Builders: Sir W.G.Armstrong, Mitchell & Co 1885
Propulsion type: Paddle
Owners: River Thames Steamboat Co, Victoria Steamboat Association, Thames Steamboat Co, Gainsborough Steam Packet Co, & others
Service dates: 1885 - 19??
Tonnage: Gross 71
Comments:
Celia was one of the 70 or so London Steamboat Co boats (or more accurately by then the River Thames Steamboat Co) and measured 100ft x 14 x 6.1. These boats were known as the "penny boats", due to the low fares, which proved so low that to make a profit the company would have to had over1,000,000 paying customers each year. The boats plied the Thames between Richmond and Greenwich but were never profitable. Celia was one of the 57 river paddlers put up for sale by the company in 1886 when their financial difficulties overtook them. She had a board of trade passenger certificate at that time (only 39 of the steamers did) and had been sailing on the up river services between "London" and Hampton Court. She was advertised as having been fitted with "all recent improvements for light draft navigation". This picture shows her in the 1920's at Morton Corner on the River Trent, just downstream from Gainsborough, on the Gainsborough to Hull run. I do not have a record of who owned her between these dates, nor her final fate and any information would be appreciated.
This photo is taken from the archives of the Waterways Museum, Goole and my thanks go to them and to George who first sent me the picture. My thanks also go to Alan Robinson of Gainsborough, who helped me with the location of this picture and further information about PS Celia.
Thames Medway and East Coast Steamers Index