Volume Four - An Era of Change, Uncertainty, Depression & War - Back at the dock . . .

The letter states that the decision of the company was largely influenced by the gesture of the Earl of Plymouth, in offering to forego for one year all dues from Penarth Dock payable to his estate, a sum which is estimated at nearly £3,000.

The closing of the dock, points out the letter, would be deferred for 12 months in the hope that in the meantime trade would improve and render closure unnecessary.

It was June of this year (1932) that the Great Western Railway Co., in pursuance of their policy of economy, considered proposals for the closure of Penarth Dock, and the transfer of shipping traffic to the ports of Cardiff and Barry, where modern shipping appliances and accommodation were more than necessary for this diverted traffic.

A deputation of representatives of the Penarth Urban District Council and the Chamber of Trade recently waited upon Sir James Milne, and the letter received by the Urban Council is the result of the company's reconsideration of the matter.

It is understood that Lord Plymouth at the time drew about £12,000 from royalties and wayleaves in connection with the dock, but at present the sum was about £1,000. During the past year the import and export traffic at Penarth Dock was 1,659,000 tons, the ships arriving number 1,659 of 701,000 net register tons.The news that the closure of the dock is deferred for 12 months will be welcomed by many grades of railway and dock workers."

The National Archives [142] shed some light on the human impact with records of two employees:

Herbert Harries was born in 1884 and joined TVR in October 1919. He was stationed at Penarth Dock and employed as a porter. He was "Retained on a day to day contract due to the depression in trade." He left their employment in March 1921. A second gentleman, Fred Bradshaw. born 1894, joined the company in 1913 and was employed as a goods guard. He was unemployed by 1924.

A lovely piece of family history revealed itself when a lady named Anne contacted me because she had found an important document whilst researching the family history of a friend which related to Mr. Fred Mears, a longstanding employee of the Penarth Pontoon, Slipway & Ship Repairing Company Limited. The letter reveals the extent of the depression by 1934 and the effect upon Fred and his family.