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 yard or the man, but work appears to have petered out by 1858. The site is now light industry underneath the Queen Alexandra Bridge.