Volume Six - Pre-Victorian to the Present Day - Select Aspects - Crossing the River Ely . .

The Chain Ferry

Throughout the period from 1865 to 1900 there was another service which seemed to be more robust and that was the chain ferry from Grange Point to Penarth Docks. It is generally thought that the chain ferry was working from June 1865 (although I can't find any record to confirm this date) until the opening of the subway in 1900. Could it have been called 'Jane'? This is based upon the earlier report of an assault on a ferry of that name dating from May 1864 and the fact that I can find no record a conventional steam ferry bearing that name. Also, there is conjecture about the mode of operation of this chain ferry, since some say it was manually driven by the crew winding a windlass, whereas, other sources specify that it was driven by a steam winding engine.

I suggest that in 1898 it was driven by steam since when the image is enlarged I can see a vertically mounted steam boiler which is too large for a tea boiler or for simply warming passenger's toes! What happened prior to this, I am unable to confirm. This service seems to have been in addition to the steam ferry service from Cardiff to Penarth Docks (which was extended during 1883 to run to Penarth beach).

The basic operation of this ferry is that a single central chain, fixed at both of the shore ends, runs along the river bed and is hauled up and around a sheave or sprocket on-board the ferry which, when rotated by the steam engine on-board, propels the double ended ferry from shore to shore. I questioned when the chain ferry commenced working earlier and I can confirm that it was in place in 1871 as this report illustrates:

1871 - "Body Found in the Ely. - On Tuesday night, the body of a man was found in the Ely River at low water between Penarth Dock and the harbour. the body was doubled over the chain belonging to the ferry boat, and it would appear to have been caught there as it floated down the river. The deceased was respectfully dressed, having the appearance of a mechanic, but there was nothing on his person to lead to his identification. At an inquest held before Mr. R. L, Reece on Wednesday afternoon, a verdict of "found drowned" was returned." Cardiff Times [019] 2nd September 1871.