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

Three of these buildings were respectively rented by Messrs. Luen and Sons, marine store dealers ; Messrs. Davies and Co., ship chandlers ; and the Penarth Dock Company. About three o'clock in the afternoon a boy employed by Messrs. Davies was engaged in some work in the shed, and while so occupied he let a lighted candle fall among a quantity of oil, paints, and paraffin, and these, of course, instantly ignited, and as the shed was filled with similar inflammable materials the entire structure was quickly ablaze.

The dock police and several labourers and dockyard men at work nearby attempted to extinguish the fire by throwing on water from hand-buckets, but it defeated their efforts. Lengths of hose were then attached to the tug-boat Primrose lying in the lock, and a good stream of water was directed at the burning building. A strong easterly wind was, however, blowing, and the flames were fanned into a greater glow, until in a short time the empty shed belonging to the dock company caught fire. From there the fire spread to Messrs. Luen's shed, and the contents, consisting as they did of old rope, mat, &c., gave additional stimulus to the fire, and, through every effort was made to put it out, nothing could be done, and the shed, together with the adjoining two, was soon burnt to the ground.

Within an hour and half of the commencement of the fire no trace was left of the three buildings and their contents with the exception of some old rope and dunnage and a few casks and tins of paint and oil, which had been brought out of the sheds before the fire became so fierce as to prevent further attempts to save the property. Another shed belonging to Mr. T. B. Clode, butcher, and occupier of the Merry Harrier Hotel, Llandough, also caught fire, and was considerably damaged. the greater part of the property was insured, but the loss is not yet ascertainable." Western Mail [036] 26th October 1892.

• December 1892 - The Collision in Penarth Dock - Owners of the Loughbrow v. Owners of the Granger Rolf - "On Tuesday in the Admiralty Division of the High Court the president had before him the appeal of the owners of the Loughbrow, of Newcastle, from the registrar's award in reference to damages sustained as the result of a collision which took place in the Penarth Dock with the Ganger Rolf, a Norwegian ship. The question at issue was whether certain repairs effected in Newcastle and demurrage in respect of them was consequent on the collision. The case was not concluded when the court rose." Evening Express [135] 21st December 1892.