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

The shipments of coal last week from Penarth reached 40,000 tons, and the average for the year is slightly in excess of this amount. Last year the average was 37,000 tons. Twelve months ago people left Penarth for Barry. Now they are leaving Barry for Penarth. It is stated that there are 700 unoccupied house at Barry and Cadoxton, and rents have decreased in some cases nearly one-half." Evening Express [135] 22st March 1892

• March 1892 - Accident at Penarth Dock - "The second and third engineers who were seriously scalded on board the steamship Godwit when lying in the Penarth Dock last week are progressing as favourably as possible under the care of Dr. Hughes at the Hamadryad Hospital. The accident occurred whilst repairs were being done to the boiler, and a Board of Trade inquiry is to be instituted." Evening Express [135] 29th March 1892.

• March 1892 - Accident at Penarth Dock - "This morning John Donovan, aged 26, of No.8 Dufferin-street, was admitted into the infirmary suffering from severe injuries to his back. The injured man, who was a coal trimmer, was working on board a vessel at Penarth Dock, when he fell down the hold of the vessel, causing the injuries above stated." Evening Express [135] 31st March 1892.

• April 1892 - Fatally Scalded at Penarth Dock - Adjourned Inquest - "This afternoon the inquiry into the circumstances attending the death of John Nicholls, who was fatally scalded on board the steamship Godwit, in Penarth Dock, on the 23rd ult., was resumed at the Town-hall, Cardiff, before Mr. E. B. Rees, coroner. - It will be remembered that on the date mentioned Nicholl, who was third mate on the ship, was working with the second mate, whose name is Findlay, when both were severely scalded. They were taken to the Hamadryad Hospital Ship, where Nicholl died on the 30th ult. - Findlay was now in attendance, the inquest, opened on March 31, having been adjourned for that purpose, and he stated that whilst they were working at the manhole the door got knocked off, and both were severely scalded. - the jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death." Evening Express [135] 31st March 1892.

• May 1892 - Narrow Escape from Drowning at Penarth Dock - Restored to life after much difficulty . . . "About one o'clock this morning a man named Peter Ramage, a cook, belonging to the steamship County, lying in Penarth Dock, fell into the basin at the north corner. Dockman Lingham and Boatmen Searle and Vincent ran to his assistance, but were unable to obtain a boat. In a few minutes, however, they procured a flat, and having pushed off with a boat-hook, found Ramage lying face downwards in the middle of the basin apparently dead, he having been in the water for about ten minutes.