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

• May 1882 - Great Storm - Penarth - 'On Saturday evening, when the gale was at its highest, seven vessels broke from their moorings in Penarth Dock, and, colliding, caused some damage. The ships Frank Carvill and Old Kensington lost their figure heads, the quarters of the Umberto, barque, and the vessel Stowell Brown were damaged. The ship Ruthin, in breaking from her moorings under No. 8 tip, caught the shoot, and caused considerable damage to it. The cargo of the ship Newman Hall shifted, causing a considerable list to starboard.' - Weekly Mail [067] [361] 6th May 1882.

• May 1882 - Serious Casualties at Penarth - 'A very heavy westerly gale sprang up almost suddenly at Penarth about four o'clock on Saturday Afternoon, doing considerable damage in the dock. The ship Stowell Brown parted a bow line and dropped astern against the ship Frank Carvill, both being damaged. The Old Kensington broke adrift and fouled the Wilhelm, carrying away part of her bulwarks, cathead, and rigging. She then collided with the Italian barque Umbarto Primo, which also parted from her moorings. The Italian had a pair of stiffening rafts alongside as all her ballast was out the mooring ring of one of the rafts parted, and the consequence was that she fell over on her side, but fortunately lay against the ship Ruthin (which was also adrift in the dock) or she would certainly have capsized. Five of the Italian seamen who were in a boat alongside, jumped overboard in a fright and swam off, and the sailors on board scrambled on board the Ruthin. They were ordered back, but divested themselves of all superfluous clothing and their boots, to be ready for any emergency. She, however, lay against the Ruthin until the gale subsided, when another raft was brought up and secured. The Ruthin carried away the large iron shoot of No. 8 tip, besides sustaining some damage to herself. The Miningu also broke loose, but her anchor was quickly dropped, and she received damage to a very little extent. One of the vessels adrift bore down on the General Roberts, s.s., of Cardiff, and broke one of her bowplates. The P. G. Carvill lost one of her skysail masts during the gale. The dock and berthing masters and dock gatemen were on the scene, and rendered good service to the several vessels. All coal tipping and other dock work was stopped for the remainder of the day. The sea in the roadstead was very heavy. A brig was to be seen on Sunday lying on her Broadside, apparently filled with water and abandoned, name unknown. The ss. Effective sailed from Penarth on Saturday morning, but put back on Sunday, with steering gear damaged. The captain reports having encountered a violent gale with terrible sea in the channel on Saturday during the gale. The steam ferry communication between Penarth and Cardiff was stopped. In the town several trees were blown down one near Mr Edwards's residence fell across the roof of a conservatory at the side of his house, damaging it very considerably. A shillibeer, [a horse-drawn omnibus] the property of Messrs Andrews and Marsh, being driven along Penarth-road, was blown over, and the driver injured. The slates and ridges were blown off the roofs of several houses.' - The Cardiff Times [019] [361] 6th May 1882.