Volume One - Into the Victorian Age - Some newspaper reports from the 1890's

• October 1891 - A Large Passenger Steamer at Penarth - "There is at Penarth Dock at the present time one of the finest passenger steamers which has ever entered a Bristol Channel port - viz., the Norham Castle, belonging to Messrs. Donald Currie and Co. She is 380 ft. 6in. long by 48ft. 2in. in breath. Her gross tonnage is 4,392, and she has accommodation for 120 passengers. The Norham Castle was launched eight years ago, but has recently been fitted with triple engines of 5,000-horse power. The deck arrangements have been improved, and the saloons, &c., have been re-furnished and decorated, the whole of the work costing £60,000. She now presents the appearance of a perfectly new boat, and the accommodation which is provided for passengers is of the most modern and approved kind. The Norham Castle came round from Glasgow to Penarth in 60 hours, and average of seventeen knots per hour, and is now taking 1,200 tons of bunker coal preparatory to her voyage from London to the Cape, but Captain Winchester, of the Norham Castle, is going to make a good bid for the position when he sails from London on the first of next month. The Cardiff agents are Messrs. William Collins, jun., and Co., who are agents for the Red Cross Line from Liverpool to Brazil, and of the Booth Steamship Company." South Wales Star [159] 16th October 1891.

• March 1892 - Overloading Steamers at Penarth - "Captain J. J. Proud, master of the steamer Faraday, was charged by the Board of Trade at Penarth Police-court to-day with allowing his vessel to be overloaded with coal at Penarth Dock on the 4th January last. Mr. Vachell (Ingledrew, Ince and Vachell) prosecuted, and Mr. Vaughan stated that the vessel was submerged to the extent of 3¾in. below the winter load line, and the case was taken under the Merchant Shipping Act of 1876 and 1890. - For the defence Mr. Vaughan admitted the offence, but called Thomas Clasey, a dock pilot of Penarth, to prove extenuating circumstances. - The Bench, however, imposed a penalty of £25 and costs." Evening Express [135] 21st March 1892

• March 1892 - The Improvement of Trade at Penarth - "A correspondent writes:- It is very surprising what little things will at times influence the price of railway shares. A rumour spread last week that the Powell Duffryn Company had transferred the shipment of all their coal from the Bute Docks to Penarth Dock, and this rumour, it is said, caused the Taff Shares to run up from 69 to 71. The rumour is entirely without foundation as regards the whole of their traffic. They have only shipped 800 tons of coal at Penarth during the present month. The improvement in the trade at the dock is due to the placing of the control of both the railway and dock into the hands of one person, thereby, materially increasing the rapidity in loading vessels. What Powell Duffryn may do is a matter for the future.