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

• January 1881 - Fatal Accident at Penarth Dock - "On Monday night an accident, which terminated fatally, happened in Penarth Dock. Mr. James Brown, chief engineer of the steamship Marbella, now lying at Penarth, was returning on board with a companion about a quarter to twelve. They had to cross the ship Rockhurst to get on board their own, and in attempting to step from one vessel to the other both fell into the water, and Mr. Brown's body came in contact with a "fender" in his descent.

Assistance was promptly rendered by Captain Bulford, of the Rockhurst, and a dock-gate man named Clements, and with considerable difficulty both were taken ut of the water. Mr. Brown's companion was not much worse for his ducking, but he himself had sustained such serious internal injuries that he died at five o'clock on Tuesday morning. The body was under the direction of Inspector Watts, conveyed to the dead-house, where it now lies awaiting and inquest. Deceased was a single man, and a native of Glasgow." Cardiff Times [019] 1st January 1881.

• July 1881 - Cardiff - Dock Extension at Penarth - "On Wednesday Sir John Hawkshaw, the engineer employed to superintend the extension of the dock at Penarth, visited the ground, accompanied by Mr. George Fisher, traffic manager of the Taff Vale Railway Company, and made a survey preliminary to the commencement of the work." Monmouthshire Merlin [167] 22nd July 1881.

• October 1881 - Penarth Mercantile Marine Office - "In consequence of the increasing amount of business done at the Penarth Mercantile Marine Office, the Board of Trade have decided to raise it to the full status of such offices. Hitherto it has been subordinate to Cardiff, and has been limited to taking receipts, and not taking payments. Henceforth it will be entirely separated from the parent port, excepting that Mr. Turner, the superintendent at Cardiff, will have general control of it as well. Meantime Mr. Medland, from the Poplar (London) Office, has been appointed resident superintendent.

Larger premises in the dock office buildings are being prepared, somewhat on the principle of the new offices at the Bute Docks, that is - to gave separate rooms for engagement of sailors, for their discharge from agreements, and for cash purposes. There will also be an enclosed yard for seamen to wait and to make terms with shipmasters, unbiased by the interference of boarding-house keepers and others. A room for selecting crews will also be provided.

The increase in this department has been remarkable at Penarth, and is singularly coincident with that extension of general trade there which has recently so forced on the question of dock enlargement.