Volume Six - Pre-Victorian to the Present Day - Select Aspects - Trade at Penarth - 1938 - 1949 . . .

The Docks & Inlands Waterways Executive evolved under the Transport Act of 1947 into the British Transport Commission which began operations on the 1st January 1948. The handbook to the "South Wales Ports" [203] was first published in 1938 but due to the war was not published again until 1948.

The Penarth Docks and Harbour was controlled from Cardiff Dock Offices (hence the image on the previous page); the contact details for the manager being: "Chief Docks Manager, Cardiff, telephone number 8100 and telgraphic address "Coordinate," Cardiff. For Cardiff and Penarth the Dock Manager was Mr. D. G. Hoppins. The edited Foreward to the post war edition outlines the situation.

"Incredible as it may seem in retrospect, nine long and eventful years have passed since the last issue of this handbook, which was then entitled "Great Western Docks". At the commencement of the year 1939, despite the general uncertainty of the European political situation, it was still possible to include in the Foreward to that issue an expression of the hopeful spirit in which the year was embarked upon. How futile that "hopeful spirit" proved to be is now a matter for the historian, but, nevertheless, it is with a resurgence of the same optimistic outlook that this publication is again presented.

Much has occurred since the last issue of this book, and many changes have been wrought, both in national and international affairs. The upheaval and trials have left their mark, and there are many problems left to the post-war world for solution. At the best, only guesses can be essayed at the outcome of a lot of these difficulties, but what is in no doubt at all is the ability of the South Wales Ports to play a fundamental part in the resuscitation of the Country's maritime trade.

Unlike some of the less fortunate ports of Great Britain, the South Wales Ports, throughout the war years, were called upon to carry an immense load, both in tonnage and responsibility. Their geographical situation in relation to the Continent of Europe made them less vulnerable to enemy attack - although they were by no means neglected in that respect - and, at the same time, offered the opportunity of saving immensely "valuable voyage time" in that they are the nearest ports to the Americas, from whence the preponderance of materials and foodstuffs had to be drawn.