Le quai d'embarquement des paquebots anglais à Boulogne-sur-Mer

Le quai d'embarquement des paquebots anglais
à Boulogne-sur-Mer vers le début du vingtième siècle.
(collection agence-adhémar)

Il s'agit peut-être du steamer à roues à aubes Duchess of York (1895-1904) de la South Eastern Railway Company devenue South Eastern & Chatham Railway Company en service sur la ligne Folkestone-Boulogne. A moins qu'il ne s'agisse du Mabel Grace (ci-dessous) de la même compagnie.

The South Eastern & Chatham Railway Company was formed in 1899 by the merger of the fleets of the London, Dover & Chatham Railway and the South Eastern Railway. They ran services between Folkestone / Dover - Calais / Boulogne. In 1923 they became part of Southern Railway.

Bateau à roues à aubes Major-Davel (1892) dans le port de Genève

Un bateau à roues à aubes (paddle steamer) est un bateau à vapeur à fond plat et à faible tirant

Vapeur à roues à aubes de la CGN Major-Davel (1892) sortant du port de Genève (collection agence Adhémar)

"Progressivement, les services de navigation vont devoir composer avec l'avènement des chemins de fer et l'afflux important des touristes dans toute la région lémanique. La flotte de la CGN devra donc chercher sans cesse à s'agrandir en assurant le meilleur confort aux voyageurs et une desserte irréprochable. La CGN passera plusieurs commandes à Escher, Wyss & Cie de Zurich : tout d'abord un bateau-salon aux emménagements luxueux et de dimensions alors inégalées, Mont-Blanc II (1875), puis plusieurs petites unités pour les services de cabotage ainsi qu'un deuxième bateau à deux ponts muni de l'éclairage électrique, France (1886), enfin un demi-salon rapide, Major-Davel (1892)" Voir historique de la Compagnie Générale de Navigation sur le lac Léman (CGN). Major-Davel sera vendu en 1969 puis après de nombreuses péripéties qui ne parvinrent pas à le sauver, détruit en 1990.

Major Davel was the last Geneva steamer to be built by Escher Weiss of Zurich, being delivered in 1892. She pleased her owners with her speed of 25 km/hr combined with good fuel economy. Major Davel was the last half-saloon steamer built for the lake. In 1926 she received major revisions to her half-saloon, and a smoking saloon was added in front of the bridge. She was out of use during the Second War, returning to service in 1947. In the early 1960s, she operated in the Haut-Lac. It was decided in 1966 that she would be withdrawn, but ran a 75 Years anniversary cruise in 1967. Her navigation licence expired in February 1968. However, in 1969, Major Davel was sold for use as a club house in Port-Ripaille, where she was moved in 1970, stripped of her engines. The project fell through, and Major Davel was moved to Thonon, where she suffered badly due to vandalism. The town of Thonon became owners in 1975. Her condition deteriorated over the years, but attempts were made to save her in the late 1980s. An application to have her classed as an ancient monument (as happened to the funicular in nearby Evian) was lodged with the Ministry of Culture, and Major Davel was moved to the CGN yard in Ouchy in October 1989 to await a response. Unfortunately this was negative, so the last surviving half-saloon Geneva steamer was taken to Bouveret for demolition in 1990.

SS Monarch de la Cossens & Co

SS Monach de la Cossens & Co (collection agence Adhémar)

Ce vapeur à roues à aubes, construit en 1888 en acier par R.& H.Green & Co à Blackwell sur la Tamise, transportait les passagers de la Cossens & Co jusqu'en France depuis les ports de Bournemouh, Boscombe, Swanage, Weymouth, Isle of Wight et Torquay. Il fut remplacé en 1951 par un ancien vapeur des compagnies de chemins de fer qui conserva le nom de Monarch.

Monarch (1888-1950) was built in steel by R.& H.Green & Co at Blackwell, on the River Thames, and her engines were built by J.Penn of Greenwich. Monarch was replaced with an ex-railway steamer in 1951, which became the Monarch II.
(more pictures on Simplon).
Founded 1852 by Capt. Joseph Cosens and newspaper owner J. Drew wishing to link Weymouth to Portland transporting goods, workers at Portland dockyard, and tourists. Later also Channel crossings. Takeover of competitors Dodson (1858) and Tizard (1860). Ltd in 1876; expansion of company to include repair, engineering, towage, and salvage.
1946 : taken over by Southampton, Isle of Wight and S. of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Co./Red Funnels (separate flags). Last sailing Sept. 1966; Cosens Engineering Ltd had to close down in 1999. Cosens & Co, also known as Weymouth, Bournemouth & Swanage Steam Packets Ltd, was later taken over by the Southampton, Isle of Wight & South of England Royal Mail Steam Packet Co. Ltd (Red Funnel Steamers).

The once familiar Buff Funnel paddle steamers of Cosens & Co Ltd were part of the scenery along the Wessex coast of the south of England. They crowded Bournemouth Pier and Weymouth, offering excursions to the Isle of Wight, Swanage and landings on the beach at Lulworth Cove. To the west the paddlers called at Lyme Regis, and visited the south Devon resorts of Seaton, Torquay, Paignton and as far as Plymouth. Closer to home they offered cruises to see the warships in Portland harbour whilst their fleet of speed boats offered trips in Weymouth Bay.

Le ferry Brighton Queen sortant du port de Boulogne sur Mer

Brighton Queen sortant du port de Boulogne sur Mer
dans les années 1910 (collection Adhémar)

Vapeur avec roues à aubes britannique construit par Clydebank Shipbuilding & Engineering Co à Clydebank (GB) en 1897 pour le compte de Brighton, Worthing and South Coast Steamboat Co, Brighton Queen a été acquis par P&A Campbell à temps pour sa campagne de 1902 sur le côte sud de l'Angleterre et pour des excursions de la journée en France. Il fut réquisitionné et transformé en dragueur de mines pendant la Première Guerre mondiale. Brighton Queen coula au large des côtes belges le 5 octobre 1915. (A ne pas confondre avec Brighton Queen II, construit en 1904 sous le nom de Gwalia, assez semblable d'aspect mais portant deux cheminées).

Brighton Queen was built by the Clydebank Shipbuilding & Engineering Co (predecessors of John Brown & Co) in 1897, for the Brighton, Worthing and South Coast Steamboat Co. She was acquired by P&A Campbell in time for the 1902 season, and operated on the South Coast, including day trips to France, until the First World War. She was used as a minesweeper and was lost off the Belgian Coast on 5th October 1915.