Volume Ten - Pre-Victorian to the present day - even more aspects - Penarth Harbour, Dock & Railway Company . . .

The opening of Penarth Dock, Cardiff took place on Saturday morning last. The formal ceremony was performed by Mr. James Poole, chairman of the Taff Vale Railway Company, in consequence of a delay i.e. the arrival of the Baroness Windsor, Lady Windsor Clive, and the Hon. Herbert Windsor Olive. The first ship to enter was the screw steamer William Cory; the largest iron collier afloat. After the opening ceremony, a large party breakfasted in a marquee erected near the pier-head. . . .

Part of the report within 'The Engineer'. [015] [016] See Volume One, Chapter Four : 'The Official Opening of the Dock' for the full account of events of that day, the 10th June 1865, and further information.

Further Reading :

The dispute with Smith & Knight is covered in detail in Volume 6, Chapter 10 : 'The Penarth Harbour, Dock & Railway Co. dispute with Messrs. Smith, Knight & Co.'

I wonder if Mr. Hawkshaw, consulting engineer, had been in conflict with Mr. Smith and/or Mr. Knight prior to their being awarded the Contract for construction of the Penarth Dock. I believe it highly likely that there were previous projects with them and will research this aspect and report my findings. Mr. Hawkshaw moved to his London office at 33, Great George Street, Westminster in 1850. Smith & Knight's office was at No. 1 in the same street! Perhaps, a little too close for comfort as the relationships disintegrated ending with both Smith and Knight being made effectively bankrupt by the Penarth Company actions against them!

Mr. Hardie's Contract to dredge the river is covered in detail within Volume 8, Chapter 6 : 'To Dredge the River Ely'.

The Company road connecting their interests at Bute Docks, Cardiff and the Penarth Dock and Ely Tidal Harbour is dealt with in detail at Volume 9, Chapter 11 : 'Swing Bridge Connections : Penarth Dock, River Taff and Glamorganshire Canal.'