Volume Two - The Era of Optimism, Investment & Development - The demise of H.M.S. Exmouth at Penarth Dock - 1905 . . .

Where was the Exmouth broken-up?

A second anomaly is that some accounts suggest that Exmouth was broken up at a boat-yard in the river Ely or, in Penarth-roads.

	In January 2016 a snippet from the 'Sketch Magazine' taken from the edition published in July 1905 came into the possession of the Penarth Dock Collection. It states that the Exmouth was being broken-up in Penarth Dock !
	An enlarged view of Exmouth, but it is not a photo of the dock at Penarth.

Where was she broken up? - I have come to the conclusion that the image was not taken at Penarth. The Exmouth was apparently broken up on the banks of the river Ely or the on the embankment of the Penarth Flats. Much of the oak and pine of the structure was, no doubt, utilised by the local boat builders for building new craft - recycling is nothing new!

She could have been placed upon the gridiron of the Penarth Pontoon and Slipway Company but by 1905 the facilities were in great demand and by 1910 they had relocated to their new works at the head of the main dock.

Mr. Norris, the gentleman from Cardiff who bought old hulks at Admiralty auctions, most probably had a breakers yard on the banks of the River Ely or elsewhere locally. Does anyone have any further information please?