Lynx

Above is the paddle steamer ‘Lynx’, pictured in the newly-opened South Dock in 1859, having been acquired by Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot that same year for conversion into a luxury steam yacht. Built in 1853 by William Denny & Bros. of Dumbarton for the Glasgow-Belfast run, the ‘Lynx’ remained in the Talbot family’s ownership until consigned to the breakers yard in 1887.
 

     C R M Talbot's lifetime passion was sailing and, as well as the paddle yacht ‘Lynx’, he owned several racing yachts including the ‘Galatea’, the ‘Guilia’ and the ‘Capricorn’. He became a member of the prestigious Royal Yacht Club (later the Royal Yacht Squadron) in 1823, and was elected Vice Commodore from 1851 - 1861.
 

 It was aboard the ‘Lynx’, along with family members and honoured guests, that C R M Talbot attended the grand opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. Then in 1881, for the opening of Swansea’s new Prince of Wales Dock, he had the privilege of conveying the Prince and Princess of Wales aboard the ‘Lynx’ from Corporation Quay to the lock entrance of the new dock, where Prince Edward performed the official opening ceremony.
 

 As well as being a prominent figure in dock and railway development in South Wales, C R M Talbot also served an unprecedented 59 years as the Liberal MP for Glamorgan, and was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Glamorgan in 1848. He died in January 1890 at 87 years of age.
 

(Note:- given the family connection, it is likely that this photograph of the ‘Lynx’ was taken by either Fox Talbot or Dillwyn Llewellyn)
 

The above photo of the crew of the luxury steam yacht ‘Lynx’ was sent to us by Ann Thomas, whose great (x 2) grandfather, Thomas Jones, is pictured in the centre of the middle row complete with distinguished white beard. Thomas Jones was born around 1821/1822, and is known to have worked as a shipwright from 1861 to 1871 and as a ship’s carpenter in 1881, and then as a shipwright again in 1891 at the time of his death. Ann believes this photo was taken around the time of the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 where C M R Talbot was in attendance aboard the ‘Lynx’, together with family members and other honoured guests.
 

Thomas Jones lived in No. 2, Captains’ Row, Taibach, near Port Talbot, and was known locally as ‘The Captain’, possibly because of his role as a crew member of the ‘Lynx’, or maybe because he lived in that particular street. 
 

Normandy.

Built in 1882 the ‘Normandy’ was bought by Mr. J R Richards of Swansea in 1905 for service in the Bristol Channel. Unfortunately, Mr. Richard’s company, the Normandy Steamship Co., was a short-lived venture which ended in 1907. The ‘Normandy’ was scrapped at Rhyl two years later.
 

Glen Gower.

The ‘Glen Gower’ was built in 1922 for the Swansea to Ilfracombe service. During the Second World War she wasrequisitioned as the HMS ‘Glenmore’, returning to Swansea in 1947 where she served a further 10 years on the Ilfracombe run. She was taken out of service in 1957 and scrapped in Belgium in 1960.
 

Glen Gower.

The 'Glen Gower' alongside Regents Wharf, Swansea in the mid 1950s. The Western Power Station can be seen on the top left of the photo.
 

Lady Moyra.

Built as the ‘Gwalia’ in 1905, the ‘Lady Moyra’ worked out of Swansea in the 1920’s. Later renamed the ‘Brighton Queen’, she was lost to enemy action during the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940.
 

Built in 1947, the ‘Cardiff Queen’ worked many seasons out of Swansea between 1950 and 1966, when she was finally taken out of service. She was scrapped in Newport in 1968.
 

The ‘Bristol Queen’, built in 1946, sailed out of Swansea on many occasions until being retired from service in 1967. She was scrapped in Belgium the following year.
 

The paddle steamer 'Britannia'. Built in 1896, she was requisitioned for war service in both World Wars, firstly as HMS 'Briton', and then as HMS 'Skiddaw'.Considered the flagshipof the White Funnel fleet, 'Britannia' visited Swansea on several occasions in the early to mid 1950's,and was broken up at Newport in 1956.
 

The ‘Britannia’ leaving Swansea for Ilfracombe in 1953. She acquired her second funnel in 1948 when a double-ended boiler was fitted.
 

The ‘Empress Queen’, pictured leaving Swansea in 1947, was not a paddle steamer but a twin-screw
 steam turbine ship built for Campbells in 1939 and almost immediately requisitioned for war service as HMS ‘Queen Eagle’. After the war she worked mainly in the Bristol Channel until sold to Greek owners in 1955 and renamed ‘Philippos’. She was destroyed by fire in 1972.
 

Balmoral.

Built in 1949 by J I Thorneycroft of Southampton, the ‘Balmoral’ is a former Red Funnel Isle of Wight ferry acquired by Townsend Car Ferries in 1969 for P & A Campbell’s operations in the Bristol Channel. After providing regular summer excursions out of Swansea from 1970 to 1980 when the service was withdrawn, the ‘Balmoral’ returned in 1984 under the auspices of the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society to provide the seasonal trips to
 Lundy and Ilfracombe which continue to the present day.
 

Waverley
Waverley returning from Ilfracombe  
   ( More photos of the Waverley in the Dry Dock Section )