Seems they also bought the odd tug

OSCAR 1876
Built 1876 by G. Butchard, Milton, Gravesend. Iron paddle tug. L82’. B16.6’. D8.9’. 72grt. 45nhp 2cyl 22”x45” side lever steam engine by builder. ON73635.l
1876 Delivered to J Martin, London. 21-2-1879 Collided with barque Mystle Tie in Downs. 1879 Sold to G H Jewell, Kings Lynn. 1881 Sold to Dundalk Harbour Commissioners. 11-1907 Sold to Joseph Ridley, Tyneside. 4-1920 Transferred to Ridley Steam Tug Co Ltd. 3-1932 Sold for £75 to Grahamsley Ltd for scrap.

£350 and £75.......

Looks like they got a few Bargains.

Rather belatedly U. A. RITSON and THOMAS RICHARDSON were both built by Cox & Co at Falmouth in 1906. Don't know what happened to THOMAS but U. A. RITSON is shown in the 1934-5 edition of LR as owned by the Bermuda Transportation Co Ltd, Hamilton, Bermuda. Both were engined by Cox with twin triple expanson engines.

Can add a little more re "U A Ritson".
The Tyne Improvement Commissioners invited tenders for the "purchase and removal as they lie, exclusive of mooring chains and ropes, of the two steam twin-screw passenger ferry boats "Thomas Richardson" and "U A Ritson", two steam hoppers and one dumb hopper". Closing date was 11th June 1930.

"U A Ritson" did indeed live to fight another day in Bermudan waters. She was ultimately sold to "serve as a tender for liner passengers calling at the lonely Atlantic island of Bermuda"

Her final days on the Tyne were in Tyne Dock Engineering Company's no 2 dry dock. She departed on 10th September, 1931 in tow of Bugsier's tug "Atlas", 453grt, built 1921, destination Bermuda