Volume One - Into the Victorian Age - Some newspaper reports from the 1880's

The Alaska was steadily rising from the Thomas Joliffe, and the latter was sunk in the after part, her bows rising with the tide, and thus helping to loosen her wedge-like grip. The Alaska was bound to Penarth Dock from the Mediterranean in ballast. She is a fine steamer of 1,381 tons net register and 2,112 tons gross. She was built in Sunderland in 1883 by Messrs Short Brothers, and is 275 feet long, 33½ feet wide, and 20½ feet deep. The Thomas Joliffe is a powerful screw-tug. Both vessels are badly damaged, and will require a good deal of repairing, The Avon is not damaged.

On Wednesday, the steamship Alaska and tug Thomas Joliffe were successfully extricated from their jam in the entrance to Penarth Dock. The manoeuvres adopted to raise the Alaska and depress the Thomas Joliffe worked very smoothly, and at an early hour the Alaska was removed to the slipway, whilst the Thomas Joliffe was taken inside the basin. Both vessels will have to undergo extensive repairs." Cardiff Times [019] 29th December 1888.

• January 1889 - Unanimous Resolution to Form a Union - What " Lunatics, Madmen, and Vile Agitators " Will Do - "On Saturday evening last, a numerous company of Riggers, Boatmen, and Hobblers, employed at Penarth Dock, met at the Assembly Room, Penarth Dock Hotel, Penarth, in response to an announcement that a public meeting would be held to consider the necessity of forming a branch of the Cardiff Amalgamated Riggers, Boatmen, and Hobblers Union. The chair was occupied by Mr J. Harrison, secretary of the Penarth Sailors and Firemen's Union, and he was supported by a deputation from the Cardiff Union, consisting of Mr W. Myers, vice-chairman of the Union, W. Wethers, a member of the committee ; and Mr T. Wingfield, secretary.

The room was crowded, and in opening the proceedings, the Chairman explained the object of the meeting, and said it was absolutely necessary for every body of working men, dependent upon labour for their daily bread, to have a system of organisation at their backs to protect that labour.

The year 1889 had been memorable in the history of trades unionism, for exceptional steps had been taken to protect the interests of labour throughout the country, and he trusted the men employed at Penarth Dock would follow that example. (Hear, hear.) Trades unionism had done for the working men what legislation had failed to accomplish. The emancipation of the working classes had been brought about through the instrumentality of trades unionism, and that without violating the laws of the country or interfering with the peace of the community. (Applause.)