Penarth Dock, South Wales - the heritage and legacy

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Volume Nine - Pre-Victorian to the present day - even more aspects - Mr. B's 1836 Ely Docks . . .

Admiral William Henry Smyth, KFM DCL FRS FRAS FRGS FS [1788-1865]

The book of 1840 entitled “Nautical Observations on the Port and Maritime Vicinity of Cardiff (with Occasional Strictures on the Ninth Report of the Taff Vale Railway Directors, and Some General Remarks on the Commerce of Glamorganshire)” by William Henry Smyth [126] has within its pages the entire story of the attempts of the TVR to develop Cogan Pill. The record sets the scene for battle and commences with the somewhat forthright statement from the chair of the commission set up to investigate some slightly dodgy and underhand dealings of the board of the TVR :

“A printed paper has accidentally come under my notice, which, being in an official shape, and signed by the chairman of a meeting convened by public advertisement, certainly demands a comment, as it not only errs against fact, but also against the taste, and good fellowship common to such records.”

Smyth, a former Royal Navy Admiral with 25 years service under his belt had started out as a ship's boy on a West India merchantman. His designs were used for the Bute Dock and he supervised their building. He retired in 1846 and obviously knew a thing or two about sailing ships and the sea, and he wasn't about to let any comment pass his enquiry that errs against fact! The name River Ely is a diminutive or corruption of Afon Elai the “Mud River” according to Smyth and the 1830 OS map names it appropriately the “Elyooze” after it rounds Penarth Head! Smythe continues :

“Another mare’s nest (an illusionary or worthless discovery) of the “Crammers” (those selected for Government administrative posts by examination or interview and not by patronage) was, the probability that I had seen a report made by Mr. Telford; and many questions were asked on that head, - but I most assuredly never had.

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