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

• December 1871 - Suspected Manslaughter at Penarth - "On Friday night a foreigner, captain of a foreign vessel lying in Penarth Dock, came to the Police Station at Cardiff, and reported that one of his crew had murdered another. From his statement it appeared that the two men had quarreled on Friday morning, and that one struck the other on the head with a brush with such force that he died the same evening. The captain added that he had placed the man who did it in irons. He was requested to go back with all speed to the Police Station at Penarth and give information to Inspector Adams." Cardiff and Merthyr Guardian, Glamorgan, Monmouth, and Brecon Gazette [156] 23rd December 1871.

• December 1871 - Penarth - Destruction of a Ship by Fire - "The barque Psyche, 652 tons register, of London, Fred. H. Harris, captain and part owner, bound for Shanghae with a cargo of steam coal, was destroyed by fire in the basin of Penarth Dock, on Friday afternoon. It is some time ago since the Psyche entered Penarth Dock, she being then a ship-rigged vessel. While in dock she had undergone considerable repairs and alterations and had been transformed into a barque. she was loaded by the Ocean Coal Company with a cargo of 930 tons, and was on the point of starting for her destination. Active preparation for setting sail were being made when between 12 and 1 o'clock the cook discovered that a fire had broken out on board, as flames and smoke were seen issuing from the store-room.

About an hour previous to the discovery, the captain had left the vessel and gone ashore, and it is said he had taken extraordinary precautions to guard against the occurrence of such a disaster. The news was quickly conveyed to the Central Fire Station, Westgate-street, Cardiff, the intelligence received there at 1.40 p.m. A land engine was immediately got ready, sent off by 1.45, in charge of Fireman Williams, and reached the burning vessel at five minutes past two, when it was found that the conflagration was raging aft with great violence.

Operations were at once commenced by the members of the Cardiff Brigade who had been despatched, and a plentiful supply of water was obtained. Mr. Supt. Freeman (of the Cardiff police), and Mr. Adams (Penarth), with a number of the county constabulary, were in attendance, as was also a large body of men, who rendered every possible assistance. There was, in addition, another appliance on the spot, L'Extiucteur, under the management of Mr. Hogg, who exhausted one of these machines in striving to quell the flames ; but the fire assumed such large proportions that Mr. Hogg's efforts were only partially effective.