Volume One - Into the Victorian Age - Some newspaper reports from the 1880's

The proposed addition will therefore increase the existing tipping power about 50 per cent., and not three times that power, as stated by our contemporary. The original scheme contemplated the construction of a dry dock at the western end of the present dock. This from want of capital and other circumstances, was never carried out, and the space reserved for it will now be utilised. The land on which the extension will take place belongs to Lord Windsor, who is most anxious to resist the movement in every way, and thus all opposition will be removed. The Taff Vale directors, when the work is completed, will enter into a new arrangement with the Penarth Dock Company, and leave the whole undertaking in their hands. The terms offered are favourable to the Penarth shareholders . .

The Taff Vale directors have just had completed a steam dredger, at a cost of £10,000. This will commence work next week, and a new channel will be cut from the entrance of the dock to the entrance of the gutway to the north of Cefn Wrack shoal. This will remove the angle at which ships entering the Penarth Dock now have to turn, and will give a depth of water sufficient for the largest vessels. The addition to the dock will be carried out under the direction of the Taff Vale Company, as they will become lessees of the whole undertaking. About 2,000,000 tons of earth will be removed by excavation, and this earth will be conveyed to Lower Grangetown, and tipped there to raise the ground near the Penarth Road, and render it suitable for building purposes.

During the last 12 months the increase in shipping at the Penarth Dock has been very considerable, and the total amount of coal shipped at the port, from 33 to 39 per cent has been shipped at Penarth. During the month of July 957 men were shipped at the Penarth Mercantile Marine Offices, and 618 discharged ; during August 552, and during September 674 men were shipped. In July 65 vessels passed through the gates having either shipped or discharged crews . . .

Recently Mr. Sydney B. Fox, an agent from the Middlesex Industrial School, has opened a home on Windsor-road, Penarth. At this industrial school, which is a home for waifs and strays found in the streets, the boys are trained for sea on board the training ship Endeavour. The Institution educate them. They are sent to the home in Penarth, supplied with clothing and everything they require ; and during the past two months, the agent has shipped 25 (?) boys from the home at Penarth on board outward-bound vessels. A comparison of these figures with those at Cardiff will prove the large amount of business which is being done at Penarth.