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Falmouth - Pill
River Fal Fleet List of the Pill Family
This page is still under construction!
This page shows the ferries of the River Fal Fleet List of the Pill family. Many of the boats are shown running for previous or subsequent owners - any images in Pill ownership on the Fal would be appreciated.
The Pill family have operated excursion boats and ferries from Falmouth for many years. In the early 1950s, George Pill built his own passenger boat, the
White Lady
. His brothers Gerald and Kenneth also owned passenger launches, including the
Water Spry
(ex-Victory Pleasures) and the
Tamar Belle
. In 1968 they brought the
May Queen
from Fleetwood to compete on the Falmouth-St Mawes ferry, the
St Mawes Ferry Company
having just put its fleet up for sale.
In the 1970s, George Pill bought the
Skylark II
and
Temptress (1)
from Bob Rogers (they were previously part of the Green Boat fleet).
Temptress (1)
was passed to Kenneth Pill and ran fishing trips until sold to Millbank owners in 1985 (later renamed
Condor
). In 1974, William Pill, George Pill, George Henry Pill and William Jenkins incorporated the Cornish Ferry (Red Funnel) Co.Ltd. They brought back the ex-
St Mawes Steam Tug & Passenger Co Ltd
boat
St Gerrans
, and used her on excursions to the Helford River until 1988.
In 1977 the Pill fleet was
May Queen
,
St Gerrans
and
Tamar Belle
(3 boats). Further fleet additions included were the
Devon Belle
,
Westminster Belle
and
Tudor Prince
. The Pill fleet in 1985 consisted of
Devon Belle
,
May Queen
,
St Gerrans
, Skylark II, Tamar Belle,
Tudor Prince
and
Westminster Belle
(7 boats).
The Pill fleet in 1987 consisted of
Devon Belle
,
May Queen
,
St Gerrans
, Tamar Belle
and
Tudor Prince
(5 boats). The
Devon Belle
was replaced by the
Princessa
for the 1988 season, plus Kenneth PiIl was running the
Temptress II
.
St Gerrans
was disposed of after the 1988 season.
By 1991 the
St Mawes Ferry Company
had sold their three boats
Nankersey
,
New Princess Maud
and
Princess Maria
to the Pill family, who took over the runing of the ferry. The fleet in 1991 became:-
May Queen
,
Mayflower
,
Nankersey
,
New Princess Maud
,
Princess Maria
,
Princessa
and
Tudor Prince
.
Nankersey
was sold in 1994, followed by
Mayflower
and
Princess Maria
by 1997.
Adrian Gilbert
joined the fleet in 1996, followed by the
Queen of Falmouth
two years later, although she was soon sold again. The 2001 fleet was:-
Adrian Gilbert
,
May Queen
,
New Princess Maud
,
Princessa
and
Tudor Prince
. By 2003,
Queen of Falmouth
had returned to the fleet and
Tudor Prince
was now out of service, now run by just George Henry Pill. John Pill ran
Princessa
on his own account as
Falmouth Pleasure Cruises
. Later in the season, the Pill business was sold to Cornwall Ferries along with
Adrian Gilbert
,
May Queen
,
New Princess Maud
and
Queen of Falmouth
. Cornwall Ferries sold
New Princess Maud
back to George Pill in July 2004, but she passed to K & S Cruises in 2005 and has since been sold on again. She was at Tobermory as
Sula Mhor
2006.
Adrian Gilbert
,
May Queen
and
Queen of Falmouth
were retained by Cornwall Ferries to run the St Mawes Ferry.
George Pill continued to own the
Torbay Prince
(apparently reverting to her original name after being
Tudor Prince
for many years) which is currently laid up at Falmouth awaiting restoration. In 2007 he resumed excursion services with the
Haven Rose
, previously of
Hurst Castle Ferries
.
Vessels on This Page:-
St Gerrans
(1974-1988, Built: 1927)
May Queen
(1968-2004, Built: 1939)
Westminster Belle
(c.1975-1985 - Built: 1947)
Devon Belle
(1979-1987 - Built: 1922)
Tudor Prince
(1983-2008? Built: 1947)
- renamed Torbay Prince 2008?
Torbay Prince
(2008?- Built: 1947)
- renamed Torbay Prince 2008?
Princessa
(1986-2001 - Built: 1921)
Temptress II
(1988-1997 - Built: 1942)
Nankersey
(1991-1994, Built: 1951)
New Princess Maud
(1991-2003, 2004-2005 - Built: 1950)
Adrian Gilbert
(1996-2006, Built: 1957)
Queen of Falmouth
(1998-2003 - Built: 1937)
Vessels still to be added:-
Mayflower
(1991-1997, Built: 19??)
- Images needed
Princess Maria
(1991-19??, Built: 1927)
- Images needed
Skylark II
- Images needed
Tamar Belle
- Images needed
Temptress (1)
- Images needed
White Lady
- Images needed
Other Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Pages:-
Cornwall Header Page
Falmouth 2008 Overview
Falmouth - Pill Family
- this page
Falmouth Pleasure Cruises
Isles of Scilly SS
Flushing Ferry
Newman's Cruises
River Fal SS Co
Scilly Inter-island Boats
St Mawes Ferry
Associated Pages:-
UK Excursion Ships and Ports
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards Home Page
Associated Pages:-
Trip Out Guides
- Written and published by G.P.Hamer
- editions from 1977 to 2007
Trip Out Guides are available from Geoffrey Hamer, PO Box 485, Southall, UB1 9BH
Passenger Steamers of the Rover Fal
- Alan Kittridge
- Twelveheads Press, 1988
Steamers & Ferries of Cornwall & the Isles of Scilly
- Alan Kittridge
- Tempus, 2004
My thanks to Graham Thorne, Geoff Hamer, John Hendy and John Pill for assistance with this page
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Falmouth - Pill
River Fal Fleet List of the Pill Family
May Queen
(1968-2004 - Built: 1939)
Built: 1939 - ?? gross tons - 60 ft long - 100 passengers
May Queen
was built in Aberystwyth in 1939, and came to Fal from Fleetwood for the Pill family in 1968 for the St Mawes Ferry. To Cornwall Ferries 2004.
May Queen
with
Cornwall Ferries
,
leaving St Mawes for Custom House Quay
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd July 2008
Click to open larger image in new window
May Queen
with
Cornwall Ferries
, at Custom House Quay, Falmouth
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd July 2008
Click to open larger image in new window
May Queen
with
Cornwall Ferries
,
arriving at St Mawes
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd July 2008
Click to open larger image in new window
St Gerrans
(1974-1988 - Built: 1927)
St Gerrans
was built in 1927 by Cox of Falmouth. She was 73 gross tons. She ran on the Fal with the
St Mawes Steam Tug & Passenger Co Ltd
from 1927 to 1968. She was with Thames Pleasure Craft 1971-74 and then returned to Fal for the Pill family's Cornish Ferry (Red Funnel). Sold in 1988 and converted to motor yacht, 1993.
Judges postcard 26450 of
St Gerrans
with the
St Mawes Steam Tug & Passenger Co Ltd
Click to open larger image in new window
Judges postcard 26450 of
St Gerrans
with the
St Mawes Steam Tug & Passenger Co Ltd
Enlarged image from postcard above
Click to open larger image in new window
Judges postcard 26450 of
St Gerrans
with the
St Mawes Steam Tug & Passenger Co Ltd
Click to open larger image in new window
Westminster Belle
(c.1975-1985 - Built: 1947)
The
Westminster Belle
arrived in the Pill fleet before 1977, and passed to Looe Cruisers & Ferries in 1985. She had previously run as
Southend Belle
, and on the Thames as
Westminster Belle
. She later served as
Maid of Wareham
and
Maid of Exmouth
. In 2004 the
Maid of Exmouth
arrived at Plymouth in the K.J.Bridge fleet, and was renamed
Devon Belle V
.
Devon Belle V
was still running in 2007, although K.J.Bridge had sold her to B.Squire, whilst remaining as skipper. She is the last surviving independent boat working in Plymouth and sails from their traditional site at West Hoe Steps where Plymouth's pier once stood.
Devon Belle V
in service at
Plymouth
Photo: © Graham Thorne, April 2007
Click to open larger image in new window
Devon Belle
(1979-1987 - Built: 1922)
Devon Belle
on was built in Berlin as the
Maria
in 1922 and by 1926 was at Great Yarmoth as the
Manna
. She was acquired by Millbrook in 1927 and renamed
Devon Belle
, the first of their '
Belles
'. She then had a spell at Falmouth with George Pill until 1987 and was at Southsea, illustrated below, until 1991. She then went to Poole as
Maid of Brownsea
and was reported in TRIP OUT as laid up there in 1993. I have nothing after that.
Devon Belle
in service with the Millbrook Company at Cremyll
The larger image also shows
Northern Belle
astern. It looks be just post World War 2.
Photo: © Luke Farley
Click to open larger image in new window
Photograph of
Devon Belle
on Portsmouth-Spitbank Fort service in 1987.
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 1987.
Tudor Prince - Torbay Prince
(1983- Built: 1947)
The
Torbay Prince
was the only purpose-built Torbay excursion boat, being completed by M.W.Blackmore for Devon Star Shipping Co (J.Kerr). There are reports that she briefly ran from Ipswich first, where the company ran
River Lady
and then
River Lady II
(
River Lady
moving to Torbay for the Western Lady Ferry Service where she retained her name).
Torbay Prince
ran in conjunction with the Western Ladies at Torbay.
The Harwich & Orwell Navigation Company had been formed in 1962 to run the Harwich/Felixstowe ferry service following its closure by British Railways. It was owned by George Goodhew and A.R.Grey. They used the ex-LNER/BR
Brightlingsea
on the ferry, and they also acquired
River Lady II
to run excursions.
River Lady II
was sold in 1963, and was replaced with
Torbay Prince
for a few years.
Torbay Prince
returned west, and was later renamed
Tudor Prince
for service from Pembroke and Tenby in South Wales. She ended on the River Fal looking very smart in a red and cream colour scheme. In 2008 she is at Ponsharden on the Fal awaiting restoration, some work having been undertaken. She has been renamed
Torbay Prince
.
More images of
Torbay/Tudor Prince
Devon Star Shipping advertising postcard of
Torbay Prince
Click to open larger image in new window
Torbay Prince
on the Orwell or Stour.
Photo: © Philip Cone, 1968
Click to open larger image in new window
A.Duncan photo of
Torbay Prince
at Harwich
Archway postcard P80 of
Tudor Prince
, advertising cruises from Pembroke Dock
Postcard of
Tudor Prince
in Pill ownership
at Falmouth
Enterprsie and Enterprise II on the right
Postcard of
Tudor Prince
in Pill ownership
at Falmouth
Click to open larger image in new window
Torbay Prince
at Falmouth, undergoing restoration
Photo: © John Hendy, March 2008
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Torbay Prince
at Falmouth, undergoing restoration
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd July 2008
Click to open larger image in new window
Torbay Prince
at Falmouth, undergoing restoration
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd July 2008
Click to open larger image in new window
Torbay Prince
at Falmouth, undergoing restoration
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd July 2008
Click to open larger image in new window
Torbay Prince
at Falmouth, undergoing restoration
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd July 2008
Click to open larger image in new window
Torbay Prince
at Falmouth, undergoing restoration
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd July 2008
Click to open larger image in new window
Princessa
(1986-2001 - Built: 1921)
Built: 1921 - 48 gross tons - 65 ft long - 127 passengers
Princessa
was built by Camper & Nicholson in Gosport for the Port of Portsmouth Floating Bridge Company in 1921. She was intended for use as an excursion vessel rather than a harbour ferry.
Princessa
was used on trips around Portsmouth Harbour and across the Solent to Seaview. She was powered by a 2-cylinder compound engine by Plenty of Newbury. She was bought by the Solent Boating Company and fitted with a Gardner diesel engine and small deckhouse.
Princessa
was employed on Southampton Water and the Beaulieu River until 1986, when she moved to Falmouth to work for G.H.& W.G.Pill (later just G.H.Pill). Since 2001 she has been run by John Pill (as
Falmouth Pleasure Cruises
), and operates morning and afternoon cruises to the Helford River. She is the largest excursion boat on the River Fal. See
www.boattrips-falmouth.co.uk
for details.
Princessa
running for John Pill (
Falmouth Pleasure Cruises
)
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd July 2008
Click to open larger image in new window
Princessa
running for John Pill (
Falmouth Pleasure Cruises
)
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd July 2008
Click to open larger image in new window
Temptress II
(K.Pill: 1987-1997 - Built: 1942)
Built: 1942 - ?? gross tons - 45 ft long - 65 passengers
In 1954, a launch named
Temptress (1)
was operated by Green Boats, the trading name of the River Fal & Western Cruises, incorporated in that year. They also ran the
Tamar
and
Gondolier
, and were joined by the
Skylark II
in 1962. The Green Boats fleet was sold off in the 1970s.
Temptress (1)
and
Skylark II
were taken over by Bob Rodgers, later passing to George Pill and then Kenneth Pill. In 1981,
Temptress (1)
was operating for S.Jones, also of Falmouth.
Kenneth Pill was running a second boat
Temptress II
in 1987. She had previously been the
Kentish Lady
(running in Maidstone since she was replaced by a
Kentish Lady II
?) He ran her until 1997 when she became the first boat in the K&S Cruises fleet. She was sold to Isle of Wight owners for service from Yarmouth in 2006, but was failed by the MCA before the 2008 season. She has since returned to Falmouth and is currently laid up there.
Postcard of
Temptress
at Prince of Wales Pier
Click to open larger image in new window
Temptress
in Yarmouth, Isle of Wight
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 17th June May 2007
Click to open larger image in new window
Temptress
laid up at Falmouth
Photo: © Ian Boyle, 23rd July 2008
Click to open larger image in new window
Nankersey
(1991-1994, Built: 1951)
Built: 1951 - 23 gross tons - 45 ft long - 91 passengers
Nankersey
was a wooden launch built in 1951, by Falmouth Boat Construction. She was 23 gross tons and had a small saloon and upper deck. She was on the Flushing Ferry from 1951 to 1976, and then worked for the St Mawes Ferry Co, who gave her a raised bridge and small funnel. By 1991
Nankersey
was running for the Pill family, along with
New Princess Maud
and
Princess Maria
.
Nankersey
was sold to
Fleetwood
in 1994 and ran as
Lady Victoria Belle
. For sale 1998, no further records found.
Valentine's postcard L.1606 of
Nankersey
(bottom left)
With
New Roseland
and St Mawes Castle at Prince of Wales Pier, Falmouth
Click to open larger image in new window
Valentine's postcard L.1606 of