Penarth Dock, South Wales - the heritage and legacy

Volume Ten - Pre-Victorian to the Present Day - Even more aspects - 1911 - The Penarth Dock of the Taff Vale Railway - Railway News Article . . .

• Booth Line " Benedict " loading at No. 19 and 20 Tips. - The Railway News [435] 11th February 1911 - [WRRC Resource : TV 125] [737]

She was built during 1894 for the Leyden Steamship Company and was of 3,378 tons gross. She was purchased in 1897 by the Booth Line and renamed 'Benedict'. Alfred Booth & Company was founded in Liverpool in 1863 by two brothers Alfred and Charles Booth and in 1881 it became the Booth Steamship Company Limited. The company grew rapidly and by 1900 the Booth Line owned 14 vessels. During World War I eleven Booth Line vessels were requisitioned by the Government for the war effort and nine of these ships were lost but she survived and finally in 1924, she was sold to Greek owners who renamed her 'Vassilos'. There were to be three more vessels with the same name owned by the Booth Line which were launched in 1930, 1952 and 1979.

• 1903 - The house flag and livery of the Booth Steamship Company. [764] In 1891 the Booth Line owned 10 vessels with a gross tonnage of 13,951. By 1901 this had grown to 27 vessels (+13 vessels in a year!) which combined had a gross tonnage of 64,456 and by 1910 had grown again to 30 vessels with a total gross tonnage of 128,200.