairs to restorations.
In 1996, Fred took the leap and became self-employed. Initially working without his own boatyard, he expanded his expertise to general joinery, specialising in building and fitting staircases. Eventually, he found his own boatyard, where he worked until his retirement in 2014. One of his most notable projects was the restoration of the Seaham Harbour Lifeboat “George Elmy”, now on display in a museum!
After retiring in 2014, Fred didn’t slow down—he set up a workshop in Leadgate, crafting beautiful garden furniture, wooden ornaments, and even hand-painted slate art. He also writes poetry and short stories, paints watercolours, makes lathe turned clocks and creates traditional proggy mats which he combined with his short story writing to create a story reminiscing about village life in the 1910’s whilst sitting around their ‘proggy mat’ frames.
Fred’s talents shine across the community—he builds the Remembrance Day poppies and silhouettes at St Ives Church, helps out at Leadgate Club, and recently made headlines with his playful sign urging Councillors and Durham County Council to fix the long-neglected building at the traffic lights!
Fred’s creativity, humour, and heart make him a true local legend.
Story and photos by George Ledger – Consett in Focus
