3-070-651 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The Royal Visit to Swansea: the Prince and Princess of Wales opening the new Dock, 1881. 'Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales have this week visited the town of Swansea, upon the occasion, which took place on Tuesday, of opening the newly constructed East Dock for the accommodation of a larger class of steam-ships in that rising commercial port...Between the years 1860 and 1861 the North and South Docks were completed, and by 1863 were connected with the Great Western, the London and North-Western, and Midland Railways, as well as with the various branch lines of railway to the Welsh coal-fields...Our frontpage Engraving shows their Royal Highnesses, conducted by the chairman of the Harbour Trust, and accompanied by the rest of the party, walking along the bottom of the lock connected with the new dock, to inspect the masonry, the lock-gates, and the machinery for opening and shutting the gates. This inspection was made shortly before the Prince of Wales performed the decisive act of opening the sluice to fill the new dock with water. Their Royal Highnesses then returned to the Townhall, and took their places in a grand stand erected close to that building, where they beheld the Volunteers marching past'. From "Illustrated London News", 1881.