Barry, Dock Offices - An antique postcard (above) addressed to one Miss Chilcott of Castle Street, Dulverton, which is situated on the southern edge of Exmoor National Park. It was sent in August 1910 and illustrated the dock offices which opened in 1900. The statue of David Davies, industrialist and philanthropist, fronts the building overlooking his vision ; Barry Dock. David Davies died in 1899. [001]

Mr. David Davies M.P. - An engraving appeared on the cover of the 'Practical Magazine' [554] in an edition of 1875 wherein he explained his position relating to the export of coal. He was a colliery owner and chairman of the Ocean Merthyr Company from 1867. Frustration with the Bute empire and the Taff Vale Railway Company regarding their ineffectiveness to support the growing Ocean Collieries traffic, coupled with high tariffs, led him to pursue his vision for a new railway link from the Rhondda to the coast to terminate at his own docks in order to efficiently export his company's product to lucrative overseas markets.

A great view across the expanse of No 1 Dock at Barry with the Dock Offices astern of the ship. Also, note the white gable end office of Hodges Engineering and Fownes Forge, both being part of the Penarth Dock Engineering Group. The last remaining coal tip stands defiantly against the skyline of the town of Barry.

The vessel is the 'Leo Schroder' of Forest Ships photographed in December 1974 being a 25mm transparency and now held within the Penarth Dock Collection. [001] The freighter 'Leo Schroder' was built in 1972 and had a gross tonnage of 5,202 tons ; she was renamed 'Adelaide' in 1983 by Helmsing & Grimm, was still afloat and at work in 2010!

Barry Dock : Another antique postcard but this time a view of the No 2 dock looking toward Atlantic Mills from the entrance lock. The postcard is addressed to Madge in Dartmouth and is from her Dad who is moored up nearby. The card has a postmark of December 1908. [001]

Another vintage 25 mm transparency of No 2 Dock at Barry taken in December 1974. The Atlantic Mills of Rank Hovis are still producing flour at this time ; it closed down in 2013 and the mill was demolished the following year. At the Geest banana wharf is the MV 'Geestland' looking although she needs some TLC as the rust is showing through. The Geest Line ships were so immaculate in their heighday but the pride seems to have diminished somewhat by 1974. 

During my ship-spotting activites of the late 1950's to 60's, in 1962 I wrote to Geest Industries Limited and they sent me this very descriptive letter of their fleet and their voyages.

In the late 1960's I used to walk to the wharf during the lunchtime break from Hodges Engineering to watch the cranes unloading bananas which came to Barry from the Windward Islands. On one occasion there was a large pile of over-ripe bananas on the quayside and as I went to pick one up, I accidentally kicked something large and hairy! It had large staring eyes, lots of legs, moved quickly and was about the size of my hand. I didn't bother with the banana on that occasion, I never went back to the wharf, and, I'm not too fond of that distinctive odour of ripe bananas to this day ; and what of gynormous hairy spiders?? - Agggh . . . . ! [001]