A shipyard was most likely located here under the tenure of Michael Clark. The bottom of Southwick along the "New Road" featured a set of at least 8 shipyards at any one time in the 1850s, and Clark is noted to have built at least 5 vessels here between 1849 and 1858. These were composed of brigs and barques for regional merchants for general cargo & coal.

Further evidence it was located here is brought about by an event in 1852. Various news reports in the January of 1852 document a significant fire at Clark's yard, when a boy holding a candle ignited some hemp in the shipyard storehouse. The workmen of the yard, "and those belong to the yards adjoining", ran to render their assistance. A floating fire ending from the River Wear commissioners was sent also but too late to be of use. The full quantity of damage totalled to £200. Given there were immediately adjoining yards, it is certainly to have been located along the New Road as the only site by the 1850s to feature a row of them.

Nothing further is known of the man, but work appears to have petered out by 1858.

It appears likely this yard was also used by William Nicholson, who built at least 5 vessels in the 1860s. Prior to work here he lived at Nicholson House on Ryhope Road with his father also named William. His father is noted as a ship owner and anchor smith merchant born in Durham. I imagine William (jnr) took on the family business but moved into building and inherited the name - William Richardson & Sons. All vessels built, and operated by William here were in wood and mostly rigged, through one appears to be a paddle steamer - the Aber, which was sunk in the Irish Channel in 1871.

The site is now light industry underneath the Queen Alexandra Bridge.