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General Steam Navigation
 
Page 1 - Paddle Steamers & Screw Steamers
 
This page is still under Construction!
 
This page is one of a series devoted to postcards and photographs of the General Steam Navigation Company (GSN). A list of ships on this page is shown below. A Fleet List of GSN Paddle steamers is shown beneath. The GSN Header Page gives links to complete history pages on selected individual ships in the GSN fleet.
 
The General Steam Navigation (GSN) was founded in 1824, one of the oldest successful steamship companies in the world. It originally operated Thames, North Sea and English Channel cargo and passenger services. Services to Lisbon and Gibraltar was also operated. In 1836 the London & Edinburgh Steam Packet Co. was acquired with their six steamers. Mediterranean services commenced in 1882, increasing into a substantial network of cargo/passenger routes. In 1894/96 some voyages were made to West Africa. Between 1894 and 1901 voyages were also made to North and South America and Gulf of Mexico ports. During the Great War, 23 vessels were lost and a large rebuilding programme began at the end of the war. GSN was taken over by P&O in 1920, but the company continued its own management. Companies formed or taken over included, Great Yarmouth Shipping Co, Rhine-London Line, Turner, Edwards & Co, Grand Union Shipping Co, and the London & Dunkirk Shipping Co. The Moss Hutchinson Line, Liverpool, with its Mediterranean trade was acquired in 1934 after the liquidation of the Royal Mail group of which it was a member. The New Medway Steam Packet Co. was taken over in 1936 to give GSN a monopoly of the Thames excursion business. The company and its subsidiaries lost 21 ships during the second World War, but these were replaced after the war. Two fine excursion motorships were built to replace two lost in the war. Whilst initially successful, passenger numbers began to drop through the late 1950s and 1960s. The final straw was probably the start of Stena Lines "Londoner" service from Tilbury to Calais, using modern car ferries, in 1965. The GSN excursion steamers were withdrawn at the end of the 1966 season. The UK partner in Normandy Ferries, formed the following year in 1967, was GSN, and early publicity material and postcards featured their name. Ironically, the service which hastened their closure ceased after just a couple of years. The traditional GSN cargo trades also gradually declined and the GSN became wholly owned by P&O Line in 1972, disappearing as an independent company.
 
 
Ships on this Page:-
Crested Eagle 1925-1940 - Paddle Steamer
Eagle (3) 1898-1928 - Paddle Steamer
Halcyon 1887-1904 - Paddle Steamer
Golden Eagle 1909-1951 - Paddle Steamer
Isle of Arran 1933-1936 - Paddle Steamer
Kingfisher 1906-1912 - Turbine Steamer
Laguna Belle 1935-1939 - Paddle Steamer
Laverock 1889-1908 - Paddle Steamer
Mavis 1888-1910 - Paddle Steamer
Oriole 1888-1912 - Paddle Steamer
Philomel 1888-1913 - Paddle Steamer
Royal Daffodil 1936-1938 - Screw Steamer
Royal Eagle 1932-1954 - Paddle Steamer
 
Other GSN Pages:-
GSN Header Page
GSN Paddle Steamers
GSN Freighters
GSN Passenger Motorships
New Medway SP Co
Normandy Ferries
 
Associated Pages:-
P&O Ferries Header Page
Ferry Postcards
Simplon Postcards Home Page
 
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GSN Paddle Steamers & Screw Steamers
 
 
Halcyon (1887-1904)
 
Postcard of Halcyon.
 
 
Louis Levy postcard of Halcyon.
 
 
Postcard of Halcyon at Great Yarmouth.
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Postcard of Halcyon at Great Yarmouth.
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Postcard of Halcyon at Great Yarmouth.
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Postcard of Halcyon at Great Yarmouth.
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Oriole (1888-1912)
 
Postcard of Oriole at Harwich Halfpenny Pier.
 
 
 
 
 
Mavis (1888-1910)
 
Postcard of Mavis at Great Yarmouth.
 
 
 
 
 
Laverock (1889-1908)
 
Postcard of Laverock at Great Yarmouth.
 
 
Postcard of Laverock at Great Yarmouth.
 
 
Postcard of Laverock at Boulogne.
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Postcard of Ville de Royan (ex-Laverock) at Bordeaux.
 
 
Postcard of Ville de Royan (ex-Laverock) at Bordeaux.
 
 
 
 
 
Philomel (1888-1907)
 
Images to be added.
 
 
 
 
 
Eagle (3) (1898-1928)
 
 
Postcard of Eagle.
 
 
Postcard of Eagle.
 
 
Postcard of Eagle.
 
 
Photographic postcard of Eagle.
Photo: © F.R.Sherlock.
 
 
Postcard of Eagle under Tower Bridge.
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Kingfisher (1906-1912)
 
An attractive official GSN art postcard of Kingfisher.
 
 
Postcard of Kingfisher arriving at Southend.
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Official GSN postcard of Kingfisher.
 
 
Official GSN postcard of Kingfisher.
A variation on the card above.
 
 
Kingfisher at Boulogne, on a postcard posted in August 1909.
 
 
Kingfisher at Boulogne, on a postcard posted in August 1907.
 
 
Kingfisher at Boulogne.
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Golden Eagle (1909-1951)
 
GSN postcard of Golden Eagle.
 
 
GSN postcard of Golden Eagle.
Alternative copy of card above
 
 
Postcard of Golden Eagle leaving Ramsgate.
 
 
A.R.R. postcard of Golden Eagle.
 
 
Photographic postcard of Golden Eagle.
 
 
GSN photographic postcard of Golden Eagle.
 
 
Photographic postcard of Golden Eagle.
 
 
Photographic postcard of Golden Eagle.
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Crested Eagle (1925-1940)
 
Crested Eagle. was built for GSN in 1925, and was lost at the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940.
 
 
 
GSN postcard of Crested Eagle.
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GSN postcard of Crested Eagle.
 
 
GSN postcard of Crested Eagle.
 
 
GSN postcard of Crested Eagle.
 
 
Salmon postcard of Crested Eagle.
 
 
GSN postcard of Neptune ceremony on Crested Eagle.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Royal Eagle (1932-1954)
 
Royal Eagle. was built for GSN in 1932. She was laid up in 1950 after the arrival of new motorships, and scrapped in 1954.
 
 
GSN postcard of Royal Eagle.
 
 
GSN postcard of Royal Eagle.
 
 
GSN postcard of Royal Eagle.
 
 
GSN postcard of Royal Eagle.
 
 
GSN postcard of Royal Eagle.
 
 
J.Salmon postcard 29078 of Royal Eagle at Southend Pier.
The card was posted in February 1957, some time after she was scrapped.
 
 
GSN postcard of Royal Eagle.
 
 
GSN postcard of Royal Eagle.
 
 
GSN postcard of Royal Eagle.
 
 
GSN postcard of Royal Eagle, with crew signatures on the back.
 
 
Photographic postcard of Royal Eagle.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Photographic postcard of Royal Eagle, with grey hull at Southend.
 
 
Photographic postcard of Royal Eagle, with grey hull.
 
 
Photographic postcard of Royal Eagle, with grey hull, and black funnel top.
 
 
Photographic postcard of Royal Eagle, on war service.
 
 
GSN postcard of Royal Eagle interior.
 
 
GSN postcard of Royal Eagle interior.
 
 
GSN postcard of Royal Eagle interior.
 
 
GSN postcard of Royal Eagle interior.
 
 
 
Modern Dromahoe Graphics postcard DGS184, showing an Eagle Steamers poster with Royal Eagle.
Artist: H.H.Rodmell.
 
 
GSN postcard of Royal Eagle.
 
 
GSN postcard of Royal Eagle.
 
 
Official GSN postcard of Royal Eagle.
The caption reads:- PS Royal Eagle: Built in 1932 by Messrs. Cammell Laird & Co.1528 tons gross, 290 feet long, 69 feet broad, 3000hp, giving a speed of 18.5 knots (21 miles per hour).
Carries 1987 passengers. From Whitsun to Mid-September leaves Tower Pier daily (except Fridays) for Southend, Margate and Ramsgate.
 
 
Photographic postcard of Royal Eagle laid up on the Medway after withdrawal.
 
 
 
 
 
Isle of Arran
(GSN: 1933-1936 - Built: 1892)
 
 
Official postcard of Isle of Arran.
The caption reads:- The Isle of Arran was purchased by the General Steam Navigation Co.Ltd in 1933 to run trips in the London Docks organised by the Port of London Authority, on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons, from the Wednesday following Whitsun until mid September, leaving Tower Pier at 2-15pm. Fare 3/6d. On other days she is run as an excursion steamer down the river, or for private charters for large parties. She is 210 feet long, 24 feet wide and can carry 885 passengers.
 
 
Judges postcard of Isle of Arran, passing through Tower Bridge.
 
 
 
 
 
Laguna Belle
(GSN: 1936-1939 - Built: 1896)
 
Laguna Belle was built as Southend Belle, the last steamer delivered to the London, Woolwich & Clacton-on-Sea Steamship Company, Belle Steamers Ltd being formed the following year. Southend Belle was not built for a specific service, working as required on all belle Steamers routes. She remained unused after the war until purchased by the East Anglian steamship Company in 1925. Southend Belle was sold to East Anglian Hotels in 1929, the owners of Clacton Pier, who feared a reduction in visitors after the demise of her former owners. She was overhauled and re-boilered and returned to service as the Laguna Belle, with ownership transferred to H.E.Kingsman (a director of the Clacton Pier Company). She also received a full width fore saloon and carried the unusual combination of a yellow funnel with a blue band, and a unique chevron on her bow. Laguna Belle ran direct from London to Clacton, without the usual stop at Southend, and was very successful. She was bought by the General Steam Navigation in 1936, continuing on the same service, but later substituting Port of London dock cruises on certain days. GSN purchased the New Medway Steam Packet Company in the same year, given them a monopoly of Thames excursion sailings.
 
 
Postcard of Laguna Belle, in H.E.Kingsman ownership, at Clacton.
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Official GSN postcard of Laguna Belle, published by Raphael Tuck.
The caption reads:- The Laguna Belle was acquired at the close of the 1935 season by the General Steam Navigation Co.Ltd She maintains the direct service from London to Clacton and Walton. The Laguna Belle is 250 feet long and can carry nearly 1200 passengers to Clacton. Since acquiring the ship, the Company have effected many improvements, particularly in the arrangements of the Dining Saloon.
 
 
 
 
 
Royal Daffodil (1936-1938)
 
Royal Daffodil was built as the Mersey ferry Daffodil in 1906, serving with Wallasey Corporation until the First World War. She took part in the raid on Zeebrugge in April 1918 as HMS Vindictive. Returning to the Mersey, she was renamed Royal Daffodil on command of the King George V. She was bought by The New Medway SP Co in 1934 and ran between Strood and Sheerness. Shortly before withdrawal, she was chartered to the PLA for London Dock cruises (previously operated by GSN vessels). She was sold for scrap in 1938. Her name was passed on to a large GSN motorship, somewhat to the annoyance of Wallasey Corporation, who had to name their new ferry the Royal Daffodil II.
 
 
Official postcard of Royal Daffodil, published by Raphael Tuck.
The caption reads:- This steamer is known the world over as a result of the important part she played in the famous raid on the Mole at Zeebrugge in 1918.
She is now engaged in afternoon cruises to the London Docks, or down River trips to Gravesend every afternoon in summer except Fridays.
Luncheons can be obtained on board from about 1pm at Tower Pier. Teas and Light Refreshments at popular prices. Fully Licensed.
 
 
 
 
 
 
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