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

To recap, father, Charles Cooper passed away in 1879 and it would appear that the yard at Pill was managed by his eldest son John H. Cooper until its closure in 1905.

The Penarth boat-building yard was most probably run by (Charles?) Simpson Cooper whom married Susanna Suttle on the 15th November 1855 at St. Augustines Church in Penarth. The Bridegroom's occupation was Ship's carpenter. They had two children both of whom were Christened at St. Augustines, Penarth ; Lavina in 1856 and Sarah in 1858. [431]

Confusingly, elder brother John H. Cooper and wife, Sophia, had a daughter and two sons. Maria, born in Penarth in 1854 ; Walter, born in Penarth 1856 and Christened at St. Augustines in March that same year ; Frederick Cooper, born at Hilford, Somerset in 1859 but he was apparently Christened at St. Augustines, Penarth on 31st August 1858. Now that is quite a neat trick ; Christened before birth! Confused?, so am I. [431] [674]

George Cooper and family returned to South Wales from Hartlepool and it is in the main his story that supercedes the boat-building yards at both Penarth and Pill. I suggest that George had been head-hunted during 1878 for his skills and experience in iron steamship design plus the necessary infrastructure to build these vessels by a new Company at Penarth Dock which also commenced during 1878.

◊ 1879 - The New Slip-Way and Gridiron at Penarth - 'The total absence of facilities for effecting repairs to ships at Penarth Dock has long been acutely felt by owners and merchants, and has greatly militated against the prosperity of the dock. . . . To supply this desideratum, there was formed last year a limited liability company, styled the Penarth Shipbuilding and Ship-repairing Company, with a capital of £30,000, in 600 shares of £50 each. Of this amount about £22,000 has already been expended. The company leased from the Taff Vale Railway Company a piece of land, seven and a half acres in extent, situate on the south bank and foreshore of the Penarth Tidal Harbour, for a term of 60 years, at the very low rental of £50 per annum. They entered into a contract with Mr. W. E. Jackson for the construction of a slip-way and gridiron, and in June 1878, the work was commenced. The gridiron, which was entirely designed by Mr. George Cooper, the manager of the company, was ready for use on the 17th of May last. . . . The slip-way, which is a much larger undertaking, is only just completed. It was designed by Mr. John Thompson, Newcastle-on-Tyne . . . ' - Weekly Mail [067] [361] 4th October 1879