S.P. Austin & Son Ltd, Builders of the Betty Hindley. Founded in 1826 by Peter Austin as the Nova Scotia Shipyard, Monkwearmouth, Sunderland. In 1869, with Iron ship building now leading the way, Austin's built their last wooden vessel. For the next couple of years the company focused on repairs to Iron built vessels and aquiring surrounding land to further expand their business. In 1874 the company built their first Iron ship, and by 1881 were employing in excess of 400 men. During WW1 Austin's built 13 colliers and 5 small naval craft. By 1914 Austins were employing some 800 men. In 1954 Austins merged with W. Pickersgill and Son to become Austin and Pickersgill. In 1956 the yard closed.

North Eastern Marine Engineers, Builders of the Betty Hindley's engine. Formed in 1867 by John Frederick Spencer, the North Eastern Marine engineering Company were Marine engine builders of Sunderland. In 1882, the Northumberland engine works and forge were established by the company at Wallsend. In 1889, the combined efforts of both the Sunderland works and the Wallsend works had supplied in the region of 100 triple expansion engines to various ship builders. In 1909 the company were the first to install an electrically operated cantilever crane in the North East of England. In 1938, N.E.M was, along with George Clark, another engineering company aquired by Richardson Westgarth and Co and became Clark & NEM Ltd, this in turn becoming part of the Richardson Wetgarth Group.

Left ... A photograph of the Austin Dock Pontoon. In 1904, Austin's installed their pontoon docks. The pontoon was raised and lowered beneath the ship by filling and emptying ballast tanks with water. In effect these were the equivalent of having a dry dock, at what I should have imagined would have been at a fraction of the cost of constructing a dry dock.