Woolwich Steam Packet Co
In 1834 the Woolwich Steam Packet Company was established and became a well-known and successful line of river steamers, eventually the most important boat Company on the Thames, owning the largest fleet of steamers. This Company became famous by the introduction of Saloon Steamers.
The W.S.P. Co. started in a small way by the running of local services until they subsequently ran as far as the Thames Estuary. Their original services started from Charing Cross and ran to Strother’s Wharf, High Street, Woolwich. The service commenced in 1834 with only two double trips daily, leaving Woolwich at 9.0 a.m. and 2.0 p.m. and returning from Charing Cross at 11.0 a.m. and 4.0 p.m., calling both ways at Greenwich and Queenhithe. The fares were very low, that for the main cabin being 1s and for the second cabin 9d., with a Sunday all-round fare of 1s. At one time these Woolwich boats were regarded as the dirtiest and most uncomfortable running on the London river. As river traffic became more popular and the railways had not yet obtained the monopoly of the traffic on both sides of the river, the services were extended to Southend and Sheerness.
In 1865, the Woolwich Company amalgamated with the Iron, Citizen and Westminster Companies and in 1871 with the Waterman’s Steam Packet Company and all their piers were brought into the Woolwich fold. This combined grouping secured for the Woolwich Company a monopoly of the Thames passenger traffic from Kew and Richmond up the river down to Southend and Sheerness at the mouth.
1876 The London Steamboat Co acquired most of the vessels.
FLEET OF WOOLWICH STEAM PACKET COMPANY (as far as can be ascertained, excluding amalgamations)
- PS Sylph (1834)
- PS Fairy (1834)
- PS Naiad (1835)
- PS Ariel (1835)
- PS Nymph (1836)
- PS Dryad (1836)
- PS Metis (1836)
- PS Oread (1836)
- PS Doris (1836)
- PS Elphin (1836)
- PS Witch (1844)
- PS Ariel (1844)
- PS Sibyl
- PS Nymph (1852)
- PS Petrel
- PS Queen of the Isles
- PS Sea Swallow
- PS Oread (1854)
- PS Metis (1854)
- PS Camelia (1858)
- PS Plover
- PS Queen
- PS Doris (1859)
- PS Fairy (1859)
- PS Martin
- PS Queen of the Thames
- PS Queen of the Orwell
- PS Niaid (1862)
- PS North Kent
- PS Heron
- PS Albert Edward
- PS Princess Alice
- PS Alexandra
- PS Duke of Cambridge
- PS Duke of Connaught
- PS Duke of Teck
- PS Prince Alfred
- PS Prince Arthur
- PS Cupid
- PS Vesta
- PS Duke of Edinburgh
- PS Prince of Wales
See Also
Sources of Information
- 'Steamers of the Thames and Medway' by Frank Burtt