Volume Eight - Pre-Victorian to the present day - more aspects - Chains at Penarth Dock - Macey, Mules and Wallace Family History . . .

A later booklet produced by the Penarth Methodists to celebrate their move from Arcot Street to their new Albert Road Church in 1907 gives a vivid description of the ‘Klondike’ like atmosphere of the growing village in the 1860’s:

‘In the year 1860, during the construction of the Penarth Dock, the village was invaded by a large camp of some 1.200 navvies. The way of the navvies 40 years ago need no comment. The pitiable thing was that no provision was made for their spiritual needs by any church, so dog fights, prize fights, drunkenness and other nameless excesses continued unchecked.

The deplorable state of things was brought to the notice of Miss Morgan of Barry. She rented a cottage, engaged a lay agent and work was started in the kitchen. The attendance grew so rapidly that a large workshop was taken. A schoolmaster was engaged, and the workshop served the double purpose of Chapel and day school. A gracious revival broke out amongst the navvies. The police of that period bore frequent testimony to the genuineness of the work. “Before” said they, “the place was a hell upon earth. Afterwards it was a place transformed."

The town was expanding rapidly. There were jobs and new houses for the asking. William Mules and his wife therefore made a big decision to move to Penarth. They moved in 1867 and rented a newly built house at 9 John Street. This was opposite a new pub called the Clive Arms. William got a job in the docks as coal tipper. This involved working on the coal staithes tipping coal from the railway wagons into the hold of a ship. The railway and the staithes were owned by the Taff Vale Railway Company. William was issued with a company coat. A button from the coat is still in the family.

When considering migration, timing is crucial. William and his young family had arrived in Penarth only a year after the docks were open. They therefore avoided the first 6 years when the area was very rough, and William was able to get a steady job and a house.