Volume Nine - Pre-Victorian to the present day - even more aspects - The Board of Trade, Mercantile Marine Offices at Penarth Dock . . .

• June 1879 - Crimping at Penarth - "At the petty-sessions, Penarth, held on Monday - before Messrs J. S. Corbett and J. J. Ware - Nils Pettersen, a boarding house keeper's runner, was charged with persuading three seamen, Thos. Traynor, George Whitlow, and John Leary, forming part of the crew of the Squadron, of Liverpool, to desert. Mr Waldron, instructed by Mr. Turner, superintendent of the Board of Trade at Cardiff, prosecuted.

Thomas Traynor, able seaman, said ; I signed articles in the Squando, Rotterdam, eighteen days ago, and came with the vessel, which arrived in Penarth Dock on the 11th inst. Just as we "made fast", a runner, named Nils Pettersen, came on board, and asked me with others of the crew to go up to his house at Penarth, kept by a man named Carter. I said that "the captain would be looking after us," and that it would be too close. Pettersen replied that the master would not be looking after us, stating that he could get us a ship any time. He came on board again on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, asking us each day to leave the vessel, and go with him to Carter's house.

On Sunday night he came on board and told us that Carter, the Darkey, would take us all. Six of the crew then went with him, taking all their effects. Soon afterwards I, with James Leary and George Whitlow, deserted the vessel. I never intended to desert before Pettersen persuaded me. I am now boarding at 167, Bute-street. We told Petterson that if we ran away we should get caught and punished, as we had signed on for the voyage.

George Whitlow, another seaman belonging to the same vessel, said that about mid-day on Friday, the 13th inst., the defendant came to him on board the vessel and told him that the captain had informed him that the whole of the crew might desert if they liked, so long as he did not see them. Witness said that he would not leave the vessel.

James Leary, another of the crew of the Squando, stated that he heard Pettersen tell Whitlow that the captain had given them permission to desert if he did not see them. Bartholomew Furse, Mercantile Marine Officer, gave evidence, and Alfred Waycott, the captain of the Squando, denied that he ever gave permission to the crew, or any of them, to desert. The bench fined the defendant £10, or in default to go to prison for two months, with hard labour. The money was not paid, and the defendant was committed to gaol." Cardiff Times [019] 28th June 1879.