FROM Neolithic times, Penarth experienced ever-increasing marine activity, due to a number of factors including geographic position, local tide patterns and prevailing westerly winds.

From Neolithic times the headland, towering over two safe anchorages – Penarth Harbour with its holding mud and later as vessels increased in size Penarth Roads, and the excellent firm landing beach that stretched from Cwtsh-y-Cwm to Cogan Pill - attracted marine travellers.

Marine activity increased through the centuries and vessel numbers reached their apogee in the nineteenth century.

The noted antiquarian B H Malkin recorded in 1803/1804 that "Penarth Harbour is the best and safest in the Bristol Channel."

Cardiff’s Alderman Trounce, remembering the 1850s, wrote "I remember seeing 200-300 vessels in the Roads".

Historian G Farr wrote "the coastguard counted as many as 500 vessels anchored at one time".

This observation could have been based on records kept by the Chief Coastguard at Penarth, Mr Bryant. During January 1864 he counted 2,284 vessels anchored off Penarth and during February he counted 2,035.

Increased marine activity would have necessitated vessel repair which in turn would have later engendered boat and then ship building. Although conjectural, both marine visitors and local mariners from Neolithic times through various periods eg Irish, Roman, Viking, Norman, then the ages of the pirates of Penarth followed by the smugglers, would have had a degree of boat repair that increased up to modern times and then had the addition of ship building.

The earliest recorded Penarth boat builders appear to have been Hambly and Fifoot c1850s. They had a boat building yard on an extensive spit of land. Derived from the Old English word for a tongue or tail of land, it was a spit or promontory that ran out northwards from the Penarth Head Inn, now the Custom House.

Two pilot cutters built by Hambly at his later Cardiff yard are still sailing - the Marion launched 1889 and the Baroque launched 1902.

During the early 1860s Charles Cooper established a boatyard on the shingle beneath Penarth Head just south of the Marine Hotel.

Later c1900 Harold Clayton, who became Sir Harold, Baronet in 1913, opened a yard on the site.

Andreas Andersen, who anglicised his name to Andrew Andersen, established a yard alongside and in 1913 expanded by taking over Clayton’s yard. All three yards built Bristol Channel Pilot Cutters, estuarine vessels, small work boats and many famous yachts.

When the dock opened Hill and Co opened a boat repair and building yard alongside the junction locks, now Plas St Pol De Leon. Hill’s built dock and estuarine barges, boatmen’s punts etc.

During 1879 Penarth Shipbuilding and Repairing Co opened a large yard at Penarth Dock with private rail sidings, large gridiron and the Penarth Slipway. The gridiron was 374 feet long and the slipway 867 feet long.

Ships built and launched included at least one tug, a passenger paddle steamer, a steam ship for the Mission to Seamen and numerous cargo ships.

Peter Rundle set up the Penarth Boat Building Co in 1959 in one of Andersen's boat sheds, later moving to two buildings on the north side of the dock erected by the Americans during their occupation of Penarth Dock during the Second World War.

Peter served his apprenticeship in the early 1950s at Cardiff Boat Builders, a well established yard started by the redoubtable Sid Wright, a one time square rigged Cape Horner.

On completion of his apprenticeship he joined the famous Clan Line, then Jack Billmiers Stanhope Steamship Co, as a ship’s carpenter. Having swallowed the anchor he set up his yard, and over the decades with his friend and business partner Raymond Goodman turned out a long line of high specification, high quality vessels including a 41 feet Ketch, Folkboats, commercial fishing boats et al.

When Penarth Dock was to be turned into a housing estate Peter had to close his yard and move to Barry Dock, bringing an end to an epoch of boat building at Penarth.

A skilled master shipwright and a one-off character Peter, known as ‘Bill Sykes’ to his friends, slipped his moorings for the last time on November 22 last year.

His funeral took place on December 12 and his ashes will be scattered at Boot Hill, Tombstone, Arizona.