Two more queens – research project

Besides PS Medway Queen, the New Medway Steam Packet Company ran other ships on a variety of routes. These included two very similar twin funnel paddlers named Queen of Kent and Queen of Thanet.
 
Richard Halton, who has written a number of books detailing the history of PS Medway Queen and, recently, PS Ryde is now researching the history of these two vessels with a view to possible publication. The decision to publish will depend on the amount of historical material discovered and successful negotiations with a publisher – of course. If the project gets that far then proceeds from publication and sales will be passed to the Medway Queen Preservation Society (registered charity 296236). Any material gathered will be shared with the PSPS Collection to ensure its long-term survival. This is fitting since the 2 ships were operated by NMSPCo although not on the same routes as Medway Queen.

Both ships started life in 1916 as purpose-built paddle minesweepers: HMS Atherstone and HMS Melton. After the war, in the 1920s, they were purchased by the New Medway company and converted for civilian use as PS Queen of Kent and PS Queen of Thanet. They operated under that flag until 1939 when they were requisitioned and became minesweepers again – under their new names as the original names were being used for existing naval ships. They returned to civilian use afterwards and were hastily converted back as stop-gap vessels while new build motor vessels were on order. In the late ‘40s they were sold to Red Funnel in Southampton for use as ferries. They were renamed Lorna Doone and Solent Queen respectively, but this proved to be a short-term reprieve and they were scrapped in 1951 and ’52.
 
Material, especially personal recollections, is expected to be harder to find than for Richard’s previous projects as these ships disappeared before cameras were in widespread use and so long ago that few people will now have first-hand memories of the ships. If you can help with any information or images, please contact Richard Halton by email on [email protected] 

​Richard Halton​