Builders: W Allsup & Sons Preston 1900
Propulsion type: Paddle Non Compound Double Diagonal
Owners: The Great Yarmouth Steam Tug Co Ltd, Furness Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Crosthwaite Steamship Co Ltd
Service dates: 1900 - 1934
Tonnage: Gross 235 (originally 199 grt)
Comments:
Bilsdale was built as Lord Roberts and sailed from Yarmouth to Lowestoft on excursion work. Originally she had an open bridge, although a wheelhouse was later added, as shown in this picture. In 1911 and 1912 she was chartered by Cosens & Co to run out of Weymouth in place of Empress, which was working out of Swanage alongside Monarch. PS Lord Roberts saw war service as Earl Roberts and on decommissioning in 1919 she was sold to Furness Shipbuilding Co for use at their shipyard. Sold again in 1925, she was renamed Bilsdale and it is in this guise she is shown above. She sailed out of Scarborough until 17 September 1934 when she made her last cruise and was then sold for breaking up.
This picture comes from a family album which I recently acquired and is previously unpublished. It shows PS Bilsdale at Scarborough. I am grateful to Capt. John Megoran, Master of PS Kingswear Castle for his help in identifying the loaction of this image. For a picture of a passenger group preparing to sail on an afternoon excursion from Scarborough to Hayburn Wyke circa 1930, please click here.
Back to North East Coast Index