Star Steam Packet Co

1833 The Star Steam Packet Company was founded in 1833, and operated a service of steamboats between London and the Town Pier, Gravesend, the service opening on 29th July, 1834, the first boat being the STAR which landed 500 passengers from London, and subsequently - in conjunction with the COMET - made an excursion down the river. The METEOR was an iron vessel which had a beam engine that was originally in the PLANET, she also had fixed floats to the paddle wheels; the NEW STAR, JUPITER, MARS and VENUS had oscillating engines and feathering paddle wheels. The VESPER was built of wood.

1840 Was one of 5 companies serving Gravesend; operated 5 vessels

1841 The G. S. N. Co. purchased the MERCURY in 1841 and the STAR in 1846.

1840s Took over the task of shipping passengers on behalf of the Blackwall Railway Co from Brunswick Wharf, Blackwall.

1854 The METEOR, in the autumn of 1854, whilst returning from Gravesend on a dark foggy night, came into collision with a large steamer which cut the METEOR completely in halves, although she was an iron vessel. Fortunately there was no loss of life.

After the dissolution of the Company, the MEDWAY was broken up. The COMET was sold and ran between Hartlepool and Sunderland, the VENUS went to the Channel Islands and ran between Guernsey and Jersey; the SATELLITE went to Liverpool; the JUPITER was purchased by the Dover Mail Steam Packet Co., who overhauled both hull and engines and also re-boilered her. On completion of the work, the Board of Trade surveyor granted a passenger certificate for the summer season, but the Admiralty mail packet surveyor refused to grant one; hence, while you might cross the Channel in the JUPITER, any letter you had posted could not accompany you. The JUPITER was ultimately turned into a blockade runner, and after a severe struggle in the Bay of Biscay, fell a victim to Neptune.

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