The yard, about four acres in extent, was held by lease from the Belfast Harbour Commissioners.

It was well placed, alongside a fine patent slip, with clear frontage, allowing of the largest ships being freely launched.
Indeed, the first ship built there, the Mary Stenhouse, had only just been completed and launched by Messrs.

Robert Hickson and Co., then the proprietors of the undertaking.

They were also the owners of the Eliza Street Iron Works, Belfast, which were started to work up old iron materials.

But as the works were found to be unremunerative, they were shortly afterwards closed.
On my entering the shipbuilding yard I found that the firm had an order for two large sailing ships.