The foregoing newspaper article raises a number of questions. Who was John Thompson?  Who was Mr. W. E. Jackson? What was the common denominator? Well, it seems most likely George Cooper's work experience and connections during his years spent working in the N. E. of England. 

John Thompson :

The local Kelly's Directory of 1883 listed Mr John Thompson as a consulting engineer with an office at 46, Cloth market, Newcastle-on-Tyne and a private residence at 'The Willows' in the suburb of Walker. [694]

The same year, together with Thomas Bell Lightfoot he presented a paper to the Institute of Civil Engineers entitled 'The Design and Construction of Repairing Slipways for Ships'. The discussion on the paper occupied two evenings and Sir J. W. Bazalgette chaired the meetings! Clearly he had gained a great deal of practical experience in the design and construction of slipways hence his employment at Penarth.

William Edwin Jackson :

Again the 1883 Kelly's Directory provides information regarding Mr. Jackson. He was a Contractor of 4 St. Nicholas buildings & St. Peter's, Newcastle-on-Tyne with a private residence at 7, Belgrave terrace. [694] His company were the contractor for the masonry abutments of the West Wylam Railway Bridge built in 1876 across the river Tyne. Also he was also responsible for the building of Ryhope Pumping Station during 1865-69. [695]

In the same year that the slipway and gridiron construction work at Penarth commenced, W. E. and C. Jackson was the main contractor for the building of the 'Armstrong Bridge' at Jesmond Dene, Newcastle-on-Tyne, The bridge was designed by its namesake Sir W. G. Armstrong and was opened by him in April 1878. The structure was 552 feet long, 25 feet wide and the headroom below varied between 30 to 65 feet. [696] Clearly, Mr Jackson was an extremely competent civil engineer since the bridge remained open to traffic until July 1963.