Blog Archives

NEW! "Medway Queen" greetings cards.

28/2/2019

The latest promotional item commissioned by “Medway Queen – West” is this pack of greetings cards. The cards are approximately 6 inches square, printed on 350gsm card and each comes with an envelope. The cards are available in packs of 6 (2 of each title) by mail order. They can also be bought in packs or individually (£1-65 each) at the Medway Queen Visitor Centre on Gillingham Pier. The inside of the cards is blank for your own message (birthday, thanks, etc.)

The cost of the cards is £7-50 per pack of 6, plus UK P&P of £1-50 per order

You can order online HERE
Or by post from "Medway Queen - West". Send a cheque payable to "Richard Halton" to 2 Drury Close, Hook, Royal Wootton Bassett, SN4 8EL or send your remittance (and a note of your address) by Paypal friends’ transfer to [email protected]. Packs with the card selection tailored to your requirements are available from Richard Halton only.

Do you remember PS Ryde?

17/2/2019

I am looking for images, memories and information on PS Ryde or "Ryde Queen" as she became on the Isle of Wight.

The paddle steamer Ryde was well known in the Solent area as one of the ferries run by the Southern Railway and, later, British Railways on the Portsmouth-Ryde ferry service. She is also well known as the former “Ryde Queen” boatel and nightclub on the Isle of Wight; where she still lies.

During the war Ryde became HMS Ryde and was used first as a minesweeper and later as an anti-aircraft vessel. In this latter role HMS Ryde took part in the D-Day invasion as part of the air defences for the Mulberry harbours.

There have been a number of schemes for preserving the vessel but it now seems unlikely that she will be saved. Therefore this is a good time to be properly documenting her history. Something that is long overdue. Richard Halton, who wrote “The Medway Queen” and “The Medway Queen Club” celebrating the Isle of Wight’s other paddle steamer nightclub, is looking for memories, anecdotes and photographs of PS Ryde or the Ryde Queen for possible publication. Any information is of interest, whether you worked on board, visited, travelled on her or just watched her steam past. Photographs of her at any stage in her career would be very welcome, especially photographs taken on board.

If you can help this research in any way, relevant to any stage in the ship’s history, please get in touch with Richard by email on [email protected] . Loaned material will be treated carefully and returned promptly after copying. To safeguard the material for the future, copies will also be passed to the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society for their own archives unless you request otherwise.

Richard Halton
February 2019