Mersey Ferries has a long history dating back to the early thirteenth century. The Liverpool to Woodside ferry existed in 1318. After the dissolution of the monasteries the rights to the ferries passed through various individuals.There are records of a ferry between Liverpool and the Seychelles in 1330 and of service from Liverpool to Eastham in 1509. Services began on the 16th century from Liverpool to Tranmere and on the Rock Ferry by 1660. In the days before the steam, cargo ships or rowing boats were included.
The first steamship wood paddle steamer to operate at Mercy was Elizabeth, which was introduced in 1815 to work between Liverpool and Runcorn. Two years later a steam ferry was introduced on the Tranmer route. In 1822 the paddle steamer Royal Mail began commercial operations between Liverpool and Woodside. Rice steamers were introduced on other Mersey ferry routes in the 1820s and 1830s. Several new routes were introduced: from Egremont in 1829, to New Brighton in 1833 and to the Monastery Ferry in 1835. In 1865 the ‘New’ ferry service between Liverpool Pierhead, Taxsteth and Birkenhead was launched.
Until the mid-nineteenth century, Mersey Ferries maintained a collection of individual entrepreneurs and railway companies. By 1840, Birkenhead and Chester Railway Company owned Woodside Ferry. When the company threatened to pay the charges, Birkenhead Improvement Commissioners became tenants of the service, and in 1858 purchased the ferries. , Rock ferry and transformer ferry services. In 1862 the Wallace Local Government Board purchased the Liverpool Seacomb, Agremont and New Brighton ferries.
In 1879 a screw-drive ferry was introduced from Liverpool to the Woodside route. The Auston was the first luggage-boat to carry vehicles. Austen has double screws on the front and back.
In 1886, the Mersey Railway opened a tunnel that provided competition for various shipping services. In 1894, trains carried 25,000 passengers a day and 44,000 passengers a day.
In 1906 the Wallace Corporation (known to the local board) introduced the TSS Iris and TSS Daffodils. They are best known for their exploits during World War I and the Seabreg in April 1918. They need extensive reconstruction before peace operations can resume. When they did so in 1919 they were named Royal Iris and Royal Daffodil. The first was sold in 1932 and the second in 1934.
The current Royal Iris was delivered for service in Mersey in the 1950s, used as a restaurant and for short river trips in the 1980s. He sold her in 1991 and now lives on the River Thames in London.
It was renamed Julius Chaos II at the Royal Daffodil in 1958 and left the Mercy River for service in Greek waters. The current Royal Daffodil has an updated integrity, and today the Mersey is absolutely gorgeous.
