Volume One - Into the Victorian Age - Some newspaper reports from the 1870's

Another newspaper account on the following day, sets the scene for the explosion, but from a slightly different perspective.

• September 1871 - Explosion and Loss of Life - "On Friday, as the steam barque John, of Bristol, laden with coals, was proceeding from Cardiff last evening her boiler burst at the entrance to Penarth Dock. The captain and engineer were blown clean overboard and drowned. The mate and another of the crew and a passenger were swept from one end of the boat to the other, and were rendered insensible, but were not otherwise injured. The barque, though internally a hopeless wreck, still sits in the water. She is the same craft which some years ago knocked down the Bath Bridge, when several persons were drowned." Royal Cornwall Gazette - [239] 9th September 1871.

• September 1871 - Rumoured Introduction of Cholera into Penarth - "A rumour extensively prevailed on Saturday morning, that a vessel having on board two men suffering from Asiatic cholera have entered Penarth Dock on Friday. The authorities at Penarth knew nothing of the circumstances, and it appears to have arisen from the statement of one man who, while suffering from smallpox, was seen walking in the streets of Cardiff, and was afterwards sent to the Hospital Ship. On his way there he mentioned that two men on board his vessel were suffering from cholera. The disease is believed to be of a totally different character." Cardiff and Merthyr Guardian, Glamorgan, Monmouth, and Brecon Gazette [156] 9th September 1871.

• November 1871 - Penarth - Drowning of a Captain - "On Saturday, an inquest was held before Mr. E. B. Reece, deputy coroner, at the Railway Hotel, Penarth, upon the body of Richard Johns, captain of the schooner Alert of Penzance, whose corpse had been found that morning in the Penarth Tidal Harbour. The principal witness was Henry Board, a dock constable, who stated that he met the deceased about 11.20 on Friday night. He was slightly intoxicated, and the ship lay under No. 12 jetty, and that he was going on board. Shortly after witness heard a splash in the water, and went forward and found the captain had fallen in. Witness called for assistance and threw a rope to the deceased. He then went and searched, and found the body, at seven o'clock, underneath No. 7 jetty. Verdict of "Found drowned," the jury severely commenting on the fact that the jetties are not lighted at night, and they also thought that hand-rails should be put on both sides of the gangway leading down to the vessels, as at present there is only one rail, and the way is narrow, steep, and dangerous." Cardiff Times [019] 25th November 1871.