Poole in the 19th Century:
- In 1851 the population in Poole was 8,751
- The Newfoundland trade was near its end
- The Poole merchants certainly ran the town to suit themselves, right up to the passing of the Municipal Corporations’ Act in 1835.
- The railway had not reached Poole town centre.
- A railway branch line was established in 1847 to Hamworthy
- It wasn’t until 1872 that a line was opened to Poole station
- The cross-channel shipping service depended on good rail links
Councillors 1835:
- Robert Slade, Merchant
- George Welch Ledgard, Banker
- Robert Slade, Merchant
- Robert Slade [sic], Merchant
- George Holland, Coal Merchant
- John Adey, Wine Merchant
- William Adey, Brewer
- Samuel Clark, Wine Merchant
- Thomas Slade, Merchant
- William Green, Gentleman (ex-Baker and Confectioner)
- Francis Timewell Rogers, Tanner
- Richard Pinney, Coal Merchant
- Robert Major, Merchant
- Richard Stanworth, Ship Owner
- George Lockyer Parrott, Gentleman (ex-Master-Mariner)
- Thomas Rickman, Corn Factor
- George Ledgard, Banker Tito Durell Hodges, Currier Rope-maker
Plus six Aldermen in 1835:
- Robert Slade, Merchant (one of the above)
- David Osmond Lander, Collector of Customs
- George Ledgard (see above)
- George Hancock, Coal Merchant
- Thomas Gaden, Coal Merchant
- Joseph Barter Bloomfield, Merchant.
The men in this lists were mainly merchants and bankers only the baker and confectioner William Green, the tanner Francis Timewell Rogers, Richard Stanworth and Tito Durell Hodges were not merchants !
By 1865, when the town was seeking new ways of utilising its harbour and port, the Council had taken on a markedly different complexion
Councillors 1865:
- Charles Augustus Lewin, Timber and Slate Merchant
- George Hancock Gutch, Coal Merchant
- Christopher Hill, Corn Merchant
- James Jarvis, Draper
- William Lewis Cockram Adey, Coal Merchant
- George Frampton, Coal Merchant
- John Sidney Hudson, Pottery Manager
- George Robert Penney, Line, Twine and Sailcloth Manufacturer
- Joseph Harker, Solicitor
- George Anthony Adams, not known
- Frederick Styring, Brewer
- Francis Timewell Rogers, Gentleman, Landed Proprietor (ex-tanner)
- George Belben, Miller
- Thomas Ruckman, Jnr., Brewer and Maltster
- Henry Harris, Timber and Slate Merchant
- Edward Mullett, Corn Merchant
- James Wood, Coal Merchant
- William Ruckman, Coal Merchant
Plus six Aldermen in 1865:
- James Kemp, Esquire (ex-Merchant)
- John Gosse, Merchant
- John Adey, Wine and Brandy Merchant
- Isaac Steele, Esquire(Merchant family)
- Thomas Wanhill, Ship Builder
- William Pearce, Ironfounder
- and already elected:
- George Ledgard
- Robert Slade
The collapse of Ledgard’s bank in February 1861. The bank had been established by George Welch Ledgard and Martin Kemp Welch in 1821 as “Poole Town and County Bank in the High Street.
First recorded excursion to Cherbourg:
31 July 1846 (“wind and weather permitting”) excursion to Cherbourg on the Water Witch. She would leave Poole at 8 pm for Cherbourg (sixty-seven miles distant) and, after the eight-hour crossing, the passengers at twenty shillings a head (todays value £100) would have three days in France. Water Witch was too small for such cross-channel services and so, in February 1848, she was offered for sale and the company was dissolved.
Water Witch was launched on 6 August 1835. Wooden Hull, 105 ft 9 in long, 16 ft 10 in beam and 9 ft 6 in deep. She was engined with a 2-cylinder beam engine, made by Maudslay, Sons and Field at Lambeth, of 80 horsepower and driving two side paddle wheels. Water Witch was bought by ‘Poole, Isle of Purbeck, Isle of Wight and Portsmouth Steam Packet Company,’ and she was re-registered at Poole on 31 May 1845. The directors included such eminent local men as Robert Slade, Robert Slade Jnr. and Martin Kemp Welch. Used mainly as a twice-weekly service between Poole and Portsmouth, with calls at Brownsea Island, South Haven, Yarmouth and Cowes and later to the Channel Isles
Poole to Cherbourg Ferry:
1865 a regular service to Cherbourg began under the auspices of the recently created Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway. The inaugural trip to Cherbourg by the steamship Albion took place on 12 June 1865. The service seemed successful at first, offering a “New and Cheap route to Paris” twice a week with the sea passage taking six hours. A one-month return ticket from Poole, to Paris, second class and with an aft cabin cost 49/10d (£25 todays price). She was also used for freight between Poole and Cherbourg. In February 1867 the company announced that the service was “for the present, suspended, the operation having hitherto resulted in a loss”.
Albion Paddle Steamer:
- Built 1844-Tod & MacGregor, Glasgow
- Iron Paddle Steamer
- Length – 145 ft
- Breadth – 21 ft
- Depth – 10.6 ft
- Scrapped 1884
Albion Paddle Steamer:
- Built 1860 -Tod & MacGregor, Glasgow
- Iron Paddle Steamer – 463 tons
- Length – 165 ft
- Breadth – 24 ft
- Depth – 11.8 ft
- 1882 – Converted to sail (3 Mast)
- 12/12/1891 – returning from Rio Grand dragged anchor in river Mersey struck Princess Alice ship then the dock wall and then sunk.
Spicy Paddle Steamer:
May 1867 a company was established to raise £20,000 by issuing eight hundred shares at £25 each but by the end of the month only about 100 shares were unallotted. However, the Spicy was purchased . She was 164 feet long and capable of speeds in excess of eleven knots and arrived in Poole on 16 June 1867. She sailed for Cherbourg the next day, returning to Poole “heavily laded with potatoes, butter, eggs, poultry, fruit etc.” Most of the cargo was sent to London although some went to Poole traders. September 1868“Trade between France and Poole is now remitted to the gloom of an indefinite, vast and improbable future.” September 1869 – Poole has lost out to Southampton due to the inadequate railway system.
Served as HMS Monarch WW1, HMS Exway during WW2. Broken up in 1950.
The End of the Ferry Service in the 19th Century:
After two separate attempts of providing a regular service between Poole and Cherbourg it came to an end in 1867 and was not reinstated for over 100 years. In the year 1972 Peter Allsebrook, formed Truckline Ferries, and then to be taken over by Brittany Ferries in 1985. The service restarted just for freight but later from 1986 a passenger service was established as well as the continuence of the freight service
The next section deals with the Poole – Cherbourg from 1973.
The History of the Poole to Cherbourg Freight Ferry Service:
1865-66 – First freight ferry service “Albion”
1867-68 – “City of Paris” later replaced by “Spicy”
1968 – Service ceased
1973 – Service was re-established by Truckline with ships “Poole Antelope” and additionally by “Dauphin de Cherbourg”
1978 – “Coutances” and “Purbeck”
2007 – “Cotentin”
The History of the Poole to Cherbourg passenger ferry service:
1986-89 – Passenger service using “Cornouailles”
1989-90 – Passenger service using “Corbiere”
1989-91 – Passenger service using “Tregastel”
1992 – “Barfleur” introfuced on the service
2001 – Fast ferry “Condor Vitessa”
2012 – Fast ferry “Condor Express”
2012 – “Barfleur” withdrawn
2014 – “Barfleur” returns”
Where are they now?
A history of the Former Poole to Cherbourg Ferries from 1973 (by David Warhurst)
Poole Antelope:
- Poole Antelope (1973- 1976) Truckline
- Qormi (1976- 1987) Sea Malta
- Panagia Faneromeni (1987-1991) Almar Shipping Co. Ltd, Greece
- Yeye (1991) Sold to unknown buyers Francein 1991 Renamed Yeye.
- Casablanca (1992) Sold to St Vincent and The Grenadines, Renamed Casablanca
- Presidente Yeiwene (1992 -1997) Service East islands of New Caledonia from Noumea.
- Caledonia (1997 – current) Ukraine Shipowner: SC “Ukrferry Shipmanagement”, Ukraine
Poole Antelope Details:
- RO RO Ferry service to Cherbourg started o 29 June 1973
- Builder Dubigeon – Nantes Saint Nazaire, France
- Weight 3.079 tons
- Length 75.63 m
- Beam 14.7 m
- Draft 3.2 m
- Speed 11 km
- Passengers 206
- Beds 156
- Cars 50
MV Tourlaville:
- Built 1968 ‘Duke of Holland’
- Poole to Cherbourg 1982-1984
- 1986 Renamed ‘Pantelleria’ – Italy
- 2010 Renamed ‘Sporades’ – Greece
- 2011 Renamed ‘Tasima ‘– Greece
- 7 December 2011 arrived in Turkey to be scrapped
M V Purbeck:
- Launched 1978 in Le Havre
- 1978-1992 Poole- Cherbourg Truckline
- 1993 Poole – Channel Islands. Chartered to British Channel Island Ferries
- 1994 – 2002 Chartered for 9 different routes – UK to Europe
- 2003 -2005 Chartered to Transrail New Zealand
- 2006 Sold to Conferries, Venezuela
- 2006 Renamed Maria Rosario
- 2006 -2017 Puerto le Cruz- Isla De Margarita
- 2018 Sank at Puerto le Cruz due to lack of maintenance
M V Coutances:
- Launched 1978 in Le Havre
- 1978 – 2004 Poole- Cherbourg Truckline
- 2004 – 2008 Poole – Cherbourg Brittany Ferries
- 2008 Sold to Conferries, Venezuela
- 2008 Renamed Rosa Eugenia
- 2008 -2017 Puerto le Cruz- Isla De Margarita
- 2018 Sunk will awaiting repairs at Puerto le Cruz
M V Cotentin:
- Built in 2007 by Meyer Turku Oy, Finnish Shipbuilding Company located in Turku.
- Largest ship to use Poole Harbour at that time.
- Gross tonnage 19,909 UMS
- Capacity of 200 passengers and 120 freight vehicles but only used for freight on Poole route
- 2007-2013 Poole – Cherbourg Brittany Ferries
- 2013 Sold to Stena line
- 2013 Renamed Stena Baltica
- 2013-2017 Karlskrona and Gdynia. (Sweden – Poland)
- 2020 Retuned to Brittany Ferries and renamed back to Cotentin
- 2021 Scheduled to be used on Poole – Cherbourg route but did not happen
- 2021 Portsmouth to Le Havre
- 2021 Now Rosslare to Le Havre route.
- 2022 Used on the Poole- Cherbourg route until April post Brexit
M V Cournouailles:
- Built 1977 in Trondheim, Norway
- Capacity 550 passengers, 205 cars
- 1977-1984 Cork route Brittany Ferries
- 1984-1986 Dieppe- Newhaven S.N.C.F.
- 1986 Portsmouth- Caen Brittany Ferries
- 1986 -1988 Poole to Cherbourg Truckline
- 1986 Renamed Havelet by British Channel Island Ferries
- 1988- 1990 Poole to Cherbourg British Island Ferries
- 1998-2000 Sold to Condor in 1998
- 2000 Sold to Montenegro Lines, Philippines renamed M V Sveti Stefan
- 2000-2013 Montentenegro –Italy
- 2013 Scrapped
M V Corbière:
- Capacity 900 passengers, 22 cabins, 260 cars
- Built in 1970 for the Viking Line and named Apollo
- 1984 sold to Brittany Ferries and renamed Benodet
- 1985 Chartered to British Island Ferries and renamed Corbière
- 1989 chartered to Truckline
- 1989-1990 Poole to Cherbourg Truckline
- 1991, she was sold to Oy Eckerölinjens A.B. and chartered in by Estonian New Line, which renamed her Linda 1.
- 1995, her name reverted to Apollo.
- In early-2000, she was sold to Labrador Marine Inc which has been operating her since between Blanc Sablon and Sainte-Barbe (CANADA).
MV Apollo:
- The MV Apollo reached the end of its ferrying days in 2019 when it struck a wharf in Quebec, not long after it was sold by Labrador Marine for $2.1 million to a Quebec company to serve communities on the St. Lawrence River.
- The municipality of Godbout, Quebec, — where the ferry hit that wharf and was retired from service — wants to use the Apollo to attract explorers.
- Quebec Federation of Underwater Activities, says the plan is to sink the Apollo near the community to make an artificial reef.
- Sept 2021 Towed to Aliaga, Turkey to be scrapped
M V Tregastel:
- Capacity 1200 pasengers, 85 cabins, 340 cars
- 1971 Built by Chiffbau-Gesellschaft Unterweser AG, Bremerhaven, Germany and named Travermunde route Gedser – Travemünde.
- 1980 Sold to Yugoslavia and renamed Njegos
- 1984 Chartered by Brittany Ferries
- 1984 Chartered by Sally Line
- 1985 Chartered by Brittany Ferries and renamed Tregastel
- 1987 Sold to Brittany Ferries
- 1989 – 1991 Transferred to Poole Cherbourg Truckline
- 1992 Sold to PO Scottish Ferries, Renamed St Clair
- 2002 Service in Saudi Arabia, renamed Barakat
- 2011 Renamed Noor
- 2017 Still operating Jeddiah – Suakin
M V Barfleur:
- Capacity 1,212 passengers, 590 cars, or 340 cars and 66 freight Lorries. 72 cabins.
- Built in 1992 by Masa Yards, Finland specifically for the Poole to Cherbourg route.
- 1992- 1998 Poole- Cherbourg under Truckline but owned by Brittany Ferries
- 1999- Repainted in Brittany Ferries livery.
- 1999 – 2017 Poole – Cherbourg Brittany Ferries
- 2010 Withdrawn from Service at the end of that year.
- 2011 Reinstated for summer months but withdrawn from service again at the end 2011
- 2012 Chartered to DFDS/LD Lines and renamed MS Deal Seaways on the Dover- Calais.
- 2013 Returned to Poole – Cherbourg route and named again M V Barfleur
- 2015 Taken out of service for major refit in Santander
- 2015/17 Resumed Poole-Cherbourg route
- 2018 Further refits during the year
- 2019 Another refit in Santander and then used on the Portsmouth –Cherbourg route
- 2020/21 Laid up in Caen
- 2022 Back on the Poole- Cherbourg route with one sailing in each direction per day
MV Barfleur Details:
- Gross tonnage 20,131
- Length 157.65 metres
- Beam 23.03 metres
- Max draught 5.8 metres
- Service speed 19.5 knots
- Crew 50
- Passenger capacity 900
- Car capacity 590
- Berths 200
- Cabins 72
- Reserved seats 295
Condor Vitessa:
- Launched 1997, Built in Australia
- The ship carries 750 passengers and 180 cars,
- 2001 -2012 Poole – Cherbourg Joint Condor and Brittany Ferries
- Sold to Greece 2015, Renamed Champion Sea Jet 2
- 2023 Still running
Condor Express:
- Launched 1997, Built in Australia
- The ship carries 750 passengers and 180 cars.
- 2012 Poole – Cherbourg Joint Condor and Brittany Ferries
- Sold to Greece 2015, Renamed Champion Sea Jet 1
- 2023 Running
Piraeus-Serifos-Sifnos-Milos-Sifnos-Serifos-Piraeus
Summary
In all there have been 4 freight however, and 9 different passenger ships used on the route from 1973 until the present day.
Brittany Ferries chartered MV Barfleur to DFDS Seaways in 2012 leaving no regular passenger service from Poole to Cherbourg for that year; however, it returned to the Poole route again as Barfleur in 2013 and has remained off and on in service from that time.
This year 2023 is the 50th Anniversary of the Poole Cherbourg route from the 1st sailing on 29 June 1973.
In 1985, Brittany Ferries acquired Truckline Ferries
And bought Barfleur specifically for the Poole – Cherbourg Route under the Truckline name
Was in and out of dock, refitted and also laid up and repainted for Brittany Ferries, used on other routes between 2013 and 2022, but always returned to the Poole – Cherbourg route.
Acknowledgements
- Brittany Ferries
- Truckline Ferries
- Poole Harbour Commissioners
- Poole – Cherbourg Twinning Association
- Poole History Centre
- Poole History online