In the final part of his research project on historic yard tenants P&A Campbell, volunteer writer Dave Duggan explores how the company was impacted by the Second World War. He has uncovered some fascinating details on the requisitioning of their paddle steamers and materials for the war effort…

Britain declared war on 3rd September 1939 and by the 16th September 10 of Campbells’ 11 steamers had been requisitioned by the Admiralty. The exception at the time, though later also requisitioned, was the Ravenswood which continued to provide ferry services between Weston and Cardiff until May 1940 when, following raids on Bristol and Cardiff, it was closed for the safety of passengers and crew. The Company lost all income from the inevitable termination of its passenger services however it was able to remain profitable and pay a healthy dividend to shareholders throughout the war, in part, because of the requisitioning payments made by the Admiralty.

After requisitioning, the Campbell steamers were used initially for minesweeping around the UK coasts. Seven took part in the Dunkirk evacuation returning 7000 servicemen to UK shores but three ( Brighton Belle, Brighton Queen and Devonia) were lost.  The surviving steamers were later positioned in the Thames estuary as anti-aircraft gun platforms and others used for accommodation and transport of military personnel including during the Normandy landings. Two other steamers the Glen Avon and the Waverley were lost before the war ended. Cambria and Westward Ho had been used accommodation and were unlikely to return to service due to their condition.

Just four of the eleven requisitioned steamers, (Ravenswood, Britannia, Glen Usk, Glen Gower) returned to Bristol in 1945. These were refitted and prepared for resuming their post-war passenger transport duties in Bristol by Charles Hill & Sons Ltd who were also commissioned to build Campbells first post war paddle steamer,the “ Bristol Queen”. Launched in Bristol on 4th April 1946 this marked a new era as the first Campbell steamer fitted with engines designed to run on oil rather than coal.

The prospect of the post war resumption of P&A steamer sailings was of sufficient local interest to be reported in the Bristol Evening Post on the 18th May 1945. This was a slightly optimistic view as, due to delays in sourcing necessary materials. The first post-war passenger trip finally took place on 13th April 1946 when the Ravenswood left the Hotwells landing stage for a trip to Clevedon. Robert Wall in “Bristol Channel Pleasure Steamers” reports that “an hour before sailing time the queue of intending passengers stretched half a mile back along Hotwell Rd”.

The Directory of Bristol Industries for 1940 lists “Campbell and Banks” as makers of piston rings and packing for steam engines based at the Underfall Yard.  So although the work for Campbells in respect of their own steamers was suspended during the war years the production of piston rings and packing by the Campbell and Banks subsidiary continued along with other engineering and marine services which together enabled the Company, along with the Admiralty support, to survive its loss of war time passenger revenue.

As a final note, in his book,” The Campells of Kilmun”, Iain Hope refers to the fitting of Campbell and Banks’ piston rings to the “ famous Rolls –Royce Merlin engines which powered the Spitfire fighter and Lancaster bomber” as a significant contribution to the war effort.

Photo used courtesy of the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society Collection

This article was written by volunteer Dave Duggan and reviewed by Underfall Yard Trust. Click here to read more about the Yard’s volunteering program.

The Recovery and Reinstatement Project is now underway after the fire in May 2023. Click here to read more and find out how to support the project…