Passenger Ship Website
-
www.simplonpc.co.uk
-
Simplon Postcards Home
-
Recent Updates
-
Search
-
Copyright Information
-
Contact Simplon
This website has no connection with any shipping company, cruise line, boat operator or other commercial organisation
Gosport Ferries Limited
Portsmouth Harbour Ferry Company
Page 1: Up to 1962
This is one of a series of pages devoted to postcards and photographs of the Portsmouth Harbour Ferry Company (PHFC), and its predecessors. This page covers the ferries up the 1963, when the various original companies combined.
Portsmouth Harbour Ferries - Page 2
shows the more recent ferries. Ferries are currently (2007) operated as Gosport Ferries Limited, a subsidiary of PHFC.
A Brief History of Portsmouth Harbour Ferries
Watermen
have carried passengers across Portsmouth Harbour for many centuries, and the trade had been regulated by the Court of Exchequer since 1603, which gave the rights to operate the service exclusively to inhabitants of Gosport. These rights tended to be held within families, passed from generation to generation. This restriction allowed overcharging, and an Act of Parliament was introduced in 1809 to regulate pricing, although it took until 1835 before a fixed fare table was set and adhered to. The
watermen
used double-ended rowing boats know as wherries, which continued in use for many years after the coming of steam. There were two main routes across the harbour from Gosport, one to the Point (Old Portsmouth) and one to the Hard (Portsea - near the naval base).
The
watermen
's monopoly was broken in 1840, when a steam-powered
floating bridge
, guided by chains, started operation between Gosport and Old Portsmouth. The first ferry
Victoria
was soon joined by a second ferry, the
Albert
. These were subsequently replaced by the
Alexandra
and the
Duchess of York
. When the first railway in the area opened in 1841 to Gosport, the
floating bridge
received a lot of additional traffic. The
floating bridge
continued until 1959.
The
watermen
responded to the
floating bridge
by acquiring steam passenger ferries, which they operated from Gosport to the Hard. In 1875, the watermen formed the the Gosport & Portsea Watermen's Steam Launch Company (known as the Old Company). The floating bridge company responded by operating their own passenger launches from Gosport to Old Portsmouth. When Portsmouth Harbour station opened in 1876, adjacent to the Hard, the Old Company's passenger ferries had a big advantage over those of the
floating bridge
. The success of the passenger ferries prompted the formation of the Port of Portsmouth Steam Launch & Towing Company in 1883, known as the New Company, who placed three steam launches on the same route as the Old Company. This led the Old Company to raise money for a fourth and fifth boat. Competition between the Old and New Companies was fierce, until collaborative arrangements were instigated in 1888. As the new city centre grew, the importance of Old Portsmouth declined, and the fortunes of the
Floating Bridge Company
declined with it. The three last "traditional" Portsmouth ferries were the
Vesta
(1956),
Ferry Queen
(1959) and
Vita
(1960). They were all diesel-powered, but otherwise the design had changes little in 80 years.
In 1963, the New Company changed its name to the Portsmouth Harbour Ferry Company, and took over the Old Company. The combined company had eight vessels,
Vadne,
Vita
, Venus
and
Vesta
from the New Company, plus
Ferry Queen
, Ferry Prince, Ferry Princess
and
Ferry Belle
from the Old Company. Two modern new vessels were built by Thornycrofts of Woolston, named
Portsmouth Queen
and
Gosport Queen
. They entered service in 1966, and have proved very reliable once some initial teething troubles were ironed out. Initially, a number of the traditional ferries were retained for standby and excursion duties. The new ferries were joined in 1971 by the larger
Gay Enterprise
, which ran excursions in the summer, and covered in the winter whilst the other two ferries were overhauled.
Gay Enterprise
was later renamed
Solent Enterprise
. She was joined by another excursion vessel, the
Southsea Queen
, in 1974, a much better-looking ship than the others then in the fleet.
Southsea Queen
was sold after only four years to the company running the
Hythe-Southampton
ferries. The remaining three ferries covered services until 2001, when the first of two new ships arrived, the
Spirit of Gosport
. In the same year, the Portsmouth Harbour Ferry Company Limited (PHFC) became the Portsmouth Harbour Ferry Company PLC, a holding company for various subsidiaries, one of which is Gosport Ferry Limited, which continues to run the ferries. The green livery was changed slightly when the name was changed.
Successors to the original watermen continued to offers trips around the harbour, from the Portsea pontoon and from the beach near Clarence Pier in Southsea. In the mid-1980s they formed Portsmouth Harbour Tours, and subsequently began operating a circular waterbus service around the attractions of Portsmouth Harbour. The boast remained owned by the individuals, but proceeds were shared between them proportionate to the number of boats deployed. All boats received a pale blue livery - they are often referred to as the "Blue Boats". The Portsmouth Harbour Ferry Company (PHFC) initially joined this consortium, using two Blue Boats of their own, the
Solent Prince
and
Solent Princess
. PHFC left this consortium in 1996.
Sections on this Page:-
Watermen
Floating Bridge Company
Steam Ferries
- the steam-powered traditional ferries
Diesel Ferries
- the last three traditional ferries, which were diesel-powered
Ship Names on this Page:-
Ferry King
(1918-1960)
Ferry Prince
(1939-1966)
Ferry Princess
(1948-1968)
Ferry Queen
(1959-1974)
Vesta
(1956-1974)
Vesta II
(1909-1948)
Viceroy
(1902-1929)
Vita
(1960-1974)
Ship Names on
Page 2
:-
Gay Enterprise
Gosport Queen
Portsmouth Queen
Solent Enterprise
Solent Prince
Solent Princess
Southsea Queen
Spirit of Gosport
Spirit of Portsmouth
Solent Area Pages:-
Portsmouth Harbour Ferries - Page 1
- this page!
Portsmouth Harbour Ferries - Page 2
Spirit of Portsmouth Cruise: 7th September 2006
Blue Funnel Cruises
Hovertravel
Hythe-Southampton Ferries
Portsmouth Harbour Tours
- The "Blue Boats"
Solent Steam Packet Ltd
- SS Shieldhall
Associated Pages:-
UK Excursion Ships
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards
-
Recent Updates
Simplon Postcards
-
Home Page
References:-
It's Shorter by Water
- The Gosport Ferry 1875-2001
- Michael Wright (2001)
The Gosport Ferry
- A Short History 1883-1983
- P.D.Childs (1983)
Crossing the Harbour
- Leslie Burton & Brian Musselwhite (1987)
Search This Website:-
powered by
FreeFind
Table of Ship Histories
Name
Other names
Built
Gay Enterprise
1974
Gosport Queen
1966
Portsmouth Queen
1966
Solent Enterprise
1974
Spirit of Gosport
2001
Spirit of Portsmouth
2005
Watermen
Watermen have carried passengers across Portsmouth Harbour for many centuries, and the trade had been regulated by the Court of Exchequer since 1603, which gave the rights to operate the service exclusively to inhabitants of Gosport. These rights tended to be held within families, passed from generation to generation. This restriction allowed overcharging, and an Act of Parliament was introduced in 1809 to regulate pricing, although it took until 1835 before a fixed fare table was set and adhered to. The watermen used double-ended rowing boats know as wherries, which continued in use for many years after the coming of steam. There were two main routes across the harbour from Gosport, one to the Point (Old Portsmouth) and one to the Hard (Portsea - near the naval base).
Successors to the original watermen continued to offers trips around the harbour, from the Portsea pontoon and from the beach near Clarence Pier in Southsea. In the mid-1980s they formed Portsmouth Harbour Tours, and subsequently began operating a circular waterbus service around the attractions of Portsmouth Harbour. The boast remained owned by the individuals, but proceeds were shared between them proportionate to the number of boats deployed. All boats received a pale blue livery - they are often referred to as the "Blue Boats".The Portsmouth Harbour Ferry Company (PHFC) initially joined this consortium, using two Blue Boats of their own, the
Solent Prince
and
Solent Princess
. PHFC left this consortium in 1996.
More photographs of the Blue Boats
This postcard shows two traditional watermen's wherries at the Gosport Pontoon.
Floating Bridge
The
watermen
's monopoly was broken in 1840, when a steam-powered floating bridge, guided by chains, started operation between Gosport and Old Portsmouth. The first ferry
Victoria
was soon joined by a second ferry, the
Albert
. These were subsequently replaced by the
Alexandra
and the
Duchess of York
. When the first railway in the area opened in 1841 to Gosport, the floating bridge received a lot of additional traffic. The floating bridge continued until 1959.
Postcard of the floating bridge.
Postcard of the floating bridge.
Postcard of the floating bridge.
Modern Frith's postcard of the floating bridge in 1882.
Photograph of the floating bridge at Old Portsmouth.
Photo: © Portsmouth City Museum.
Photograph of the floating bridge at Gosport.
Photo: © Portsmouth City Museum.
Photograph of the floating bridge
Alexandra
.
Steam Ferries
The
watermen
responded to the
floating bridge
by acquiring steam passenger ferries, which they operated from Gosport to the Hard. In 1875, the watermen formed the the Gosport & Portsea Watermen's Steam Launch Company (known as the Old Company). The floating bridge company responded by operating their own passenger launches from Gosport to Old Portsmouth. When Portsmouth Harbour station opened in 1876, adjacent to the Hard, the Old Company's passenger ferries had a big advantage over those of the
floating bridge
. The success of the passenger ferries prompted the formation of the Port of Portsmouth Steam Launch & Towing Company in 1883, known as the New Company, who placed three steam launches on the same route as the Old Company. This led the Old Company to raise money for a fourth and fifth boat. Competition between the Old and New Companies was fierce, until collaborative arrangements were instigated in 1888. As the new city centre grew, the importance of Old Portsmouth declined, and the fortunes of the
Floating Bridge Company
declined with it.
Postcard of Gosport from the air, showing floating bridges and ferry pontoon
Scan: Graham Lewis
Click to open larger image in new window
Postcard of steam ferries at the Portsea Pontoon, with the Royal Yacht in the background.
Postcard of steam ferries at the Portsea Pontoon.
Modern Pamlyn postcard copy of the card above.
Postcard of steam ferries at the Portsea Pontoon, with
HMS Renown
or
HMS Repulse
in the background.
Postcard of steam ferries at the Gosport Pontoon.
Frith's postcard PTS.15.F of steam ferry arriving at Portsea.
Photograph of steam ferries at Gosport Pontoon.
Photo: © Frank Bottomley.
Photograph of steam ferries at Portsea Pontoon.
Royal Sovereign
Class battleship behind.
Photo: © The News.
Langstone Series postcard 393 of steam ferries at the Gosport Pontoon.
Frith's postcard of a steam ferry at the Portsea pontoon.
Masts of HMS Victory are visible in the background.
The railway viaduct to the naval dockyard, behind the ferry, was dismantled many years ago.
Viceroy
(1902-1929)
Viceroy
was built at Gosport for the Portsmouth-Gosport ferry service of the Port of Portsmouth Steam Launch & Towing Co in 1902. She moved to the Thames in 1929 for George Wheeler Launches, who kept her until 1946. Whilst reports indicate that she was re-engined as a diesel before entering service, the postcard below would indicate otherwise.
Viceroy
later served for PJ & RF Jackson of Hammrsmith (1946-1964),
Thames Launches
(1965-1970), Jackson Bros (1971-1980) and River Rides Ltd from 1981. I am not sure of her subsequent fate.
Postcard of
Viceroy
in Teddington Lock, on the River Thames
Click to open larger image in new window
Vesta II
(1909-1948)
Vesta II
was built by Camper & Nicholson for the Portsmouth-Gosport ferry service of the Port of Portsmouth Steam Launch & Towing Co in 1909. She was named
Vesta II
becuase there was another local Portsmouth boat (not on the ferry service) called
Vesta
. She moved to the Thames in 1948 for Mrs C.Hastings of Kingston. She was re-engined as a diesel and renamed
Kingston Belle
in 1949, ownership passing to H.G.Hastings, who owned her until 1954. In 1963 she returned to the Solent for Southampton Pleasure Cruises, but was out of service by 1982.
Vesta II
near Broom Water, Teddington, on the River Thames
Photo: ©
David Lord
Click to open larger image in new window
Ferry King
(1918-1960)
Postcard of
Ferry King
of the "Old Company".
Ferry Prince
(1939-1966)
Postcard of
Ferry Prince
of the "Old Company".