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Joseph Mears
Thames Launches
This page is devoted to postcards and photographs of the excursion ships and ferries of the River Thames company Joseph Mears, whose business passed to Thames Launches in 1947.
Joseph Mears was one of the main operators on the Thames up until the Second World War. In 1907, he acquired the business of the Thames Electric & Motor Launch Co at Eel Pie Island. His headquarters were at Richmond and he set about building up the largest fleet of passenger launches on the Thames. Boats acquired included
The Victory, Halcian
and
England
, which he put into service between Westminster and Hampton Court in competition with the large paddle steamer
Queen Elizabeth (2)
(which he later acquired in 1913). In 1908, Joseph Mears bought the first of nine large launches built for him by
Salter Brothers
, the
Viscount
of 106ft and 395 passengers. She was one of the largest launches of the middle Thames when built. In 1911, Joseph Mears had the similarly-sized
Connaught
built, also by
Salter Brothers
. She had a steel hull and tunnel stern (developed to protect the screw from weeds and other obstruction). In 1913, Mears bought the large paddle steamer
Queen Elizabeth (2)
, which was kept until 1917, and the
Duke of York
from Harry Tagg. In the same year, the
Viking
was added to the fleet, and the
Royalty
was ordered from
Salter Brothers
. In the spring of 1914, the
Princess Beatrice
was purchased from Harry Tagg.
Hurlingham
and
Kingwood
arrived from
Salters
yard in 1915.
His Majesty
was purchased from Bonds of Maidenhead in 1917.
In 1919, Joseph Mears formed his business into Joseph Mears Launches & Motors Ltd, and acquired a garage in Richmond, along with several motor coaches. He added another Salters-built steamer in 1923, the
Marchioness
. He also acquired his first internal combustion powered vessel, the open boat
Mutt
, used on the Westminster-London Bridge route. She was soon joined by
Jeff
.
Salters
delivered
Queen Elizabeth (3)
and
Abercorn
in 1924 and 1925. The last tunnel-stern steamer built by
Salters
for Mears, the
Viscountess
, was delivered in 1926.
The
Salters
boats built for Mears were the
Viscount
(1908),
Connaught
(1911),
Royalty
(1913),
Hurlingham
(1915),
Kingwood
(1915),
Marchioness
(1923),
Queen Elizabeth (3)
(1924),
Abercorn
(1925) and
Viscountess
(1926). All remain in service in 2006, except the
Marchioness
,
which was lost in an accident in 1989, and
Abercorn
which suffered a major fire in 2005 whilst at her moorings.
Joseph Mears died in 1935. 39 different boats had been registered in his name since 1907, and the fleet had consisted of a maximum of 28 boats between 1933-35. The company continued until 1945, when it passed to a newly-formed company, Thames Launches Ltd, with a transferred fleet of 19 launches. In 1948 the fleet was:-
Thames Launches Steam Boats in 1948
Abercorn
(1925: 110 ft - 92 gross tons),
Connaught
(1911: 106 ft - 78 gross tons),
Kingwood
(1915: 101 ft - 79 gross tons),
Queen Elizabeth (3)
(1924: 110 ft - 91 gross tons),
The King
(1902: 81 ft - 50 gross tons),
Viscount
(1908: 101 ft - 69 gross tons)
Thames Launches Large Motor Boats in 1948
His Majesty
(1896: 84 ft - 53 gross tons),
Hurlingham
(1915: 101 ft - 79 gross tons),
Marchioness
(1923: 85 ft - 46 gross tons),
Princess Beatrice
(1896: 75 ft - 52 gross tons),
Princess Mary
(1912: 60 ft - 25 gross tons - later
Putney
),
Royalty
(1913: 101 ft - 79 gross tons),
Viscountess
(1926: 110 ft - 83 gross tons)
Thames Launches Small Motor Boats in 1948
Jeff
(1926: 40 ft - 7 gross tons),
Kingston
(?: 42 ft - ? gross tons),
Mutt
(1926: 40 ft - 7 gross tons),
Twickenham
(?: 36 ft - 6 gross tons)
All of the large motor boats in the 1948 fleet had been converted from steam to diesel between 1945-48. The remaining steam vessels followed suit soon afterwards.
In 1958 the Thames Launches fleet consisted of:-
Abercorn
(1925),
Cardinal Wolsey
,
Connaught
(1911),
Hurlingham
(1915),
His Majesty
(1906),
Kingwood
(1915),
The King
(1902),
Marchioness
(1923),
Petersham
(1913)
,
Princess Beatrice
(1896)
, Princess Marina
(1928)
,
Queen Elizabeth (3)
(1924),
Royalty
(1911),
Viscount
(1908) and
Viscountess
(1926).
In the early 1960s, Thames Launches experimented with hovercraft services on the Thames, using a
Denny D2
carrying 88 passengers.
By 1977, the Thames Launches fleet had declined to
Hurlingham
(1915),
Marchioness
(1923),
Queen Elizabeth (3)
(1924),
Royal Princess
(1935),
Vesta
(1956)
and
Viscountess
(1926). Most of this fleet passed to
Tidal Cruisers
which later became
Thames Cruises
, the last vessel to be transferred being
Royal Princess
(1935) in 1984.
The following is an attempt to list all vessels owned by Joseph Mears and/or Thames Launches based on the fleet lists in Frank L.Dix and other sources. I am working to find images of the vessels not in bold type.
Ships on this Page:-
Abercorn
-
Joseph Mears
(1925-1946),
Thames Launches
(1947-1976),
Catamaran Cruisers
- built: 1925
Balmoral
-
Joseph Mears
(1917-1940) - built: 1892
Brunel
-
Thames Launches
(1969-1975) - built: 1969
Cardinal Wolsey
-
Thames Launches
(1951-1956) - built: 1969
Cliveden (1)
-
Joseph Mears
(1915) - built: 1892
Connaught
-
Joseph Mears
(1911-1946),
Thames Launches
(1947-1959),
Colliers Launches
- built: 1911
Day Dream
-
Joseph Mears
(1914-1921) - built: 1898
Denny D2-002 Hovercraft
-
Thames Launches
Diamond Queen
-
Joseph Mears
(1916-1921) - built: 1897
Duchess of Kent
-
Joseph Mears
(1930-1939) - built: 1893
Duke of York
-
Joseph Mears
(1914-1941) - built: 1894
England
-
Joseph Mears
(1905-1914) - built: 1900
Fordson
-
Thames Launches
(1968-1977) - built: 1949
Formosa
-
Joseph Mears
(1930-1941) - built: c.1882
Halcian
-
Joseph Mears
(1907-1939) - built: 1907 - later Kingston
His Majesty
-
Joseph Mears
(1917-1945),
Thames Launches
(1946-1966) - built: 1906)
Hurlingham
-
Joseph Mears
(1915-1946),
Thames Launches
(1947-1977),
Tidal Cruisers
,
Thames Cruises
- built: 1915
Jeff
-
Joseph Mears
,
Thames Launches
- built: 1923
Kingston
-
Thames Launches
(1947-1951) - built: 1907 - ex-Halcian
Kingstonian
-
Joseph Mears
(1930) - ex-
La Marguerite
- built: 1903
Kingwood
-
Joseph Mears
(1915-1946),
Thames Launches
(1947-1976),
King Cruises
- built: 1915
La Burgoyne
-
Joseph Mears
(1910-1913) - built: 1902
Lady Emily
-
Joseph Mears
(1911-1912) - built: c.1890
Marchioness
-
Joseph Mears
(1923-1946),
Thames Launches
(1947-1977) - built: 1923
Margherita
-
Joseph Mears
(1927-1940) - built: 1922
Marion
-
Joseph Mears
(1922-1946),
Thames Launches
(1947-1952) - built: 1922
Merrie Thames
-
Joseph Mears
(1917-1924) - built: 1890
Mutt
-
Joseph Mears
(1922-1946),
Thames Launches
(1947-1952) - built: 1922
Oleander
-
Thames Launches
(1965-1969) - built: 1937 - ex-Titlark II
Petersham
-
Thames Launches
(1950-1969) - built: 1913
Prefect
-
Thames Launches
(1973-1975) - built: 1949
Princess Beatrice
-
H.G.Tagg
,
Joseph Mears
(1914-1946),
Thames Launches
(1947-1973) - built: 1896
Princess Marina
-
Thames Launches
(1952-1965) - built: 1928
Princess Mary
-
Joseph Mears
(1926-1946),
Thames Launches
(1947-1951) - built: 1912 - later
Putney
Putney (1)
-
Joseph Mears
(19??-19??) - built: 1913
Putney (2)
-
Thames Launches
(1953-1954) - built: 1912 - ex-
Princess Mary
Queen Elizabeth (2)
-
Joseph Mears
(1913-1917) - built: 1895
Queen Elizabeth (3)
-
Joseph Mears
(1925-1946),
Thames Launches
(1947-1977),
Colliers Launches
- built: 1924
Queen May
-
Joseph Mears
(1910-1915) - built: c.1891
Richmond Belle
-
Joseph Mears
(1907-1946),
Thames Launches
(1947) - built: c.1896
Royal Princess
-
Thames Launches
(1984-c.1998) - built: 1935
Royal Swan
-
Thames Launches
(1961) - built: 1921
Royal Thames
-
Joseph Mears
(1916-1946) - built: c.1896
Royalty
-
Joseph Mears
(1913-1946),
Thames Launches
(1947-1976),
Wheeler Launches
,
Absolute Pleasure Boats
- built: 1913
Sovereign
-
Joseph Mears
(1933-1946),
Thames Launches
(1947-1949) - built: 1903
The Countess
-
Joseph Mears
(1930-1934) - built: 1889
The King
-
H.G.Tagg
,
Joseph Mears
(1916-1946),
Thames Launches
(1947-1977) - built: 1902
The Victory
-
Joseph Mears
(1907-1913) - built: c.1905
Twickenham
-
Thames Launches
(1948-1961) - built: 1942
Vesta
-
Thames Launches
- built: 1956
Vigilant
-
Joseph Mears
(1913-1915) - built: c.1890
Viking
-
Joseph Mears
(1912-19??) - built: c.1905
Viceroy
-
Gosport Ferry
(1902-1929),
Thames Launches
(1965-1970),
Catamaran Cruisers
(1971-1981) - built: 1902
Viscount
-
Joseph Mears
(1908-1946),
Thames Launches
(1947-1970), Thompson Launches,
Campion Launches
- built: 1908
Viscountess
-
Joseph Mears
(1926-1946),
Thames Launches
(1947-1976),
Catamaran Cruisers
(1977-1981),
Tidal Cruisers
,
Thames Cruises
- built 1926
Wincomblee
-
Thames Launches
(1955-1959) - built: 1920
Yarmouth Belle
-
Thames Launches
- built: 1892
Zodiac
-
Thames Launches
(1978-1979) - built: 1950
Thames Passenger Boat Pages:-
River Thames Header Page
- other operators
Salter Brothers
Associated Pages:-
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards Home Page
References:-
Royal River Highway
by Frank L.Dix
(David & Charles, 1985)
Trip Out Guides - Various Editions 1985-2004
by Geoffrey Hamer
(PO Box 485, Southall UB1 9BH)
Trip Out Guides are available from Geoffrey Hamer, PO Box 485, Southall, UB1 9BH
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Table of Individual Boat Pages
Name
Other names
Built
Connaught
1911
Hurlingham
1915
Kingwood
1915
Viscount
1908
Viscountess
1926
Joseph Mears
Thames Launches
England
(built: 1900)
The
England
was one of the earlier boats acquired by Joseph Mears. She was built in 1900 in Reading for A.J.Bona, also of Reading. Between 1905-1914 she served with Joseph Mears. The card below was posted in 1908. The steamer on the right is
The King
.
Postcard of
England
(left) and
The King
at Richmond in Joseph Mears service.
Click to open larger image in new window
Joseph Mears brochure image of
England
Click to open larger image in new window
Richmond Belle
(J.Mears: 1907-1946 - built: 1907)
Joseph Mears (1907-1946), Thames Launches (1947) - built: c.1896
Joseph Mears brochure image of
Richmaond Belle
Click to open larger image in new window
Joseph Mears brochure image of
Richmaond Belle
Scan: Howard Webb
Click to open larger image in new window
Unidentified Joseph Mears launch at Richmond Bridge c1915, which looks similar to
Richmond Belle.
If you can help please:
Contact Simplon
- Scan: Howard Webb
Click to open larger image in new window
Viscount
(J.Mears: 1908-1946 - built: 1908)
In 1908, Joseph Mears bought the first of nine large launches built for him by
Salter Brothers
, the
Viscount
of 106ft and 395 passengers. She was one of the largest launches of the middle Thames when built.
Viscount
passed to Thames launches with the rest of the Mears fleet in 1947, and ran for Thompsons Launches from 1971 until 1991. After three seasons laid up, she passed to
Campion Launches
. In 2006 she passed to Ed Langley and runs with
Henley
for
Complete Pleasure Boats
.
The complete list of
Salters
boats built for Mears were the
Viscount
(1908),
Connaught
(1911),
Royalty
(1913),
Hurlingham
(1915),
Kingwood
(1915),
Marchioness
(1923),
Queen Elizabeth (3)
(1924),
Abercorn
(1925) and
Viscountess
(1926). All remain in service in 2006, except the
Marchioness,
which was lost in an accident in 1989, and
Abercorn
which suffered a major fire in 2005 whilst at her moorings.
More images of
Viscount
Postcard of
Viscount
Scan: Tony Langford
Click to open larger image in new window
Joseph Mears brochure image of
Viscount
Click to open larger image in new window
Viscount
approaching Teddington Lock from upstream (c.1951)
Photo: ©
David Lord
Click to open larger image in new window
Viscount
at Canary Wharf in Campion Launches ownership
Scan:
www.riverthames.co.nr
Viscount
at Tower Bridge acting as tender to the cruise ship
Deutschland
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 15th September 2007
Click to open larger image in new window
Viscount
at Tower Bridge acting as tender to the cruise ship
Deutschland
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 15th September 2007
Click to open larger image in new window
Connaught
(J.Mears: 1911-1946 - built: 1911)
77grt - 106ft long - 250 passengers
Connaught
was built in 1911 by
Salter Brothers
for Joseph Mears of Richmond. After WW2, she was operated by Thames Launches (1947-59), H.G.Hastings (Kingston, 1960-62), Thames Motor Boats (1963-79), Metcalf & Aldrich and
Colliers Launches
.
The complete list of
Salters
boats built for Mears were the
Viscount
(1908),
Connaught
(1911),
Royalty
(1913),
Hurlingham
(1915),
Kingwood
(1915),
Marchioness
(1923),
Queen Elizabeth (3)
(1924),
Abercorn
(1925) and
Viscountess
(1926). All remain in service in 2006, except the
Marchioness,
which was lost in an accident in 1989, and
Abercorn
which suffered a major fire in 2005 whilst at her moorings.
More images of
Connaught
Joseph Mears brochure image of
Connaught
Click to open larger image in new window
Connaught
leaving Teddington Lock for Kingston (c.1951)
Photo: ©
David Lord
Click to open larger image in new window
Postcard of
Connaught
at Teddington Lock, in
Thames Launches
colours.
Click to open larger image in new window
Postcard of
Connaught
at Teddington Lock
Click to open larger image in new window
Connaught
at Hampton Court, in service with
Colliers Launches
.
Photo: © Ian Boyle in 2001.
Connaught
at Hampton Court, in service with
Colliers Launches
.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 24th June 2006.
Click to open larger image in new window
Connaught
at Westminster, in service with
Colliers Launches
.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 3rd May 2007.
Click to open larger image in new window
Connaught
at Westminster, in service with
Colliers Launches
.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 3rd May 2007.
Click to open larger image in new window
Connaught
near Hampton Court, in service with
Colliers Launches
.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 17th July 2007
Click to open larger image in new window
Connaught
at Hampton Court, in service with
Colliers Launches
.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 17th July 2007
Click to open larger image in new window
Royalty
(J.Mears: 1913-1946 - built: 1913)
Royalty
was built for Joseph Mears by
Salter Brothers
in 1913. She later served with
Thames Launches
(1947-1976) and
Wheeler Launches
(1977-1998). In 2006 she runs charters for
Absolute Pleasure Boats
. To sail on this boat contact:-
www.absolutepleasureboats.co.uk
The complete list of
Salters
boats built for Mears were the
Viscount
(1908),
Connaught
(1911),
Royalty
(1913),
Hurlingham
(1915),
Kingwood
(1915),
Marchioness
(1923),
Queen Elizabeth (3)
(1924),
Abercorn
(1925) and
Viscountess
(1926). All remain in service in 2006, except the
Marchioness,
which was lost in an accident in 1989, and
Abercorn
which suffered a major fire in 2005 whilst at her moorings.
Royalty
at Teddington Lock
Scan: Howard Webb
Click to open larger image in new window
Royalty
approaching Kingston Pier (c.1951)
Photo: ©
David Lord
Click to open larger image in new window
Royalty
passing Surbiton heading for Hampton Court (c.1951)
Photo: ©
David Lord
Click to open larger image in new window
Royalty
at Richmond Pier (c.1951)
Photo: ©
David Lord
Click to open larger image in new window
Royalty
in service with
Absolute Pleasure Boats
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 7th April 2005.
Royalty
in service with
Absolute Pleasure Boats
Photo: © Scott Neicho, 2005.
Royalty
in service with
Absolute Pleasure Boats
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 16th May 2006.
Click to open larger image in new window
Royalty
in service with
Absolute Pleasure Boats
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 16th May 2006.
Click to open larger image in new window
Royalty
in service with
Absolute Pleasure Boats
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 22nd March 2008
Click to open larger image in new window
Royalty
in service with
Absolute Pleasure Boats
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 22nd March 2008
Click to open larger image in new window
Royalty
in service with
Absolute Pleasure Boats
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 22nd March 2008
Click to open larger image in new window