Our Inception

‘Ullswater Steam Navigation Company’ was formed

Enterprise Launched

The paddle steamer Enterprise was launched on the 13th of August. She is rumoured to be sunk somewhere in the lake. The main purpose of the ‘Steamers’ was not only to carry passengers but also Royal Mail, provisions, slate from nearby mines and lead from the Greenside mine above Glenridding. During World War II the ‘Steamers’ even ferried soldiers down to Glenridding to be trained at the Ullswater Hotel (now the Inn on the Lake)

Steamer Wyvern Sank

The first choice for Ullswater ‘Steamer Wyvern’ sank 24th February on Windermere

Lady of the Lake Launched

M.Y. Lady of the Lake was launched on the 26th of June; she was designed by Mr Douglas Hebson of Penrith and built in Glasgow. She was then transported in three sections by rail to Penrith then by horse drays to Waterside, near Pooley Bridge, where she was assembled by hand.

Lady of the Lake Sank

Lady of the Lake sank at her moorings and was re-floated by a team of divers from Liverpool

Raven Launched

M.Y. Raven was launched on the 11th of July. She was built by the same company as M.Y. Lady of the Lake. An extract from the Cumberland and Westmorland Herald on the 18th of July, 1889 reads “It is questionable if there be any boat to beat, or even equal this little craft on any lake in this country”. One of the shareholders Mr Thomas Cook was the reason behind the launch of a second vessel. When M.Y. Lady of the Lake broke down at the height of the season, he complained there was no boat to transport his tourists

Raven Made Royal Yacht

Raven was made a temporary royal yacht, her decks painted yellow to mark the visit of the German Kaiser, Wilhelm II to Lowther Castle, home to the “Yellow Earl” – Lord Lonsdale

Changes in ownership and use

Ownership of the line had transferred to the Keswick Granite Company, who in 1953 ceased quarrying operations. Except for the war years, passenger traffic continued.

Company Name Change

The company became ‘Ullswater Navigation and Transit Company’

Raven Converted

Raven was converted from steam and fitted with twin Thornycroft AEC diesel engines, cruising at around 1400 rpm approximately 12mph or 10 knots

Lady of the Lake’s Engines Fitted

Lady of the Lake had Kelvin engines fitted, providing 115 bhp

Shares Bought to Ensure Future

Sir Wavell Wakefield discovered the controlling shareholder (Dixon) was going to wind up the company, so he bought up all but three percent of the shares to ensure the future of Ullswater ‘Steamers’

New Chairman

Lord Wakefield of Kendal bought a controlling shareholding to prevent the company from being wound up. He became chairman of the company. A three-times Grand Slam winning England rugby captain, World War 1 pilot and Member of Parliament, his vision for the future of Ullswater ‘Steamers’ is continued by his family to this day on Ullswater

Lady of the Lake Sank Again

M.Y. Lady of the Lake sank again in a severe storm at Pooley Bridge Pier

Ullswater Campaign

The Manchester Corporation Waterworks Department promoted a parliamentary bill to turn Ullswater into a reservoir.

Lord Birkett known as the “Lakes Great Advocate” started a campaign to save Ullswater from environmental disaster

Bill Defeated

Lord Birkett defeated the parliamentary bill against the Manchester Corporation in the House of Lords. He passed away shortly after.

On the western side of the lake above Glencoyne Head, a nameless fell was re-named in his memory. There is also a memorial plaque on Kailpot Crag visible only from a boat on Ullswater.

The Ullswater Yacht Club hold an annual Birkett Cup Trophy Race on Ullswater in his honour

Lady of the Lake Fire

M.Y. Lady of the Lake was badly damaged by a fire and was out of service for 14 years

Lady of Lake Restored

Lord Wakefield had Lady of the Lake restored and refitted and she was relaunched on the 19th of May by William Whitelaw

Renamed to Ullswater ‘Steamers’​

The business was renamed to Ullswater ‘Steamers’

Lady Dorothy Joins the Fleet

Lady Dorothy, a sea-going boat from Guernsey, joined the Ullswater fleet – enabling winter sailings for the first time

Lady Wakefield Arrives

M.V. Lady Wakefield was renamed in a recommissioning ceremony by HRH Princess Alexandra in April. Built in 1949 in Dartmouth, she had worked on the River Dart and Plymouth Sound before her arrival at Ullswater.

Western Belle Purchased

Ullswater ‘Steamers’ purchased M.V. Western Belle from Chris Cruises where she had worked providing excursions on the upper River Thames. She was launched in 1935 on the River Tamar then worked on the River Dart before arriving in London in 2000. Throughout the Second World War, she ran enhanced services to Devonport for workers in the Royal Dockyard and carried out evacuation runs during The Blitz

Western Belle Arrives at the Slipway

On Tuesday the 13th of July, Western Belle was lowered into Ullswater at Stybarrow Crag and escorted to the slipway at Waterside by Lady Dorothy

Western Belle Relaunched

After a complete refurbishment, Western Belle (built 1935) was officially launched on Ullswater on the 5th of July 2011 by Jane Hasell-McCosh, owner of the historic Eden mansion Dalemain.