Penarth Dock, South Wales - the heritage and legacy

Volume Four - An Era of Change, Uncertainty, Depression & War - 1950 to the early 1960's . . .


1963- 'The Big Freeze' - A photograph from the South Wales Echo Souvenir - price 3d. (1.25p) - The caption states 'A sight to make seamen blink - ice flows in the channel off Penarth Head'. There had been 27 falls of snow to date and the average depth of snow was 14 inches. Over at Roath Park lake the ice was reported to be between 6 and 8 inches thick. How to keep warm? The ABC Olympia cinema over in Queen Street, Cardiff was screening Marlon Brando in 'Mutiny on the Bounty'. The best seats in the house were an extravagant 10/6d each. (52.5 p). This piece of our history is held within the Penarth Dock Collection. [001] - South Wales Echo - [163] - 23rd February 1963. [20180215]


1963 - A January view of Penarth Dock Basin south quay looking toward the main dock. Another photograph from the collection of Mary Gillham (but colourised). Many thanks to Alan Reeve at the South East Wales Biodiversity Records Centre (SEWBReC) - www.sewbrec.org.uk - for permission to use this image on the Penarth Dock website. [048] [634] [635] [20180215]



1963 - Two views over at Penarth Beach and Pier during January. - The Wales on-line website stated that the winter of 1963 was one of the coldest on record. - [1283]


1962-63 - Another cold view from Penarth beach looking up the slipway toward the Yacht Club. Snow began to fall on Boxing Day 1962. A severe blizzard followed over the Southwest of England and across the Channel into South Wales on the 29-30th of December. The photograph, which has been colourised, is borrowed from the People's Collection Wales [048]

	A photograph taken from Penarth Dock Beach capturing the end of the entrance jetty to the sea locks and basin beyond as a REA tug negotiates the ice. At the end of January 1963, the River Ely and large swathes of the Bristol Channel were frozen over. During January, frost occurred on 30 nights and snow fell on eight days. - Penarth Times Archive [101] 2020/1963. [credit : Mervyn Henderson]

	A photograph taken from Penarth Dock Beach capturing the end of the entrance jetty to the sea locks with the oil storage tanks and headland of the Cardiff bank of the River Ely distant. The frigid conditions persisted into February during which time the Town Surveyor's department received 856 calls for help. A grand total of £13,000 was spent to clear snow and ice from the roads. - Penarth Times Archive [101] 2020/1963. [credit : Mervyn Henderson]