The Fleets
Founded in 1830 as the Mona's Isle Company and in 1832 renamed Isle of Man Steam Packet Co. The company initially operated passenger services from Douglas to Liverpool.
Later services were instituted between the Isle of Man, Heysham, Whitehaven, Belfast and Dublin and the company was a major factor in carrying Irish emigrants to Liverpool for transit to America. The company still operates.
Many thanks to Ted Finch for his assistance in collecting this data. The following list was extracted from various sources. This is not an all inclusive list but should only be used as a guide.
Ships
| Name | Built | Additional Information | GRT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ben-My-Chree (1) | 1845 | iron paddle steamer, 1860 sold to African SS Co. and hulked in Bonny River. | 399 |
| Ben-My-Chree (2) | 1875 | iron paddle steamer, 1906 scrapped. | 1,031 |
| Ben-My-Chree (3) | 1908 | 1915 sold to Admiralty and converted to seaplane carrier, 1917 sunk by Turkish artillery off Gallipoli, later raised and scrapped. | 2,651 |
| Ben-My-Chree (4) | 1927 | 1939-1946 troopship, 1965 renamed Ben-My-Chree II, 1965 scrapped. | 2,586 |
| Ben-My-Chree (5) | 1966 | 1989 scrapped. | 2,762 |
| Ben-My-Chree (6) | 1998 | 2010 still in service. | 12,504 |
| Ben-My-Chree II | 1927 | see Ben-My-Chree (4). | 2,586 |
| Conister (1) | 1921 | ex- Abington, 1932 purchased from G. T. Gillie & Co. renamed Conister, 1965 scrapped. | 411 |
| Conister (2) | 1955 | built as Brentfield for W. A. Savage, 1959 sold to Coast Lines renamed Spaniel, 1973 purchased by IOMSPCo renamed Conister, 1981 scrapped. | 891 |
| Cushag | 1908 | ex- Ardnagrena, 1920 purchased from Humber Steam Coasters renamed Cushag, 1943 sold to Bremner, Orkney, 1957 scrapped. | 223 |
| Douglas (1) | 1858 | iron paddle steamer, 1862 sold to Confederate Government and became blockade runner Margaret and Jessie, 1863 captured and renamed USS Gettysburg, 1879 sold Italy. | 700 |
| Douglas (2) | 1864 | iron paddle steamer, 1888 scrapped. | 709 |
| Douglas (3) | 1889 | ex- Dora, 1901 purchased from London & South Western Railway Co. renamed Douglas, 1923 sank in Mersey after collision with s/s Artemisia. | 813 |
| Ellan Vannin | 1860 | see Mona's Isle (2). | 375 |
| Empress Queen | 1897 | steel paddle steamer, 1915-1916 troopship, 1916 wrecked Isle of Wight. | 2,140 |
| Fenella (1) | 1881 | 1929 scrapped. | 557 |
| Fenella (2) | 1936 | 1940 sunk off Dunkirk. | 2,376 |
| Fenella (3) | 1951 | 1973 sold to Mistichiades, Famagusta renamed Vasso M, 1977 on fire and sank in Mediterranean. | 1,019 |
| King Orry (1) | 1842 | wooden paddle steamer, 1858 sold to Greece. | 433 |
| King Orry (2) | 1871 | iron paddle steamer, 1888 rebuilt to 1,104 tons, 1912 scrapped. | 806 |
| King Orry (3) | 1913 | 1915-1918 and 1939-1940 requisitioned by Admiralty as boarding ship, 1940 sunk off Dunkirk. | 1,877 |
| King Orry (4) | 1946 | 1978 scrapped. | 2,485 |
| Lady of Mann (1) | 1930 | 1971 scrapped. | 3,104 |
| Lady of Mann (2) | 1976 | 2007 sold to SAOS Line renamed Panagia Soumela, 2010 still in service. | 2,990 |
| Manx Maid (1) | 1910 | ex- Caesearea, 1923 purchased from London & South Western Railway Co. renamed Manx Maid, 1940 requisitioned as Fleet Air Arm tender HMS Bruce, 1946 released from service, 1950 scrapped. | 1,505 |
| Manx Maid (2) | 1962 | 1986 scrapped. | 2,724 |
| Manxman (1) | 1904 | built for Midland Railway Co., 1915 sold to Admiralty converted to seaplane carrier, 1920 purchased by IOMSPCo, 1939 troopship, 1942 requisitioned by Admiralty renamed HMS Caduceus, 1945 released from service renamed Manxman, 1949 scrapped. | 2,030 |
| Manxman (2) | 1955 | 1983 sold and converted to restaurant ship. | 2,495 |
| Mona (1) | 1832 | wooden paddle steamer, 1841 sold to Liverpool Steam Tug Co., converted to tug. | 150 |
| Mona (2) | 1878 | 1883 sunk in Mersey after collision with s/s Rita. | 562 |
| Mona (3) | 1889 | steel paddle steamer, ex- Calais-Douvres, 1900 purchased from London, Chatham & Dover Railway Co. by Liverpool & Douglas Steamers, 1903 purchased by IOMSPCo renamed Mona, 1909 scrapped. | 1,212 |
| Mona (4) | 1907 | ex- Hazel, 1919 purchased from Laird Line renamed Mona, 1938 scrapped. | 1,241 |
| Mona's Isle (1) | 1830 | wooden paddle steamer, 1851 scrapped. | 300 |
| Mona's Isle (2) | 1860 | iron paddle steamer, 1883 converted to twin screw renamed Ellan Vannin, 1909 went missing on voyage Ramsey - Liverpool ; loss of 36 lives. | 375 |
| Mona's Isle (3) | 1882 | steel paddle steamer, 1915 requisitioned by Admiralty as netlayer, 1919 scrapped. | 1,564 |
| Mona's Isle (4) | 1905 | ex- Onward, 1920 purchased from South Eastern and Chatham Railway Co. renamed Mona's Isle, 1939-1945 Admiralty requisition, 1948 scrapped. | 1,671 |
| Mona's Isle (5) | 1951 | 1980 scrapped. | 2,491 |
| Mona's Isle (6) | 1966 | built as Free Enterprise III, 1984 purchased renamed Mona's Isle, 1986 sold renamed Al Fahad. | 4,657 |
| Mona's Queen (1) | 1853 | iron paddle steamer, 1880 scrapped. | 451 |
| Mona's Queen (2) | 1885 | steel paddle steamer, 1914-1919 trooping, 1929 scrapped. | 1,595 |
| Mona's Queen (3) | 1934 | 1940 sunk off Dunkirk. | 2,755 |
| Mona's Queen (4) | 1946 | 1962 sold to Chandris Line renamed Carina, 1964 renamed Fiesta, 1981 scrapped. | 2,485 |
| Mona's Queen (5) | 1971 | 1995 sold Philippines renamed Mary The Queen, 2008 scrapped. | 2,998 |
| Peel Castle | 1894 | ex- Duke of York, 1912 purchased from Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway and London & North Western Railway joint service renamed Peel Castle, 1915-1918 requisitioned by Admiralty as boarding vessel, 1939 scrapped. | 1,531 |
| Peveril (1) | 1884 | 1899 sank off Douglas Head after collision with s/s Monarch. | 595 |
| Peveril (2) | 1929 | 1963 renamed Peveril II, 1964 scrapped. | 798 |
| Peveril (3) | 1963 | 1981 sold renamed Nadalena H. | 1,048 |
| Peveril II | 1929 | see Peveril (2). | 798 |
| Prince of Wales | 1887 | 1888 purchased from Manx Line, 1915 sold to Admiralty converted to netlayer renamed Prince Edward, 1920 scrapped. | 1,657 |
| Queen of the Isle | 1834 | wooden paddle steamer, 1844 sold to R. Napier and converted to sailing ship. Later wrecked off Falklands. | 350 |
| Queen Victoria | 1887 | 1888 purchased from Manx Line, 1915 sold to Admiralty converted to netlayer, 1920 scrapped. | 1,657 |
| Ramsey | 1964 | 1973 sold to Lapthorn Shipping Co. renamed Hoofort. | 446 |
| Ramsey Town | 1904 | ex- Antrim, 1928 purchased from Midland Railway Co. renamed Ramsey Town, 1936 scrapped. | 2,100 |
| Rushen Castle | 1898 | ex- Duke of Cornwall, 1928 purchased from Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway and London & North Western Railway joint service renamed Rushen Castle, 1947 scrapped. | 1,540 |
| Seacat Isle of Man | 1991 | ex- Seacat Boulogne, 1994 renamed Seacat Isle of Man, 1996 renamed Seacat Norge, 1997 renamed Seacat Isle of Man, 2005 renamed Sea Express I. | 3,003 |
| Snaefell (1) | 1863 | iron paddle steamer, 1875 sold to Zeeland SS Co. renamed Stad Breda, 1888 scrapped. | 604 |
| Snaefell (2) | 1876 | iron paddle steamer, 1904 scrapped. | 849 |
| Snaefell (3) | 1910 | 1914 requisitioned by Admiralty as boarding ship, 1918 sunk by submarine off Alexandria. | 1,368 |
| Snaefell (4) | 1906 | ex- Viper, 1920 purchased from Burns Line renamed Snaefell, 1945 scrapped. | 1,713 |
| Snaefell (5) | 1948 | 1978 scrapped. | 2,489 |
| Superseacat Two | 1991 | no later info. | 4,662 |
| The Ramsey | 1895 | ex- Duke of Lancaster, 1912 purchased from Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway and London & North Western Railway joint service renamed The Ramsey, 1914 requisitioned by Admiralty as boarding vessel, 1915 sunk by German raider Meteor in North Sea. | 1,621 |
| Tynwald (1) | 1845 | iron paddle steamer, 1866 scrapped. | 700 |
| Tynwald (2) | 1866 | iron paddle steamer, 1888 scrapped. | 697 |
| Tynwald (3) | 1891 | 1930 laid up, 1933 sold and converted to Yacht renamed Western Isles, 1939 requisitioned by Admiralty renamed HMS Eastern Isles, 1946 laid up, 1952 scrapped. | 937 |
| Tynwald (4) | 1937 | 1940 requisitioned as anti-aircraft cruiser, 1942 torpedoed and sunk by Italian submarine Argo off Bougie. | 2,376 |
| Tynwald (5) | 1947 | 1952 scrapped. | 2,493 |
| Tyrconnel | 1892 | 1911 purchased from Manx Steam Coasters Ltd, 1932 sold to S.W. Coe & Co., 1934 scrapped. | 276 |
| Victoria | 1907 | 1928 purchased from South Eastern & Chatham Railway Co., 1940-1946 requisitioned as troopship, 1957 scrapped. | 1,641 |
| Viking | 1905 | 1915 sold to Admiralty and converted to seaplane carrier, 1919 repurchased, 1939-1945 troopship, 1954 scrapped. | 1,951 |