Volume One - Into the Victorian Age - The official opening of the docks . . .

The Cardiff Times [019] reported the festivities thus on Friday, June 16, 1865:

“Opening of Penarth Dock. - Shortly after four o'clock on Saturday, the streets of Cardiff resounded with the notes of the bugle, summoning the artillery volunteers, by whom four guns, and two ammunition waggons, of the First Glamorganshire Brigade were conveyed to Penarth, and placed in a position on the hill overlooking the dock. From this time forth crowds of people continued to pour into Penarth - by road, in steamboats, and across the Ferry, until, by the hour fixed for opening, half past seven, the whole length of the brow of the hill, the margin of the basin, and much of the intervening space, was occupied by sightseers.

The Baroness Windsor and party were delayed in their arrival, and consequently the intended programme, which contemplated the opening of the dock by the Hon. Robert Windsor Clive, was deviated from. The Chairman of the Penarth Company, Crayshaw Bailey, Esq., M.P., was prevented from attending by family bereavement. The formal opening of the dock, therefore, devolved on Mr. J. Poole, Chairman of the Taff Vale Railway Company, who, taking his station at the entrance of the basin, made a brief speech, mentioning the non-arrival of the Hon. R. W. Clive and family, and stating that as time and tide wait for no man, he had been requested to perform the duty assigned to that young gentleman of declaring the dock open, which he consequently did, imploring the Divine blessing on the undertaking.

The guns then belched forth from the hill, three cheers were given by the assembled people, and the gates were thrown open, being worked by hydraulic power so rapidly that the entire process occupied thirty-two seconds. The screw steamer, William Cory, belonging to the firm of Nixon, Taylor, and Cory, gaily decorated with flags, first approached the dock entrance. Her head swung round towards the mouth of the Ely, so that a rope had to be attached to it, and thence to a capstan on the pier head, to pull her round. The rope broke, but only a momentary delay was caused, when the steamer entered amid the applause of the spectators. Mr. Poole, in the name of Mrs. Thomas Powell, threw a bottle of champagne against the side of the William Cory as she passed the gates, by way of christening the gates. She was followed by Messrs. Batchelor's newly built vessel, which had that morning left the yard for the first time, and had on board a large numbers of passengers, including Messrs. Batchelor's band, who were playing "Rule Britannia." She bore the name of the Lady Windsor Clive. The Penarth life-boat and crew, dressed in their professional costume, came in next, and several small steamers, tugs, &c. The Lady Clive was towed by the tug Marquis, and was decorated with flags, like the William Cory. In a few minutes, when the tide began to recede, the gates were closed.