This stamp shows the liner France at Southampton on what could be her first visit. The vessel in the foreground is the tug/tender CALSHOT and behind her is one of the Alexandra tugs, as yet unidentified.
On 4th November 1929 CALSHOT was launched at the John I Thornycroft & Co. Ltd. Shipyard at Woolston in Southampton. She was the largest tug/tender built for the Southampton, Isle of Wight Company, also known as the Red Funnel Line, of Southampton. She has manoeuvered the world's greatest ocean liners: Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth, United States, France amongst many others. She often carried world famous celebrities, film stars and politicians and it is known that Lee Harvey Oswald boarded the 'LIBERTE', possibly via the CALSHOT on 9th October 1959.
During the war CALSHOT went north to Scapa Flow and then the Clyde where she ferried troops to and from the QUEEN MARY and QUEEN ELIZABETH. In June 1946 CALSHOT returned to Red Funnel after being extensively refitted.
In 1964 CALSHOT was sold to a subsidiary of Holland America Line and renamed 'GALWAY BAY'. She was based in Galway in Eire and used to ferry passengers from the liners 'MAASDAM' and 'RYNDAM' in the bay, to the pier harbour. She then became a ferry between Galway and the Aran Islands.
CALSHOT was bought by Southampton City Council in 1986 to be displayed afloat outside the planned Maritime Museum in Ocean Village. She was then opened to the public at her permanent berth at Town Quay. Later she was moved to Southampton Council Wharf. In April 1997 restoration work commenced and January she was moved to ABP Port of Southampton Berth 42.
CALSHOT is cared for by a charitable trust and is now one of just 46 craft designated to be of "pre-eminent national significance" in the core collection of the National Register of Historic Vessels.
GRT: 679
Yard No: 1093
Length 147 ft
Breadth 33 feet.
Twin Screw, triple expansion engines.
Passenger certificate for 566 passengers
Renamed GALWAY BAY - 1964
Renamed CALSHOT – 1990
Senegal 1999 250f sgMS1580
Sources: http://dcroennau.fmail.co.uk/CALSHOT/trust.html
http://www.southampton.gov.uk/thecounci ... 19_003.pdf
Miramar. Various internet sites.
Peter Crichton