Volume Twelve - Pre-Victorian to the Present Day - further aspects - A History of Penarth Dock by Roy Thorne . . .

The "Kate" ferry boat which had attended the opening of Penarth Dock in June 1865 was one of the first boats to operate a service between Cardiff Pier Head and Penarth. The other was the "Conqueror."

In 1856 the Cardiff and Penarth Steam Ferry Company was formed, and by 1882 when a new board had taken over the company there were three boats : the "Kate", 21 tons, the "Iona", 31 tons, and "La Belle Marie", 16 tons. The original "Kate" had been replaced by a new boat with the same name.

The "Kate" and "Iona" were paddle boats and "La Belle Marie" screw driven. These ferry boats ran every twenty minutes from Cardiff Pier Head to Penarth Dock, and during the summer the boats sailed to Penarth beach to a landing stage opposite the Esplanade Hotel.

Tidal conditions had little effect because the boats could operate in low water. The fares were : Cardiff to Penarth Dock 3d, Cardiff to Penarth beach 4½d, and Penarth Dock to the beach 1½d.

The "Iona" was built on a slipway on the River Ely alongside the north of the dock. In 1879 the Penarth Patent Slipway and Ship Repairing Company had been originated by Mr. James Edwards, the manager of the dock. He had been appointed at the dock opening. Vessels of up to 3,000 tons could be placed on the slipway and gridiron for repairs.

In 1865 the majority of vessels had sails and the large square rigged ships were unwieldy in close waters so there were many casualties on Penarth Beach. There were also casualties amongst members of the crews on the sailing vessels as the "Cardiff Times" of 8th July 1871 reported : -