Paddle Steamers.

During the formative years of the new resort of Clacton on Sea, the main means of travel to this place was by the paddle steamers which departed from Tower Pier at London for the Essex and Suffolk coastal resorts.

It was the arrival of the paddle steamer the ‘Queen of the Orwell’ with guests on board on 18th July 1871 at the newly constructed landing stage, which announced the birth of the new resort. At this time, the landing stage had a sole role, although it was also used to promenade along. The new Clacton on Sea was developing and increasing numbers of visitors were coming. The landing stage was lengthened and widened to eventually be named as a pier, and to include attractions, the first being the hot and cold seawater baths located at the pier entrance.

The paddle steamers operated under the Woolwich Steam Packet Company. There were to be several changes in the companies operating the steamers, either by absorption, or financial failure. The Belle Steamers had several paddle steamers named after the various resorts, including the Clacton Belle and this berthed at the pier on 15^th May 1890. One of the most prestigious steamers, which belonged to the Victoria Steamboat Association, was the twin funnelled Koh-n-Noor built in 1892 whose reputation for quality was unsurpassed, but she only operated to Clacton for five seasons.

Passengers on the paddle steamers were sometime entertained by a small orchestra, but sea conditions could sometimes disrupt the passage by preventing a safe berthing at the pier. Some low tides made the Wallet Spitway impassable and the longer passage via the Goldmer Gap at Walton on the Naze made for a longer trip. The coming of the railway to the resort in 1882 provided for an alternative way to travel for a day trip or for a holiday, and then came the private motor car and charabanc progressing to the motor coach. Clacton was becoming one of the major holiday destinations and the paddle steamers were initially able to cope with the alternative means of travel, especially by offering sea cruises. There was still confidence in the paddle steamers and Ernest Kingsman, the owner of Clacton pier initiated the construction of berthing arm during 1935. When completed, three paddle steamers could berth at the same time. At this time, there were some well known vessels coming to Clacton: The Laguna Belle, Royal Eagle, Crested Eagle and the Golden Eagle, and passengers would buy postcards of these paddle steamers and post them on-board.

As the 1930s progressed a new vessel arrived, a screw driven motor vessel. This was the twin funnelled  ‘Queen of the Channel’, but sadly soon to be lost in World War Two whilst evacuating troops from the beaches of Dunkirk. Post war, a new single funnelled M.V. ‘Queen of the Channel’ was launched in 1949, and is fondly remembered by visitors and residents alike. Just one paddle steamer it seems returned for a few years after the war, the Medway Queen, to be the end of a great era when the paddle steamers had brought from 1871, thousands of holidaymakers to Clacton on Sea.

June 2021