Penarth Dock, South Wales - the heritage and legacy

Volume Four - An Era of Change, Uncertainty, Depression & War - Activity at the dock during World War II . . .


Map of Glamorgan showing Second World War bomb sites with coloured pins, 1939-45. This map was kept by the Glamorgan Constabulary and recorded the devices and sites. Note the concentration of sites around our cities, docks and industrial areas. Credits : South Wales Police Heritage Centre [1274] - Peoples Collection Wales [048] [Ref: GTJ74985]


1941 - All Saints Church, Victoria Road, Penarth - The remains of the church following the shower of incendiary bombs and was gutted by the subsequent fires during the night of the 4th and 5th March 1941. Originally built during 1889-91 to the designs of J. P. Seddon and J. Coates Carter it was rebuilt following the Blitz damage by Sir Percy Thomas & Son in 1954. - Credits : Ray Clissett - Peoples Collection Wales [048]



Houses in Salop Street, Clive Place, Cawnpore Street, Cogan, and up in Glebe Street were subject to bomb damaged during the Blitz years and although a number of residents were killed or injured, damage to the town remained relatively light in comparison to the docklands and industrial areas of Cardiff and Swansea. The school at Llandough was bombed and Albert Road school suffered incendiary damage. The nave and roof of the Holy Nativity Church was destroyed on the night following the All Saints Church fire (see above) and nearby properties significantly damaged by a bomb blast. [000] [002] Phil Carradice, in his excellent book 'A Town in Conflict - Volume Two' provides an account of the Penarth Town Council position regarding bomb damage sites : 'By January 1942 the Council were debating the state of bomb damage in the town. The Town Surveyor was quite clear on the matter. The Ministry of Home Security has already issued a statement - bomb sites could only be cleared if they were a danger to public health. Fulminate as they might, the Council could do nothing.' [1275]