A Fleeting Moment in the life of M.V. Princessa

On July 15^th 1961 as a result of gale-force winds the 58-ton, 65 ft long pleasure steamer, M.V. Princessa crashed against Ryde pier took on water and sank within minutes.  The vessel, owned by Wight Line Cruises and with no crew on board, had dragged her moorings and become holed on some pylons.  As the day progressed the heavy seas smashed her superstructure, wrenched off doors and planking with most of her bar contents washed out into the sea.  The vessels skipper, Captain Douglas House of Ryde, although being on scene minutes after his vessel broke loose, was unable to prevent the sinking.

Close by and quickly on the scene was 32 year old freelance news photographer Charles Everest. Having moved to the Island in September 1960, Charles became Freelance Newsreel cameraman for the BBC (Southern) in January 1961.  Was he about to witness the sad end to the life of a vessel that plied its trade around the ports and harbours of the Solent?

The Princessa had been built in 1921 by Camper & Nicholson in Gosport for the Port of Portsmouth Floating Bridge Company. She could carry 170 passengers, was powered by a 2-cylinder compound engine by Plenty of Newbury and was intended for use as an excursion vessel rather than a harbour ferry.  She was used on trips around Portsmouth Harbour and across the Solent to Seaview.  Princessa was briefly used during the second world war as a troop carrier, as seen here.

In 1960, just one year before her sinking, Princessa had undergone a £5000 refit (nearly £150,000 in today’s money), at the company’s yard on the River Itchen. The refit had included a new Gardner diesel engine and a small deckhouse.

As the sea began to do its worst Charles captured the unfolding drama on camera and witnessed the attempts by owner and skipper Douglas House and his team of workers to salvage as much  of the vessel and contents as they could.  Workmen with grappling irons managed to salvage some of the wreckage as it floated under the pier, but some pieces were too big and heavy to lift so floated on out to sea.

As the day progressed the weather began to abate and with a mixture of luck, the solid build of Princessa and the hard work of the crew her future began to look more likely. Douglas House in an interview with the County Press commented that the damage she sustained was substantial but with a £15000 replacement value he did not believe she would be a write off. The next hours and days saw the vessels fortunes change as she was made watertight, re-floated and taken back to the River Itchen for repair.

Made good, MV. Princessa was employed on Southampton Water and the Beaulieu River until 1986, when she moved to Falmouth to work for the Pill family. Since 2000 she has been run by John Pill (as Falmouth Pleasure Cruises) and has had extensive work carried out to her in the following years to bring her up to the fine standard she is today. She continues to ply her trade on morning and afternoon cruises to the Helford River. She is the largest excursion boat on the River Fal.

As previously stated MV Princessa is still going strong, over 100 years after her launch in 1921. The Pill Family have cared for her beautifully whilst she has been in their ownership and they were happy to supply me with some images showing her recently.

© Cameronlife Photo Library 2025