The Woolwich paddle steamer ferry in 1963

Image: © Roger D Kidd Taken: 1 Jan 1963

This paddle steamer ferry on the River Thames was called Squires and was built by Samuel White and Company in 1922. It must have still been sharing the service with the new ferries in 1963 when I took this picture. I cannot recall precisely where I was standing. In the early to mid 1950s my father used to take me for rides on the ferry and take me down to an observation position to see the engine working. The ferry was named after William James Squires, twice mayor of Woolwich and at one time chairman of the Woolwich Building Society. Length 172 ft Breadth 62 ft Draught 4 ft 6 ins Tonnage 625 tons Speed 8 knots Capacity 1000 passengers and 15 - 20 vehicles Scanned from an unbranded 35mm negative, date circa 1963, may be 1964. John Webb adds: the three new diesel boats took over completely in 1963, and the paddle-steamers had gone by the end of that year (exact date uncertain). The picture could well have been taken from 'Bell Water Gate', marked 'slipway' on the large-scale maps. Greenwich Libraries published a booklet in 1986 "Free for all" celebrating the centenary of the ferry. (ISBN 0 904399 08 7)

Images are licensed for reuse under creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0