Thanks to Rodney Lissenden from Sevenoaks, Kent we can show you these wonderful pictures of a raft of still-working paddle steamers which were trying to make a living for their operators around the United Kingdom coasts in the 1950s and early 1960s, which was becoming more difficult as the years went on.
We are always delighted to receive such pictures to show our readers life and times that are long gone now and we personally just love. We thank the help of the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society in compiling these notes.
PRINCESS ELIZABETH
Built in 1927 by Day, Summers & Co for the Southampton, Isle of Wight and South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, more commonly known as Red Funnel. The paddle steamer was named after the newly-born Princess Elizabeth and was in service between Southampton, Bournemouth and Cowes.
When WW2 was declared the ship was requisitioned by the Admiralty to be used as a coastal mine sweeper like similar paddle was not hit. Later on the paddle steamer was set up as an anti-aircraft gun ship.
