Volume Twelve - Pre-Victorian to the Present Day - further aspects - The River Ely Iron Ore Wharf . . .

The River Ely Iron Ore Wharf

A section of an 1949-50 ariel photograph showing part of the River Ely Tidal Harbour with the location of the ballast/iron ore/oil wharf on the Ferry Road side of the river highlighted. It was completed in 1887. The original wharf of 1858 was similar to one of the coal tips and it was extended during the mid-1880's but the usage of this wharf changed with time! [629]

A wharf was built specifically for the removal of ballast from sailing vessels prior to them receiving their cargo of coal; solid ballast kept the vessels in trim whilst sailing 'light'. However, it appears that from the outset, the discharging of iron ore was also envisaged as the Minutes of the Engineer's Report to the Board of the Penarth Harbour, Dock & Railway Company records on 25th August 1858. Identical text was made public as the following newspaper article confirms : -

1858 - Eleven out of twelve coal drops, contracted to be erected at the harbour, are in the course of completion, and arrangements have been made for the construction of a wharf and approaches thereto for discharging ballast and iron ore, and lowering stiffening coal into vessels. - The Cardiff and Merthyr Guardian Glamorgan and Brecon Gazette [156] [361] 28th August 1858.