Island Life Magazine Ltd February/March 2008 | Page 49

ISLAND HISTORY

S

hips have a personality.
Think of paddle
steamers, the comforting
heartbeat of their paddles,
the white wake behind the
ship – they were part of
the seaside scene for over a
century and these delightful
smoky, crowded vessels
were the highlight of a
summer Bank Holiday.
The paddle steamers sailed

majestically from pier to
pier, the passengers often
soaked by sea spray but the
soot and steam from the
tall smoke stacks was part
of the ships’ magic. You
could visit the engine room
and see the gleaming cranks,
the powerful thrust of the
pistons, there were ‘moonlight
cruises’ with musical
entertainment and in the

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saloon, breakfast, lunch, tea,
supper or dinner were served
with a bar for the passengers
who favoured a more liquid
form of refreshment.
During the nineteenth
century the rapid growth
in the railway network and
rival railway companies’
competitive fares gave families
a chance to escape a working
environment and enjoy a day
out at the seaside. Resorts
on the south coast expanded
and piers were built from
promenades for the increasing
number of marine excursions.
In 1820 the Prince of
Coburg, a wooden, carvel-built
paddle-wheel steam vessel
went into service between
Southampton and Cowes and
she was joined in 1822 by the
Medina, an 84-ton wooden
paddle steamer built at Lynn
Ratsey’s yard on the Island
and the first steam vessel to
sail round the Isle of Wight.
Boiler explosions were not
uncommon at this time but
the Coburg’s owners, George
Ward, a pioneer steamship
owner and his partner, William
Fitzhugh, assured their
passengers that the engineer on
board could explain that the
vessel was safe as it was fitted
with a lower-pressure engine
and safety valve. Boatmen
rowed passengers to and from
the packet steamers until
1824 when the Fountain Quay
at Cowes was rebuilt. After
George Ward’s death, Fitzhugh
merged the company in 1861
with a Southampton company
and the Southampton,
Isle of Wight & South of
England Royal Mail Steam
Packet Co. (allegedly the
longest title of any shipping
company in Lloyds’ Register)
was formed, now known
as Red Funnel Ferries.
The new company owned
seven steamers Emerald,
Gem, Medina, Pearl, Queen,
Ruby and Sapphire and their
shallow draught and ease of

life

manoeuvrability made them
ideal for mooring alongside
the piers at Cowes, Ryde and
Yarmouth. The Island was
becoming increasingly popular
as Queen Victoria made
frequent visits to Osborne
House and besides the regular
ferry routes, the company’s
vessels were used for summer
excursions round the Island.
In 1889 the first twin-funnelled
paddle steamer, the Solent
Queen, joined the fleet.
A ferry service had been
started in 1850 between
Lymington and Yarmouth by
the Solent Steamship Co. with
the steamer Solent. Later
two wooden paddle steamers,
Red Lion and Mayflower
joined the company followed
by the Lymington, a s FVV