Windermere Jetty: Museum of Boats, Steam and Stories facts for kids
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Windermere Jetty from the water
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| Former name | Windermere Steamboat Museum |
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| Established | 1977 |
| Location | Windermere, Cumbria |
| Key holdings | Steamboats and yachts |
| Founder | George Pattinson |
The Windermere Jetty: Museum of Boats, Steam and Stories is a cool museum in Cumbria, England. It sits right on the eastern side of Windermere, a famous lake. This museum shows off amazing old boats, many of which are powered by steam! It first opened its doors in 1977. After being closed for 12 years for a big makeover, it reopened in March 2019.
Contents
A Look Back: The Museum's Story
The museum first opened in 1977. It was called the Windermere Steamboat Museum back then. A local builder and boat collector named George Pattinson started it. He had a fantastic collection of boats. A charity called the Windermere Nautical Trust ran the museum.
The original museum had many important boats. These included old steamboats, motorboats, and yachts. One special boat was SL Dolly, built around 1850. It's thought to be the oldest boat in the world still powered by its original engine!
Another luxurious boat was SL Branksome (1896). It had original velvet seats and a marble sink. SL Raven (1871) was a cargo ship. It carried coal and other goods to towns around the lake. TSSY Esperance (1869) was used by Henry Schneider to travel to work. The museum was proud that most of its steamboats could still float and work!
In 2007, the museum closed to the public. Another local charity, Lakeland Arts, took it over. This group also runs other cool places. These include the Abbot Hall Art Gallery and Blackwell.
In 2011, Lakeland Arts announced big plans. They wanted to build new buildings for the boats. They also planned a workshop to fix and care for them. The museum was designed by Carmody Groarke. It reopened in March 2019 with its new name. Prince Charles even attended the official opening!
The museum was also featured on BBC One’s Antiques Roadshow. This popular TV show visited the museum in February 2021.
What You Can See: The Boat Collection
The museum has 40 boats in its collection. They show the history of boats on Windermere. You can see steam launches, sailing boats, and more. Four of these boats are so important they are part of the National Historic Fleet.
- Steam launch Branksome was launched in 1896. It was originally named Lily. This boat was built from teak wood. It still has its original steam engine! The inside was very fancy with velvet seats and walnut wood. It even has a "Windermere kettle." This device used steam to boil water super fast for tea! The boat is 49.97 ft (15.23 m) long and 9.31 ft (2.84 m) wide. You can see it inside the museum building.
- Steam launch Dolly was built in 1850. It still has its original engine. This makes it a very rare boat. It's even listed as the oldest boat in the world with its original engine! It has a wooden hull, but we don't know who built it. In 1895, it sank at its dock. It was brought back up in 1960. This boat might have been the first on Windermere to use a propeller. It is 40.98 ft (12.49 m) long and 6.49 ft (1.98 m) wide. You can see Dolly inside the museum.
- Steam launch Esperance was built in Scotland in 1869. It was made of strong iron. In 1870, it came to Windermere by train. The boat was built with great care. Its rivets were hidden to make the hull smooth. It had two steam engines when it was new. Its first owner, Henry Schneider, used it to go to work. He would take the boat to Lakeside and then catch a train. Later, in the 1920s, it became a houseboat. It even inspired Captain Flint's houseboat in the book Swallows and Amazons! Esperance is 64.95 ft (19.80 m) long and 10 ft (3.0 m) wide.
- Steam barge Raven was built in Scotland in 1871. The Furness Railway Company used it to deliver goods. It carried items all along the lake. This boat has an iron hull. Its single steam engine is the original one. Raven is 70.95 ft (21.63 m) long and 14.59 ft (4.45 m) wide.
The Museum Buildings
The new museum buildings were designed by architects Carmody Groarke. They worked with engineers from Arup. A cool thing about the buildings is their outside. They are covered in a special oxidised copper. This gives them a unique look.
Awards for the Buildings
In 2021, the Windermere Jetty Museum was chosen as one of six buildings for the Stirling Prize. This is a very important award for architecture. It also won several other awards. These included the RIBA North West Award 2021. It also won the RIBA North West Building of the Year Award 2021.
