For a time in the late 1800’s there was a limited amount of ship-building being carried on by the likes of John Batchelor, N Scott Russell and Chas.Hill & Sons.
But, this industry did not develop and ship repair became a growing enterprise possibly due to the increasing size of the Cardiff-owned merchant shipping fleet.
As ships became increasingly larger and driven by steam, repair required specialist skills and equipment. An 1856 Act of Parliament allowed the formation of Joint Stock Companies and these were used to raise the significant capital needed to develop the facilities in Cardiff. Dry docks, slipways, pontoons and associated engineering works proliferated with local ship owners prominent in establishing them.
Names appearing in the early 1880’s include Hill’s Dry Docks and Engineering Co. Ltd, Cardiff Junction Dry Dock and Engineering Co.Ltd, Mount Stuart Shipbuilding, Graving Docks and Engineering Co. Ltd, Bute Shipbuilding, Engineering and Dry Dock Co.Ltd, Channel Dry Docks & Engineering Co. Ltd.
By 1915, there were said to be 22 such enterprises in operation. But even so, capacity was fully used for the repair work that arose during WW1 from enemy action. WW2 also saw facilities being used to capacity.
Later business dropped off as merchant ships got larger and outgrew the capacity of the facilities. With the closure of each of the docks and the building of the barrage, none are now in operation.
