PART ONE
Early harbours in the Channel Islands were, like elsewhere in the world constructed in a sheltered place from the prevailing winds, and the fast running tides of the area caused many a shipwreck for vessels trying to enter or leave port.
Once the steam engine had established itself, it was not surprising that the small steam powered vessels were soon to be found acting as tugs in the harbour areas for sailing ships.
Most of Guernsey's cargo passed through St. Sampson’s Harbour, the place which was also the main shipbuilding area of the island, and it was here that the steam tugs were based.
The first steam service in the islands (other that the cross channel services) commenced in 1847 when the English contractors of the Alderney breakwater project purchased PRINCESS ROYAL to operate between Guernsey and Alderney. She was replaced by a larger vessel in 1857 and even this ship was lengthened in 1857. The vessel was also used during the summer to make excursions from Guernsey to Sark.
One of the first steam vessels to operate in Guernsey was the small Jersey built tug DON which arrived in St. Peter Port in 1853 in connection with the harbour construction. The first tug owned in the island was the GOSFORTH which arrived in 1867, and apart from towage duties she was also used for "marine cruises" and trips to Herm and Sark. The tugs eventually were used to tow sailing ships between the islands and also to France.
Following the termination of the Alderney Harbour in 1872, QUEEN OF THE ISLES was sold, but her former master Captain Scott had the paddle steamer PRINCESS built, but unfortunately he died three years later and the vessel was sold.
Alderney residents then had the steam screw vessel COURIER (I) built, being placed under the management of T. N. Barbenson & Co, and in 1883 a larger vessel of the same name was built, and later the service was extended to Cherbourg.
1874 saw the construction of the only steamer to be built in Guernsey, when the COMMERCE entered service initially being used on the service to Saint Brieuc before moving to the London route and later the Plymouth / CI / St. Brieuc route.
In 1886 the Guernsey Steam Towing & Trading company was set up, with the end result that in 1888 all the tugs came under its control, and the Trading part of the title reflecting the regular service to Sark which it now operated.
The year 1897 saw the Pipprell family form the St.Malo & Binic Steamship Company to own and operate the newly built steamer FAWN on their long established French service, while the same year in Alderney, the owners of the two COURIER's formed themselves into the Alderney Steam Packet Company.
The start of the First World War saw the immediate end to the excursion trade. The COURIER (II) continued in service but the other steamers had been sold, with the result that auxiliary cutters were used to link Guernsey with Sark.
Normality began to return in 1919, but by that time the Guernsey Towage & Trading Company had sold all its steamers, and ceased to trade. To fill the gap, the Alderney Steam Packet Co. purchased HELPER with which they commenced a regular service to Sark on April 1 1920. Built in 1873 she was not exactly a new ship and combined with being a paddle steamer was not the most ideal vessel for the area but at least she provided a service.
In 1923 the St. Malo & Binic S.S. Co replaced FAWN with a new larger passenger-
Things started to change in 1925 when a Sark resident commenced a service to Guernsey (initially to carry cargo) but the converted lifeboat JOY BELL built up a passenger trade, and in 1931 the operation was formed into Sark Motor Ships Ltd., and a further vessel purchased.
The year 1929 saw the Alderney registered Alderney Steam Packet Company being placed into liquidation, and a company of exactly the same name being registered in Guernsey. The new company did not trade for long, as in March 1931 its goodwill and one of its vessels was acquired by the St. Malo & Binic S.S. Co. Ltd., which in May 1933 changed its name to the Guernsey, Alderney & Sark S.S. Co. Ltd. to reflect its current trade.
Following the death in 1934 of Mr. Henderson, managing director of Sark Motor Ships Ltd, Captain J. A. Leighton one of the shareholders purchased the company. In August 1936 he purchased the small GUERNSEYMAN which had maintained a cargo service between Guernsey and Alderney and early 1938 expanded the fleet with the purchase of ARPHA. which apart from work in the islands also operated some cross channel services.
Captain Leighton gained a monopoly position in August 1938 when he purchased the rival Guernsey, Alderney & Sark S.S. Co., but this was a short lived situation.
The Guernsey firm of J. B. Le Page which was operating a cargo service from Portsmouth, registered in Alderney the Guernsey & Alderney Trading Co. Ltd. The company was very involved in the transportation of building materials to the Islands, and also for the new Sark harbour being built at La Maselin.
The company purchased ISLE OF ALDERNEY which linked Portsmouth, Alderney, Guernsey
and Sark, and passengers were also carried, the Guernsey-
All the services suffered a downturn in traffic due to commencement of the Second World War, followed by the emergency powers of September 1939.
Limited services continued through the winter and into 1940, but with the fall of France it was decided to evacuate those Channel Islanders who wished to leave.
Almost all the inhabitants of Alderney left for England while the Sarkees decided to remain.
The Islands were occupied in June 1940 with the German’s taking control, by which time most of the vessels had departed for England.