TWO hundred years of steamships in Southampton to be marked with the Steamship Shieldhall and Steam Tug Challenge on Sunday (July 18).

It (belatedly) marks the 200th anniversary of the first steamship operating out of Southampton, The Prince of Cobourg, which began its route from Southampton to Cowes on Monday, July 24, 1820, operating as a steam packet.

The Hants Telegraph observed at the time: "The long expected steam vessel, Prince of Cobourg, began to run between Southampton and Cowes as a regular post office packet.

She performed the voyage to Cowes and back, three times in a day, being a distance of nearly nine miles (sic), part of which was necessarily against the wind and the tide.

"This fine vessel must be a great convenience to visitors, particularly in calms when only open boats may be used. Her velocity in a calm sea, even against the tide, is about 8 knots."

Steamships proved a real boon to Southampton, particularly as the tide and coastal breezes meant that the services of sailing ships could at times be problematical.

However, steamships also had issues, and passengers had to be given reassurance of the Cobourg’s ‘lower pressure engine and safety valve’ as at that time boiler explosions were not uncommon.

The passage to the Isle of Wight would take approximately 1.5 hours.

Today, Southampton’s heritage steamship, SS Shieldhall (itself 65 years old in 2020) continues to uphold the tradition of ‘steam at sea’, its summer season excursions providing an insight into what life was like aboard a steamship at a time when Britain ‘ruled the waves’.

It still takes 1.5 hours to cruise on the Shieldhall to the northern shore of the Isle of Wight today.

The age of the steam packet really took off in the 1830s, with regular trips from Southampton to Le Havre and pleasure trips to and around the Isle of Wight.

Later, the liners arrived, the most famous being RMS Titanic, which left Southampton on her maiden voyage in April 1912.

In the Second World War at Dunkirk, Southampton lost several of her finest steamships, including the Southern Railway Company’s cross-Channel boats the Lorina and the Normannia, and arguably the most popular steamer that ever plied between Southampton and the Isle of Wight, Red Funnel’s Gracie Fields.

Isle of Wight County Press:

Picture by Simon Czapp/ Solent News and Photo Agency

A celebratory cruise marking 200 years of steamships in Southampton (one year on!) is scheduled to take place on Steamship Shieldhall on Sunday between 2.30pm and 6pm.

As Shieldhall leaves her berth 110 she will be joined by another steamship and member of the national historic fleet – the Dunkirk Little Ship, Steam Tug Challenge.

Together, the two steamships will sound their respective whistles and provide a great photo opportunity as they mark the continuing tradition of steamships on Southampton Water.

Tickets for the Shieldhall sailing are available at www.ss-shieldhall.co.uk