Volume One - Into the Victorian Age - The official opening of the docks . . .

The life-boat crew then went through their evolutions in the basin, upsetting their boat, righting her, swimming and diving about in the water, &c. Lady Mary Clive christened the life-boat, by throwing a bottle of wine at it. A professional diver was lowered into the basin, clad in his waterproof costume, and illustrated the facility with which obstructions could be removed from the vicinity of the gates, should anything occur to prevent their being opened. There were also some hobblers' races, duck races, &c. the weather was delightful, and the occasion passed without a single contretemps. By eleven o'clock, when the invited guests sat down to breakfast, most of the outside spectators had dispersed, the returning steamers to Cardiff being crowded.

The Breakfast. - Was laid out in a large marquee, which was obtained from the establishment of Messrs. Edington of London, and was erected on the flat land between the basin and the foot of the hill. The tent was of great size, and seats at tables were arranged within for 350 persons. It unfortunately seemed defective in acoustic properties, as the reporters, though seated in the centre of the tent, heard scarcely a word of several of the speeches, and the rest very imperfectly. Whole speeches must have been delivered in dumb show, as far as persons sitting at the lower end of the tent were concerned, The repast provided by Mr. Staples, of the Albion, Aldergate-street, London, was sumptuous and elegantly served, and gave great satisfaction to the company, whose appetites were keenly whetted by their early rising and long waiting in the open air.

The chair was taken by Mr. W. S. Cartright, of Newport, vice chairman of the Penarth Company, who was supported by the Baroness Windsor and the noble and distinguished relatives by whom her ladyship was accompanied. To attempt to give an idea of who constituted the company, would be merely to give a list of the officials and shareholders of the Taff Vale and Penarth Companies, the merchants, shippers, and traders of Cardiff, and the leading gentry and professional men of the town and vicinity.

The Rev. C. Parsons, rector of Penarth, said grace before meal, and also returned thanks at the conclusion of the repast. The chairman then rose and apologised for the absence of Mr. Crawshay Bailey, M.P., the chairman of the Penarth Company, who had been rendered unable to attend by the death of Capt. Gwynne, his son-in-law. He gave successively the Queen, the Prince of Wales, and the Bishop and clergy of the diocese and the ministers of other denominations .To the last named toast the Rev. C. Parsons, rector of Penarth, responded. He said that he had ben looking round the assembly in vain to see if there was any one who would respond to the toast, instead of himself. In the absence of the Bishop and Dean and other dignitaries of the church, as rector of the parish in which they were assembled, he felt it was his duty to respond.