Medway Queen Preservation Society

Support Group News

16/1/2019

Medway Queen's “Reading Support Group” have re-branded themselves as “Medway Queen – West” due to Richard's house move last year. “Reading” no longer seemed appropriate. A few of our previous regular events are no longer viable from the new location so we need to find others within sensible travelling distance of Wootton Bassett. Suggestions/offers welcome.

The group are very close to passing the £100K milestone in funds raised for the society and intend to achieve that target by the time of the 95th anniversary of the ship’s launch on April 23rd. We have had amazing support from the media, event organisers and donors of saleable goods for which we are very grateful. The group has its own small band of volunteers who put in many hours of hard work. Thank you all; just because you enjoy it (I hope they do) doesn’t mean it’s not tiring!

We'll continue with creation of promotional items such as the model railway wagons and other items. The first new line for for 2019 will be a range of greetings cards. Two new titles will be added to the one printed in 2018 and it will then be possible to sell mixed packs of 6 cards online and over the counter. Watch the website for details shortly.

Richard Halton

Below: The group's stall at "The International N Gauge Show" is now their largest annual event presence.

January 08th, 2019

8/1/2019

Visit Details

A walking group known as the SLOBS (Senior Lucas Old Boys Society) visited Medway Queen and Chatham Historic Dockyard recently.

The group has in excess of 140 retired members in total with a walking group that meets on a monthly basis with close to 40 walking. On this occasion the popularity of the Medway Queen attracted 46 people for the tour. The Medway Queen Preservation Society is still hopeful that one or two of these visitors will be persuaded to join our band of volunteers.

The SLOBS managed to "jump the gun"!

Medway Queen is open for tours again on Saturdays from 19th January. Open hours are 11am to 4pm with last admissions at 3pm.

Ron Vant & Ju. Maguire

Bob Ratcliffe

22/12/2018

Above: Bob and his wife, Margaret at the presentation of the bow wheel to Medway Queen in November 2014. Joe Stokes

We were saddened to learn of the passing of Bob Ratcliffe – he was very much a part of the story of the Medway Queen project. A founder member of the Medway Queen Preservation Society, Bob served on our first committee in 1985 and with his local knowledge, contacts, optimism and humour we were soon underway.

Known locally as “Mr. Rochester”, because of his interest in and vast knowledge of the area he was involved in several local societies and was present at most events in the city. He was an expert in the bygone transport of the region; trains, traction engines, buses and, of course, ships. Bob knew and loved them all.

Not only did Bob remember the Medway Queen in service on the Medway but he was on board the ship as a passenger at the Spithead Coronation Review in 1953. In 2014 Bob generously sponsored a replacement bow steering wheel in memory of his son, Michael. An author, broadcaster, historian there was no limit to his talents nor his energy when campaigning for a local cause. John and I enjoyed time out on the sailing barge “Cabby” on race days in the company of Bob, he was always a witty companion.

Bob’s funeral was held at Rochester Cathedral on Thursday December 20th 2018 at 11.30 followed by a private service for the family at Medway Crematorium. To Margaret and Andrew and family we offer our condolences. Bob was respected by all and the world of preservation will be a poorer place without Bob Ratcliffe.

Noreen Chambers
(December 2018)

Bob's interests in transport were varied. In 1953 he was taken by train to Southampton where he boarded Medway Queen for a tour of the fleet and to watch the Coronation Review. Bob took this picture at Waterloo Station. The center train is the one he boarded for the journey to Southampton. Some of the passengers must have been a little put out when their first view of their ship was the top of a funnel protruding above the dockside. Berth 47 was an ocean liner berth and Medway Queen’s 316 tons would be a quite a bit smaller than the usual traffic there: RMS Queen Mary, still in service at that time, was 80,000 tons displacement.

Fund Raising Successes

13/12/2018

In addition to the £3033 donation from the Co-op Community Fund recently announced we have had a generous donation of £5000 from one of our long term supporters and another £3000 from Reading Support Group. This gives us just over £11000 towards the aft saloon project and the electrical fittings. The Fun Food and Craft event on 1st December did well despite the weather and made a further very worthwhile contribution.

The board are continuing to look for further sponsorship but the desired timescales rule out formal grant applications to charitable trusts. We will have to rely on individual donations, smaller grants and sponsorship. If you know anyone who might help please get in touch with them or pass details to us at info@medwayqueen.co.uk

On top of that our prospective publisher for the proposed children's book has revised the specification giving us a much reduced sponsorship target of £3400 for a 1000 print run. This is as good as finding a first sponsor! We will not raid the restoration budget for this project and need it to be independently financed.

Click the "Wish List" below for more details of all donation opportunities.

Medway Queen's Wish List

Thank you Co-op

27/11/2018

On Saturday 24th November, John Kempton (Chairman of MQPS) was invited to the Co-op store in Chatham Maritime to receive a donation from the store’s Local Community Fund.

As can be seen from the photograph, this amounted to an amazing £3033.69; a great boost to funding for restoration of the upper aft saloon. This branch of the Co-op had raised £9519.17 for distribution on Saturday – a fantastic achievement.

Our thanks go to the Co-op management and staff and, of course, to all their customers who raised this money towards the restoration of Medway Queen.

Above: John Kempton accepts the donation cheque from store manager, Katie Charles. Courtesy of Chatham Maritime Co-op Store

Co-op’s overall score of £9519.17
Courtesy of Chatham Maritime
Co-op Store

Every time a Co-op member shops at Co-op, 1% of their spending on selected own-brand products and services goes to the local community fund. The money raised by all the members in the community, together with money from shopping bag sales, helps to fund local projects in the area.

Members can choose which cause they want their own 1% to go to. Please register for the scheme if you use the Co-op and select New Medway Steam Packet Co. to help us restore this famous old ship. Any money raised by Co-op members who don’t select a cause is added to the money raised from shopping bag sales and shared equally between the causes in their local area.

The restoration project’s focus is very much on the aft saloon at present with a view to having it up and running as an event venue as quickly as possible. This requires a sympathetic restoration of this compartment, the largest on the ship, together with the forward saloon and its attendant galley to enable hot drinks and light refreshments to be served. The major part of this project is electrical and safety installations together with a need for appropriate upholstery of the bench seating that runs down either side of the saloon. More information and details of how you can help at:
www.medwayqueen.co.uk/wish_list

Come and see what we are doing for yourselves. Our last Fun, Food and Craft Day of 2018 on Gillingham Pier will be on Saturday 1st December from 10am until 4pm. Santa will be there and he has promised to switch on Medway Queen’s Christmas Lights during the afternoon.

Medway Queen’s wake. Courtesy PSPS Collection.

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Support Group News

January 08th, 2019

Bob Ratcliffe

Fund Raising Successes

Thank you Co-op

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