Volume Eleven - Pre-Victorian to the Present Day - some more aspects - The Shipbreakers of Penarth . . .

Recent research into vessels which left Penarth Dock or the Ely Tidal Harbour, or were due to arrive and failed to do so, or were damaged in the process, prompted the research into shipbreaking and shipbreakers at Penarth. A number of Royal Naval vessels, especially former wooden-hulled war-ships, were converted to alternative use, for example, hulks used as warehousing, the Hamadryad hospital ship and the Exmouth, the Havannah and the Endyminion, the later vessels being purchased at auction by Mr. Henry Norris of Cowbridge-road, Canton, Cardiff.

A search of the Glamorgan Archives [599] revealed a Private and Confidential publication entitled 'Proposed Shipbreaking Company' [Archive Reference : DSA/12/2241 - (F. E. Aitken, Northwood, Barry and John Alexander)] dated April 1912, which provided an estimate of costs associated with setting up such a venture but also an estimate of the likely return which was stated as : Sufficient to pay a dividend of over 30% on the proposed paid-up Capital of the Company. . . .

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