Volume Four - An Era of Change, Uncertainty, Depression & War - The Penarth Dock Engineering Company Limited . . .

The history of the Penarth Dock Engineering Group was prepared for an article intended for insertion within the Western Mail newspaper written in 1962. The document [114] has been kindly provided by Mr. Richard Weeks M.B.E., son of the former Managing Director Mr. A. H. Weeks.

"Penarth Dock Engineering Group History"

The Company was originally formed as the Penarth Shipbuilding and Ship Repairing Co. Ltd. on the 30th May 1878, when a slipway and gridiron were constructed in Ely Harbour.

As the title of the Company states the building of ships was carried on in addition to ship repairing.

The records show that in May, 1881, a contract was entered into to build a steamer for Messrs. Cuthbert Hancock & Co. for a price of £3,600; £900 to be paid when the vessel was plated, £900 when launched and £1,800 on completion.

This order followed by a number of others and in 1885 the steamer "Aira Force" of 719 tons was completed for John S. Monks of Liverpool.

As an indication of the prices prevailing at that period, Mr. R. Monroe the then Manager of the Company undertook in November, 1886, to build a tug boat for Messrs. Watkins of London for £718; £100 to be paid when framed, £150 when plated and £468 on completion.

In 1907 arrangements were entered into between the Taff Vale Railway and the Company to provide additional shiprepairing facilities at Penarth by constructing a pontoon and a Parliamentary Bill was passed to this effect on 1st August, 1908.

In December, 1908, the name of the Company was changed to the Penarth Pontoon, Slipway & Shiprepairing Co. Ltd. In that year the Pontoon was built by Messrs. Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson in six months.

It arrived at Cardiff as a unit on 23rd September, split in two and both parts afterwards towed to Penarth where they were put together and completed.