Volume Ten - Pre-Victorian to the present day - even more aspects - The Cooper family of boat-builders at Penarth and Pill . .

◊ 1866 - An advertisement for the sale of the first-class cutter or pilot-boat 'Speedwell' ; copper-fastened ; 26 tons N. M. - Apply to Mr. Charles Cooper, shipwright, Pill. - Cardiff Times [019] [361] 23rd February 1866
	'Speedwell' was built in 1840 by J. Jeffries at Stourport and registered to H. A. Nurse at Gloucester. [612]

◊ 1871 - Between the Census of 1861 and 1871, George Cooper had left the family home in Bank Street and married Emily of Easton-in-Gordano. They had two children and the family was residing (by 1871) at Princess Street, Stranton, Hartlepool, Durham. George is now 27 years of age and is by profession, a 'Draughtsman, Shipbuilder'. [675]

Perhaps George Cooper foresaw the decline of wood as the material for building vessels and had witnessed the innovation in ship-building techniques at the Bristol yards. For example, I. K. Brunel's s.s. 'Great Britain' was launched only one year prior to George's birth and maybe the experiences of watching iron framed, screw and steam driven, vessels passing Pill on their way to sea as a child influenced his outlook ; especially as he turned about and looked toward the head of the pill ; walking backwards in time to the traditional boat-building methodology employed at his father's yard and perhaps thinking of what was to come and what could be!

s.s. 'Great Britain' launched at Bristol in 1843. She left Penarth Dock in February 1886 loaded with 3,350 tons of coal from No. 9 tip. It was to be her last cargo carrying voyage. Her return journey to Bristol was upon a barge in July 1970. [054]  The vessel set the standard of design for nearly 100 years and her likes probably inspired George to become an iron ship designer.