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

The Cardiff "Abstract of Convictions and Prosecutions for the Year 1875" from the Nautical Magazine Vol. XLV of 1876. [597]

A History of the Mercantile Marine Office at Penarth Dock continued :

The status of the Mercantile Marine Office at Penarth Dock was raised during 1881 and became a separate entity to the Cardiff Dock Office as the Cardiff Times newspaper reported :

• October 1881 - Penarth Mercantile Marine Office - 'In consequence of the increasing amount of business done at the Penarth Mercantile Marine Office, the Board of Trade have decided to raise it to full the status of such offices. Hitherto it has been subordinate to Cardiff, and has been limited to taking receipts, and not making payments. Henceforth it will be entirely separated from the parent port, excepting that Mr Turner, the superintendent at Cardiff, will have the general control of it as well.

Meantime Mr Medland, from the Poplar (London) Office, has been appointed resident superintendent. Larger premises in the dock office building are being prepared, somewhat on the principle of the new offices at the Bute Docks, that is - to have separate rooms for engagement of sailors, for their discharge from agreements, and for cash purposes. There will also be an enclosed yard for seamen to wait and to make terms for shipmasters, unbiased by the interference of boarding-house keepers and others. A room for selecting crews will also be provided.

The increase in this department has been remarkable at Penarth, and is singularly coincident with that extension of general trade there which has recently so forced on the question of dock enlargement.