Catalogue description Papers of John William Macdonald (1866 - 1942) and Joseph MacGregor, MBE (1885 - 1907

John Macdonald's papers

DX10/1/1-6 Newscuttings, mainly on archaeology, literature and the arts, indexed, 1883 - 1897 (6 volumes)

DX10/2 Newscuttings on arts, spiritualism etc, 1922 - 1923 (1 volume)

DX10/3/1-2 Photographs of Macdonald, c1910 - c1930 (2 photographs)

DX10/4/1-6 Obituaries of Macdonald, 1942 (6 papers)

DX10/5 Notice of death of his widow Mrs Mary Annie Macdonald, 17 September 1971 (1 paper)

DX10/6 Obituary of Mrs Macdonald, in magazine of St Cuthbert's Presbyterian Church, Whitley Bay, 1971 (1 booklet)

Joseph MacGregor's papers

DX10/7 Personal History, notes by Joseph MacGregor, 1963 (3 papers)

DX10/8 Pro Patria, appeal by MacGregor to workmen to 'back Britain', n.d. [1967] (2 papers)

DX10/9 The Tyne, notes for talk on the history of the river, n.d. [c1933] (12 papers)

DX10/10 Grant of MBE to Joseph MacGregor, 1918 (1 paper)

DX10/11 Grant of life membership of International Marine Association, 1964 (1 paper)

DX10/12/1-2 Lists of ships fitted with MacGregor steel hatches, c1953 (2 volumes)

DX10/13/1-7 MacGregor News, magazine published by International MacGregor Organization, 1956 - 1974. Very incomplete. (7 booklets)

DX10/14 "Submerged Air Cushion" Vessels, provisional patent, 1967 (1 booklet)

DX10/15 Robert and Joseph MacGregor Memorial Awards, competition details, 1971 (5 papers)

DX10/16 The Eagle, 1 October 1954. Illustrates vessel with MacGregor hatches (1 paper)

DX10/17 Golar Obo, fitted with MacGregor hatches, 1967 (1 photograph)

DX10/18/1-11 Newscuttings re MacGregor International, c1966 - 1971 (11 papers)

DX10/19 Official opening of Whitley Bay YMCA, 1965 (1 booklet)

DX10/20/1-2 The Sextant, magazine of International Marine Association, 1968 - 1969 (2 booklets)

DX10/21/1-18 Newscuttings re MacGregor as inventor, benefactor etc, c1964 (18 papers)

DX10/22/1-6 Newscuttings obituaries, 1967 (7 papers)

DX10/23/1-13 Photograph of MacGregor with family at work and on social occassions, 1926, c1950 - 1967

MacGregor family papers

DX10/24 Family register of children of James and Dinah MacGregor, 1861 - 1975 (2 papers)

DX10/25 Family tree of Donald MacGregor of Balquidder (b 1719) to 1952 (1 paper)

DX10/26 Transcripts of letters of Alexander MacGregor (b 1804) architect, describing his early life in Glasgow. (1 file)

DX10/27 Notes by Robert MacGregor on David MacGregor of Beach, and his descendants, 1951 (3 papers)

DX10/28 Newscutting of book review on MacGregor History 1930 (1 paper)

Printed Material

DX10/29/1-4 The Palmer Review, an occassional journal conducted by the staff of Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Co Ltd, Jarrow, 1902 - 1907 (4 volumes)

DX10/30 From Colliers to Battleships: Palmers of Jarrow, 1852 - 1933, by John F. Davidson, Durham County Press, 1946 (1 volume)

DX10/31/1-4 Smith's Dock Monthly, 1920 - 1923 (3 volumes, 1 booklet)

DX10/32 Smiths Dock co, commemorative programme of visits by HM George V and Queen Mary, 14 and 16 June 1917 (1 booklet)

DX10/33 Ships and Men, 1899 - 1949, history of Smith's Dock Co, 1949 (1 booklet)

DX10/34 Coronation review of Fleet by HM Queen Elizabeth II, official programme, 1953 (1 booklet)

DX10/35 Handbook to the Church and Monastery of St Paul, Jarrow, 1887

DX10/36/1-12 Plans of River Tyne, c1870 and c1950 - 1960 (2 plans)

DX10/37/1-8 Engravings of River Tyne and Northumbrian Coast, 1832 - 1837 (8 papers)

These are possibly engraved by Jackson from drawings by Richardson.

Macdonald, John William, 1866-1942

MacGregor, Joseph, 1885-1907

Accesion number DX10

• Shipbuilding

Macdonald was a solicitor in North Shields, Secretary of the Tynemouth Permanent Building Society and first Honorary Secretary of Tynemouth YMCA. He later lived in Whitley Bay.

Joseph MacGregor, born in Jarrow, was his brother-in-law. After serving his apprenticeship as a draughtsman at Palmers, he worked for various companies, including Smith's Dock, finally becoming manager of their Swansea dock. In 1937 he set up the firm of MacGregor and Co (Naval Architects) with his brother Robert, to develop their invention of steel water-tight hold shutters for cargo vessel. The business developed internationally, and in 1958 MacGregor sold his interest in the Company. He remained president of the International MacGregor till his death in 1967. He was a well known local benefactor to the YMCA, Church, football club, and was founding president of Whitley Bay Pipe Band.