Paddle Steamer Operators

The Paddle Steamer Preservation Society Collection includes the largest collection in the UK of material relating to paddle and pleasure steamer operators. The Collection includes a significant collection of material relating to the Bristol Channel and South coast operations of P & A Campbell as well as good holdings of material relating to companies such as the General Steam Navigation Company and Cosens of Weymouth. The list below gives an outline of what we hold for each company.

P & A Campbell

The Collection has 4,054 items catalogued relating to P & A Campbell. Approximately 6,000 further items are in the process of being catalogued. Material consists of Campbells' own archive from their Cardiff HQ and includes mint condition copies of sailing handbills dating from 1900 to 1980. This includes full volumes of material relating to Bristol Channel operations from each departure point as well as rare and interesting volumes of handbills concerning operations from South coast resorts such as Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings. In addition, there is a growing collection of photographs relating to Campbell's steamers as well as a collection of silverware, souvenirs, postcards and other ephemera.

General Steam Navigation

There is a good and growing collection of material relating to the Thames operations of the General Steam Navigation Company. At present 4,500 items are held. Material consists of handbills c1920-1966 as well as a good collection of photographs and ephemera as well as excellent collections of souvenirs, silver-plate and fittings from the ships in the fleet.

Cosens

There is a modest collection of material relating to Cosens of Weymouth. At present this consists of 396 items. Material is mainly in the form of handbills and photographs with material primarily from the post-Second World War. There is a growing collection of silverware, plans, crested crockery and epehemera such as tickets connected with the fleet. The Society also owns important relics such as the telegraphs from the Consul.

Belle Steamers

The Society has a small collection of material relating to the Belle Steamers. At present, this consists of 93 items. The Collection owns important large objects connected with the fleet such as a builders plate, wheel, fire bucket and Dining Saloon Chair. Many of these are on display at Languard Fort, Felixstowe.

Caledonian Steam Packet Company

The Society has 163 items in the Collection connected with this company. This consists of handbills, photographs and postcards.

Waverley Excursions

The Society has a growing collection of material relating to the post 1975 operations of the Waverley and Balmoral.

Paddle Steamer Kingswear Castle Trust

The Society has a growing Collection of material relating to the operation of Kingswear Castle since 1985 as well as her restoration.