ALAN Thorne will be presenting two illustrated talks at St Augustine's Parish Hall, Albert Road, Penarth, entitled The History of Penarth Dock, its site and surrounds.

The first talk will start at 7pm on Thursday, February 16, and will cover the period from the arrival of the Neolithic's up to the 1850s.

Events and people will include the Romans, Celtic Saints, Vikings, Normans, pirates, smugglers, traders, up to the galaxy of 19th century engineers including IK Brunel, Robert Stephenson, Thomas Telford et al.

The second talk will start at 7pm on Thursday, February 23, opening with the friction, rivalry between kinsmen the Bute's and Windsor's before covering the dock building, trade figures, dock buildings including the demolished Marine Hotel and mission to seamen vessel that used the dock will be illustrated including famous 'wind jammers' such as the Cutty Sark, Great Britain, Elissa and Narcissus.

People to be discussed will include Marc Brunel, Captain's Joseph Conrad and Edward Tupper et al, and reference will be made to the numerous fatal accidents at the dock also the deaths by shooting and stabbing.

The talk will conclude with the 1936 dock closure, the 1939 re-opening and the American takeover, the last decade of commercial sail, the Mothball Fleet with the steady decline of the closure of 1963.

Admission for friends of St Augustine's will be £7 for the two talks. For non-members admission will be £5 for each talk or £8 for the two.

Friends will be charged £4 for each individual talk.