On Saturday 18th March 1961 the London & Home Counties Branch of the PSPS held its first meeting.
A committee was elected chaired by Bill Prynne. who I got to know quite well in subsequent years. He was ever supportive of me and all that we did at KC in the Medway years and regularly wrote me short notes complimenting us on this and that.
Here is Bill Prynne next to KC nearly thirty years later. He was a nice man I thought. Patrick Taylor was also at that first meeting. He became a regular passenger on KC when we got her going and sailed with us until his death.
Branch Secretary Russell Horwood also took an interest in KC and was forever writing me and individual crew members long and detailed letters expressing his distinctive and personal views. He was an occasional passenger with us. I remember him particularly for his vintage and sometimes colourful ties.
Here he is on the extreme right with members of the Wessex Branch, including (L to R) Captain Thomas, Miss Thomas, Peter Ellis, Don Jones and Victor Gray, aboard Embassy in March 1961.
That was sixty years ago. Gosh!
Kingswear Castle returned to service in 2023 after the first part of a major rebuild which is designed to set her up for the next 25 years running on the River Dart. The Paddle Steamer Kingswear Castle Trust is now fund raising for the second phase of the rebuild. You can read more about the rebuilds and how you can help if you can here.
John Megoran
This article was first published on 18th March 2021.
