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

• January 1893 - Fatal Accident at Penarth Docks - "Mr. E. B. Reece, district coroner, on Thursday evening held an inquest on the body of William John Withers, aged fifteen years, a greaser on the Taff Vale Railway. - Richard Withers having identified the body, Thomas Goddard, a crane driver at Penarth Dock, said that at the time of the accident on Wednesday he was engaged in pulling a train of wagons up from the tip at the side of the dock. When witness had the signal from the tipper to move the wagons he, after having looked to see that everything was clear, did so. After he had started pulling the wagons two men, James and Allen, shouted to him to stop which he did promptly. On going down to see what was the matter deceased was being held up by James and Allen.

He said that it was his own fault, and no one else's. The wheels of the truck had gone over his body. - John Warren, dock labourer, said that about half an hour before the accident he had told the deceased to go away from the trucks as they were going to be moved. - Corroborative evidence was given, and the coroner having summed up, the jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death," adding a rider to the effect that instructions should be printed with regard to the greaser's work." Evening Express [135] 13th January 1893.

• January 1893 - Found Drowned at Penarth - "On Sunday evening a man named James Carroll, belonging to the steamship Dolcoath, lying at No.11 Tip, Penarth Dock, went alongside to attempt to get on board. He found he could not do so, and said he would go round to the other side of the ship. Nothing further was seen of him, and it was supposed that he had fallen into the dock. Grappling irons was requisitioned and a search made for the body, but it was not until this afternoon the body was recovered, it being found near the tip. An inquest will be held, probably to-morrow." Evening Express [135] 19th January 1893.

• January 1893 - Quick Despatch at Penarth Dock - "According to the regulations at Penarth Dock no ships are allowed to enter after the morning tide on Sunday, but on Sunday night last, at the special request of Messrs. Radford and Company, the steamship Ashdene was allowed to enter at ten o'clock, and she proceeded to her tip. At six o'clock on Monday morning the work of loading commenced, and was finished at 11.20 a.m., during which time the Ashdene had taken in a cargo of bunkers, amounting to 1,433 tons, 11 cwt. After allowing for shifting from hatch to hatch and other preparations for taking bunkers, the actual loading time was four hours and 40 minutes. The steamer left exactly at noon." Evening Express [135] 24rd January 1893.