The staith depicted is an up-river coal loading facility used to load 'keels' and 'wherries'. The river being shallow, deeper draughted sailing colliers had to be loaded nearer the mouth of the River Tyne in deeper water. The keels having sailed down the river then transhipped their cargo of coal into the collier.

Watercolour on paper. Unsigned and undated. Painting is 9 3/8" x 7 3/8".