BRITANNIA ferry paddle steamer 1885

[aukepalmhof]

Built as a wooden paddle-steamer by Charles Bailey on his Freemans Bay yard, Auckland for the Devonport Steamferry Company Ltd., Auckland.
September 1885 launched under the name BRITANNIA, Mrs. Annie Alison performed launching ceremony.
Tonnage 197 ton gross. Dim. 119 x 21.5 x 5.5ft.
Powered by two 45 hp steam engines, manufactured by Fraser & Tinne.
Could carry 663 passengers and had 4 crew.
Designed by James Garland Trevithick. Building cost 9.000 NZ $.

She was special built for the ferry service between Devonport and Auckland, and North Shore and Northcote in the harbour of Auckland.
The wood used for her construction came mostly from one gigantic kauri tree, that had fallen at least 100 years earlier and had lain undiscovered. The tree yielded 100.000 feet (30.000 meters) of best kauri wood, some with a length of 84 feet.
She was also used for day trips, and became very popular with Sunday Schools outings, temperance societies and picnic organizers.
December 1887 used by Admiral Fairfax, the flag officer commanding the Australian Squadron for excursions around Auckland harbour.
16 February 1888, bedecked with flags and evergreens, she carried the guests for the official opening of the new Galliope Dock. After the entering of the dock by HMS GALLOPE and HMS DIAMOND, Governor Sir William Jervois embarked with his party in the BRITANNIA for a harbour cruise.

1895 For her navy work she got as memento the large double steering wheels of HMS WOLVERINE, the wheel was divided in two, and placed on the upperdeck one on the foredeck and the other on the afterdeck.

During the BOER WAR in South Africa, she was many times used for farewell escorts for departing troopships.
During the turn of the century she was used in picnic cruises to Pine Island for Hygienic Bakery customers. The customers of the bakery were eligible for a free ticket to the island after buying for a shilling a sultana cake.
June 1907 her paddles got jammed in a huge log, she drifted for a time before an other ferry towed her to her berth.
When new screw ferries took over the service, she was chartered in 1913 by Takapuna Tram and Ferry Company as a relief ship every year until 1921, when she was bought by that company in August for £1000.
She was now fitted out with two enclosed wheelhouses, and her funnel was lengthened, engines modified, (one the stamp is she depict after her modification.)
She was used by the company in the ferry service and during the summer months used for
excursions and charter work.
She ran aground in February 1923 with on board 250 passengers on the Horseshoe Reef at full speed. There were not any causalities, and the passengers were safely landed by boat on shore. The BRITANNIA was towed off by the next high tide, she was not damaged.
When a new ferry joined the company in 1924, she was laid up in Shoal Bay in December that year, waiting for a buyer.

1926 Sold to private owners and used as a houseboat. Her live over the next seven years was obscure; she was under different owners shifted around various backwaters in the Hauraki Gulf. Her name dragged through law courts as her many and varied owners tried to use her.
Finally more a derelict she was bought by the Hincho brothers in 1933 and broken up in the Coromandel.

New Zealand 1984 58c sg1334, scott?

Source: Some notes I made at the library. The Harbour Ferries of Auckland by David Balderston.