Name Yorkshire Belle

YORKSHIRE BELLE was built in 1947 as a passenger vessel by Cook, Welton & Gemmell of Beverley, Yorkshire, for Mr Bride Hall Pockley of Bridlington to provide pleasure trips. She was launched on 22 May 1947 and sailed to Princes Dock in Hull for fitting out and finishing. She carried out sea trials in the River Humber and arrived in Bridlington for the summer season.

YORKSHIRE BELLE has a riveted and welded steel hull and is fitted with two Gardner diesel engines 8L3 models built in 1951. She has four decks; the tank top is the lowest deck above the bilges; next is the main passenger deck, above which is the bridge deck which includes the wheelhouse, walkway, life rafts and launching equipment. The monkey island above the wheelhouse is used for embarkation and disembarkation of passengers, and houses the Radar Transmitter/Receiver, GPS Satellite Navigation, and VHF radio-telephone aerials. She has four watertight compartments; the forepeak, saloon bar, aft cabin, and aftpeak, any two of which can be flooded without compromising the safety of the ship.

In 1969 YORKSHIRE BELLE was purchased by John Cross Pockley and Thomas Marshall Needham, with further changes of ownership occurring between 1970 and 1973, ending with Boggs Trawlers becoming majority shareholder. In 1982 ownership passed to Peter G. Richardson and Roy Simpson. She was dry docked for her annual inspection and survey and subjected to cleaning and scrubbing, repairing and painting to restore her to her pristine state ready to sail at Easter. In 1987 the canvas awning to her stern was replaced with a steel roof. Her profile and shape were retained while providing protection from the elements for passengers.

In 1982 an association with the RSPB began when the Scarborough and District group organised a bird watching cruise as part of their “Springtime is Birdtime” campaign. The first Bempton Cliffs cruise was held on Whit Sunday and carried 160 passengers. The owners continue to work closely with the RSPB, the Bridlington group and RSPB Bempton reserve, who organise around 20 trips a year to view the breeding seabirds, in particular puffins and Gannets.

In addition to her bird and wildlife cruises and pleasure trips, YORKSHIRE BELLE has undertaken contract work which has included the re-crewing of a super tanker and a trip to Hull to greet the North Sea ferry NORLAND on her return from the Falklands. In the 1990s she tendered to the cruise ship VISTAMAR. She has also taken a group of dignitaries and engineers to view a new wind farm off Redcar. She has been regularly used in events organised by the Royal Yorkshire Yacht Club. Over the years, many businesses have held staff outings or team building events on board, and she has also been a popular venue for wedding celebrations.

YORKSHIRE BELLE is the last remaining Bridlington pleasure boat of the six that once operated from the 1920s to 1950s.