Branksome

This vessel was built in 1896 by George Brockbank of Bowness as the LILY and was a 50ft steam launch fitted with a Sissons compound steam engine for Mrs Howarth of Langdale Chase. The hull is carvel built of teak and the vessel is described as having a counter stern and a clipper bow with an aft saloon, 2 berths, WC, and a galley. Her engine is the original, having been built in 1896 by W Sisson & Co. Gloucester and is numbered 502. The current boiler is modern and was built in 1971 by Hunslet Steam Co, Leeds. It is believed to have been built as an exact replica of the original. LILY was intended to be the finest launch on the lake and has since been claimed to be one of the finest steam launches in the world. She remained the property of Mrs Howarth until 1919 and then passed to the Cowburn family who kept her until around 1958 – 1962 when she was sold to G.H. Pattinson, the Museum's founder. She is elaborately fitted out - the walnut panelling, embossed velvet upholstery, carpet and leather seats are all original. The galley has a solid white marble wash hand basin with beer pump handle and her 1896 WC still works. The most popular fitting is a copper tea urn adjacent to the funnel which boils a gallon of water in ten seconds. The kettle is worked by boiler steam passing through coiled pipes in the urn. These kettles were common on Windermere boats during the Victorian period, as were silver tea services engraved with the boat's name or family crest, together with accompanying tablecloths and maid's lace aprons. As the finest surviving steamboat on the lake, BRANKSOME had the honour of embarking HRH Prince Phillip for a trip down the lake during his visit in 1966, and HRH The Prince of Wales after the opening of the Museum on 18 May 1977. Source: Windermere Steamboat Museum and Motorboat Collection, December 2008.

What is the vessel’s ability to demonstrate history in her physical fabric?

BRANKSOME is a large saloon launch, built to the highest standards with a teak hull and a luxury cabin panelled with walnut and fitted with embossed velvet upholstery. She has retained her original steam engine and her hull remains largely original although in need of conservation work. She is very well equipped with a complete range of original fittings, including a ‘Windermere kettle’ – the popular copper tea urn adjacent to the funnel which was common on boats from this era and which could boil a gallon of water in ten seconds.

What are the vessel’s associational links for which there is no physical evidence?

BRANKSOME is a classic late Victorian Windermere steam launch, built for Mrs Howarth of Langdale Chase, who also specially commissioned the boathouse there for the launch to be kept in. From 1919 to circa 1960 BRANKSOME was owned by the Cowburn family. She has royal connections as HRH Prince Phillip took a trip on BRANKSOME during a 1966 visit to the Lake District and the Prince of Wales also went onboard during the 1977 Silver Jubilee celebrations.

How does the vessel’s shape or form combine and contribute to her function?

Her shape is the epitome of a Lake Windermere steam launch, representing true Victorian elegance.

Source: George Hogg, Registration Sub-Committee, National Historic Ships Date: May 2011.

1. 1896 – 1959Lily

Financial year January 2007 - March 2008 A Sustainability Grant of £350 to cover the costs of attending the RINA Conference was made from the Strategic Development Fund of National Historic Ships. Source: National Historic Ships.

December 2008 BRANKSOME has been taken out the water and her engine and boiler removed. A recent survey has revealed that a substantial number of her teak planks and frames have been replaced with iroko in the last thirty years or so and that experiments were made with an oil firing in the 1960s. A Light Steam Power Freeheat Burner No. 4 was fitted c.1962 and a Swinney Burner was fitted in 1965. The new Hunslet boiler was constructed in 1970 and has only burned solid fuel. Source: George Hogg, Advisory Committee.

January 2011 A Sustainability Award of £540 towards the cost of fireproof cabinets for the archives at the Windermere Steamboat Museum was made from the Strategic Development Fund of National Historic Ships. Source: National Historic Ships.

1. 1896 Built in Bowness for Mrs Howarth of Langdale Chase and named LILY
2. 1919 Bought by the Cowburn Family
3. 1960s Bought by the founder of the Windermere Steamboat Museum
4. 1966 HRH Prince Phillip sailed onboard
5. 1971 New boiler fitted
6. 1977 HRH The Prince of Wales sailed onboard
7. 2008 Vessel taken out of the water and engine and boiler removed
8. Date unknown Re-named BRANKSOME

1. 1993 International Register of Historic Ships - Brouwer, Norman J
2. 1994 Steamboat Register: An illustrated Register of surviving steam vessels in the British Isles
3. 2000 Steam Boat Register - Hillsdon & Smith