History of Wallasey Ferries

The Wallasey Fleet
Name
Date Built
(Acquired)
Gross Tonnage
Dimensions
(LxBxD) ft
Notes
Seacombe [1] 1822 49 70x26.5x7 Sold by 1836 or rebuilt (See Seacombe [2])
Alexander 1824 40 ? sold 1829
Alice 1824 50 ? Burnt out 1825 & rebuilt. Sold 1833-39. Broken up between 1847-52
Sir John Moore 1826
(1834)
92 103x116.6x8.8  
Loch Eck 1829
(1830)
37 81.9x12.4x7.1 Egremont steamer. Sold 1837 (?)
John Rigby 1831 50 83.0x13.2x8.2 Sold by 1853
Hero 1826
(1832)
? 80.4x16.6x? Built for Tranmere ferry. Sold 1835 or 1838. Used also on Liverpool-Magazines-Hoylake ferry
Liverpool 1830
(c1835)
? Sold 1853
Ennishowen 1834
(1836)
70 91.6x15.4x8.0  
Admiral Lord Nelson 1835 ? Destroyed in hurricane 6th Jan.1839
Seacombe [2] 1836 50 77x14.9x7.0 Probably a rebuild of Seacombe [1]. Sold Feb. 1853
Egremont [1] later Jenny Lind 1837 68 87.7x17.4x8.2 Egremont steamer. Renamed Jenny Lind in 1849. Resumed original name & used at Seacombe 1853. Scrapped 1853
Thomas Royden 1837 108 90.7x15.1x7.4 Egremont steamer. Sold 1853. Broken up after collision with Waterlily, 1868.
Elizabeth 1840 51 88.6x15.3x7.8 Bought as a goods boat. 401 pass. New boiler 1853. Goods boat again 1862
Thomas Wilson 1845 50 92.7x14.8x8.4 Cost £1,500. Believed sunk 1858. Luggage boat 1872-1877. Sold in 1878
Queen of Beauty 1845 68 87x17x8 Ex-yacht. Still working 1.1856. Twin bulkheads; two compartments. Last Coulborn boat.
Sir Thomas Stanley 1834
(18??)
100 85.3x15.9x7.0 Built of oak for Eastham ferry. Offered for sale 1854. Broken up in Apr. 1857
James Atherton 1846 108 116.3x16.3x7.6 Cost £4,800. 529 pass. New boiler 1855. Reboilered, engines repaired & hull altered 1864. Luggage boat 1878. Sold in 1881. Broken up 1884.
Duke 1839
(1846)
80 76x16x? Egremont steamer. Repossessed by Southern 1847
Wallasey [1] 1847 119 109.8x16.6x9.0 Cost £2,500. 650 pass. Rebuilt by Coulborns?1857. Sold to Local Board £1,000 1861. Sunk 1.12.1867. Raised and sold 1.1868
Invincible (1849) 78 100x16.6x8.9 Sold 1854 as passenger tender. Rebuilt 1861.
Fairy 1849 75 118x16x7.5 Cost £5,200. 514 pass. New boiler 1860. Withdrawn 1862. Engine & boiler to Wild Rose & broken up 1862.
Ramsgate Packet 1834
(1853)
107 94.5x14.9x9.8 Sold by Thomas Prestopino 1866. Broken up at Tranmere 1868.
Britannia 1827
(1853)
80 67.7x14.8x6.2 Built for Tranmere ferry. Several owners by 1853. Sold 1854.

Sir John Moore
Queen of Beauty
Gem
Waterlily
Heatherbell
Swallow
Violet
Tulip
Crocus

Tiger 1853
(1857)
53 ?x?x6.3 Cost £1,500. 370 pass. To New Brighton 1859. Sold in 1864 for £560 to Cato.Miller & Co.
Mayflower 1862 182.8 135.6x20.1x8.1 653 pass. 863 from 1877. Launched 14.05.1862. In 1877 lengthened to 155ft. New engines 1877. Sold to Allsup 1885 then to Rock Ferry Co. 1886. Renamed Mayfly 1888. Sold as hospital ship Dartmouth 1893.
Waterlily 1862 204 140x22.1x8.4 Cost £5,400. Launched 1862. 793 pass. First vessel with saloons. Gas lit. Scrapped 1892.
Wild Rose 1862 155 105.4x21.2x9.0 Trials 30.09.1862. 503 pass. Sold 1883 T. Redhead as tug
Gem
(ex-Liscard)
1858
(1864)
48
later 100
122x18x7.8
133.4x18.1x8.1
Cost £5,200. 417 pass. Renamed 1861 for service on Clyde. Bought in 1864 for £1,050 from Whitworth & Sons. Sold to Allsups 1881. Wrecked off Sicily Is. 26.11.1881 en route to Sierra Leone.
Heatherbell 1865 205 159.8x21.2x9.0 Cost £7,000. Launched 1865. 807 pass. (later 837). Sold to H.J Ward, L'pool for £950. Renamed Erin's King. St. George's Steam Tug Co. Dublin. Scrapped by Kin, Garston 1900.
Maggie 1867
(1874)
119 87x19.8x9.7 Coal barge. Cost £1,500 from West Hartlepool. Fitted with steam winch to lift 2½t. June 1874. Reboilered 1883. Taken in part exchange by James Scott for Emily 1895 for £260.
Seymour 1869
(1872)
110 121.6x18.0x7.8 543 pass. Ex-Tranmere Ferry Co. 1872. £4,000. Sold to S. Davies, Tranmere 1886 £250. To J.Davies 1889.
Swallow 1852
(1872)
93 131.7x15.1x7.3 Ex-Loch Lomond Steam Boat Co. Renamed from Queen Victoria 1868. Purchased 1872 for £1,300. Sold to Thomas Seed 1882. Broken up 1883.
South End 1864
(1876)
255 121.5x31.3x6.9 Ex.Mersey River Steamboat Co. Landing stage. Sold 1883.
Sunflower 1879 345
later 242
140.2x26.2x9.6 Launched 13.8.1879. Cost £7,800. Pass.cert.998. Built as luggage boat with railway tracks on deck. Rebuilt as passenger ship (951) 1882. Broken up be ferry staff end 1904.
Daisy 1879 285 150.2x25.3x10.3 Launched 13.8.1879. Cost £9,100. 965. New boilers & saloon lengthened 1893. Sold to Hughes & Thomas £625 1910.
Primrose 1879 285 150.2x25.3x10.3 Launched 5.7.1879. In service 2.10.1879. 965 pass. Sold 4.1906. To R.&D. Jones, L'pool for cruising 1908.
Wallasey [2] 1881 459 140x45x11 Luggage boat. Launched 10.9.1881. Into service 8.82. Cost £11,300. Based on Birkenhead steamer Oxton. Broken up 1925.
Violet 1883 273 150x26.1x10.2 Launched 2.11.1883. Cost £10,250. 1,017 pass. Sold to J.J. King & Sons, Garston 1901 (£790) Broken up.
Crocus 1884 301 130.9x35.1x10.9 Launched 23.8.1884. In service 26.1.1885. 1303 pass. Cost £12,250. Sold to Chester owners 1909 for £699.
Snowdrop [1] 1884 300 130.9x35.2x10.9 Launched 20.11.1884. In service 3.1885. Cost £12,250. Sold to Mersey Trading Co., L'pool for Rhyl-Llandudno service. Lost at sea off Rhyll 1908.
Thistle 1891 301 150.0x26.2x10.5 Cost £12,650. 1,200 pass. Withdrawn 1910. Sold (£750) to John Hughes & Co. 1911.
Shamrock 1865
(1891)
373 150.6x32.2x10.9 Ex-Birkenhead Corporation. Cost £700. Renamed from Woodside 1891. Rebuilt as luggage boat & used as landing boat. The only two funnel luggage boat. Sold £766 to J.J King, Garston 1902.
Emily 1895 154 97.4x19.0x9.3 Coal barge. Launched 1895. Cost £2,041. Sold 1933 for scrap £550.
Pansy 1896 333 160.0x27.1x9.9 1,240 pass. Sold 1916. Sank at Bull Bay, Anglesey 21 January 1917.
John Heron 1896 333 160.0x27.1x9.9 1,240 pass. In service 1896. Requisitioned 1916. Sold to Soc.de Transbordment, Cherbourg as tender, Broken up 1925.
Tulip 1898 432 160.0x27.1x11.1 Suction dredger. Sold to Grayson, Rollo & Clover Docks 1934. Scrapped at Troon 1964.

Sunflower
Primrose
Thistle
John Herron
Rose
Lily
Pansy
Seacombe
Leasowe

Rose 1900 514 155.6x42.1x11.0 1,831 pass. Flying bridge added 1901. Sold to Palmer, Dublin and renamed An Saorstat 1927. Sold to British Iron & Steel Co. and renamed Biscoslave 1941. Broken up at Preston 1951.
Lily 1900 514 155.6x42.1x11.0 1,831 pass. Sold to Palmer, Dublin and renamed Failte 1927. Sold to British & Irish SS Co. 1941. Wrecked and broken up at Passage Way, Cork 1943.
Seacombe [3] 1901 589 140.0x50.3x12.0 Luggage boat. Launched 1901. Cost £18,000. Sold 1929. Broken up.
Iris 1906 465 152.0x40.6x11.2 1,735 pass. Covered accommodation for steersman 3. 1911. Requisitioned by Admiralty 1917. Extensive refit and renamed Royal Iris 1919. Cruise ship with grey hull 1923. Sold 1931 to Palmer, Dublin. To Cork Hbr Commrs. renamed Blarney 1946. Scrapped at Passage West 1961.
Daffodil 1906 465 152.0x40.6x11.2 1,735 pass. Covered accommodation for steersman 3. 1911. Requisitioned by Admiralty 1917. Extensive refit and renamed Royal Daffodil 1919. Cruise ship with grey hull 1923. Sold to New Medway Steam Packet Co. 1934. Sold for £1,000 and broken up at Ghent 1938.
Bluebell renamed John Joyce 1910 439 152.3x38.6x10.9 1,536 pass. Sold to Palgrove, Murphy, Dublin for £2,450 1936. To Cork Harbour Commrs. and renamed Shandon 1946. Broken up at Passage West 1961.
Snowdrop [2] 1910 439 152.3x38.6x10.9 1,563 pass. Sold to LNE Rly. Co. for £2,350 1936 for Granton-Burntisland service. Renamed Thane of Fife. Tender service during 1939-45 war. Scrapped at Passage West ?
Leasowe [1] 1921 734 146.3x50.1x14.0 Luggage boat. Sold for £1,850 & broken up at Preston 1948. Other accounts say left Mersey for Troon 1948.
Liscard [2] 1921 734 146.3x50.1x14.0 Luggage boat. Requisitioned as floating crane 1941. Sold to Danish owners for c£10,000 1946. Converted to salvage vessel and renamed Lisca.
Francis Storey 1922 464 150.0x40.1x11.0 1,629 pass. To Navy 1942 as Net defence vessel.Sold to Cork Harbour Commrs. 1951 (£7,500). Renamed Killarney.
J.Farley 1922 464 150.0x40.1x11.0 Launched 17.1.1922. 1,629 pass. Requisitioned 1943 as Net defence vessel. Reconditioned & converted to oil burning 1946. Sold 1952 for £12,000.
Wallasey [3] 1927 606 151.4x48.1x14.5

2,233 pass. In service 19.7.27. Cost £42,298. Reconditioned by Harland & Wolff 1958 (£62,401). Sold to Can Heyghen Freres, Antwerp (£5,150) 1964.

Marlowe 1927 606 151.4x48.1x14.5 2,333 pass. In service 30.8.27. Cost £41,602. Converted to oil 1947. 2 oil fired Scotch boilers. Sold 1958 British Iron & Steel Corp (£6,000). Broken up at Preston by Thomas Ward & Co.
Perch Rock 1929 766 144.6x50.1x15.4 Luggage boat. Launched 25.1.1929. Last vehicle ferry in service 31.3.1947. Converted as relief passenger vessel 1947 (1,600 pass). Sold to Swedish owners 17.12.1953 (£8,800). Renamed Betula and converted into passenger and vehicle ferry.
Royal Iris II 1932 607 151.0x48.1x13.0 2,024 pass. In service 10.5.1932. Cost £43,290. Renamed Royal Iris 1947. Renamed St. Hilary 1950. Sold to Provinciale Waterstaat Suid Holland 1956 (£12,000). Converted to car ferry & renamed Haringoliet.
Emily II 1933 284 121x24x11 Coal barge. Launched 26.6.1933. Cost £9,690. Sold 1937.
Royal Daffodil II [1] 1934 591 151.046.0x13.5 1,995. (1955: 1,982 ferry service, 850 cruising). Cost £44,790. Sunk at Seacombe 8.5.1941. Raised 2.6.1942. Reconditioned by Grayson, Rollo & Clover & re-entered service 2.6.1943. Converted to oil 1947. Renamed St. Hilary 1957. Sold 1962 (£7,000)
Wallasey Belle 1944
(1949)
125 108.3x17.8x10.1 250 pass. Acquired as Channel Belle for £14,500 1949. Renamed Wallasey Belle 1.4.1950. Laid up end 1950. Sold 1953 (£1,250) to Martin, Torquay.

(Royal) Iris
(Royal) Daffodil
Snowdrop II
John Joyce
J.Farley
Liscard
Francis Storey
Wallasey
Marlowe

Royal Iris [3] 1951 622 160.0x48.1x13.6 Launched 5.12.1950. In service 2.5.1951. 2,296 pass (ferry) 1,00 cruising. Cost £450,000. Refurbished 1972 (£68,000) Sold 1993 for use as a club at Cardiff. Moored, derelict, on Thames since 2002.
Leasowe [2] 1951 311 133.7x34.1x11.3 Launched 18.5.1951. 1,471 pass. ferry, 700 cruising. Cost £140,000. Sold 2.1974 to Greek owners & renamed Naias II (£3,400)
Egremont [2] 1951 311 133.7x34.1x11.3 Launched 10.12.1951. 1,271 pass. ferry, 700 cruising. Cost £140,000. Sold 3.8.1975 for use as a club at Salcombe, Devon.
Royal Daffodil II [2] 1958 609 143.1x46.1x12.0 1,950 pass. Cost £225,000.Air brakes fitted 1963. Renamed Royal Daffodil. Sold to Greek owners (£55,000) & renamed Ioulis Keas II.
Mountwood 1960 464 152.3x40.5x12.5 1,200 pass. Bridge control. Automatic air brakes. Refitted 2001 by Wright & Beyer. Renamed Royal Iris of the Mersey 2002, ex-Birkenhead Corporation.
Woodchurch 1960 464 152.3x40.5x12.5 1,200 pass. Bridge control. Automatic air brakes. Renamed Snowdrop, 2003, ex-Birkenhead Corporation.
Overchurch 1962 468 152.3x40.6x12.5 1,200 pass. Bridge control. Automatic air brakes, ex-Birkenhead Corporation. Refitted 6.1999 by Wartsila NSD (UK) Ltd; Equipped with CW6L170kw engines. Through saloon on both decks. Forward gangway doors removed. Renamed Royal Daffodil.

Royal Iris II
Royal Daffodil II (1)
Leasowe (2)
Egremont (2)
Royal Daffoldil II (2)
Royal Iris (3)
Mountwood
Woodchurch
Overchurch