Welcome to our 2021 on line exhibition, mounted as a contribution to the digital Heritage Open Days Festival and the “Edible England” theme. Medway Queen may not compete on menu sophistication but probably has the edge on other Festival contributions when it comes to settings – especially in regard to Dunkirk! We make no claims regarding the originality or refinement of the menus; but that in itself will contrast nicely with some other offerings in this year’s Heritage Open Days event.

Food and drink were a pivotal part of the excursion experience, and of the company’s cash flow! Whether it be a swift drink in one of the bars, a snack or ice cream on deck or a full blown repast in the aft saloon on the way home from Southend. All options were catered for and about half the crew on board would be dedicated to catering for the tourists rather than actually sailing the ship.

Acknowledgements: Much of the material in this exhibition is taken from the Medway Queen Preservation Society’s publications with illustrations from the society’s collection and the PSPS collection. We must also thank Brian Goodhew, Peter Steele, Helen Shipman, Richard Halton, Faye Watson, Steve Webster, Dawn Mattocks, Richard Lingham, George Painter and all those who took the time to record their experiences on Medway Queen.

​For 1935 the crew list details the Purser, Steward and Stewardess to run this side of the operation. They had a cook, 4 waitresses, Pantry staff, Bar staff, and others reporting to them. One of the more intriguing job titles was the “Chocolate Boy”, who would tour the promenade deck with a tray of sweets and chocolate bars for sale. Ice creams were available from a kiosk on the main deck and snacks and hot drinks were served by the Pantry in the aft saloon. The aft saloon also formed the main restaurant where meals could be ordered and consumed in style.

The available menu options may have changed from time to time. Those who travelled on Medway Queen speak nostalgically of “Fish and Chip Suppers”. The example menu to the left dates from 1927. The prices (in shillings and pence remember) seem cheap to us but may not have been so in the 1920s. Those on a budget may well have opted for a cup of tea or even brought their own sandwiches. Look at the Galley Boy’s account below; a meat tea was virtually a day’s wages.

Ernie Crittenden was the Galley Boy in 1936: “I worked as a Galley Boy at the age of 14 years in what, for me, was a happy and exciting experience. The hours were long (average 14 per day) and my wage was 12/5d (62 ½ p) per week. The day began with the loading of crates of beer and foodstuffs and one learned to keep an eye on the tide. The tide would determine the angle at which the gangplank was pitched for loading the stores. As you can imagine, a steep gangplank was not very popular and at times was decidedly “hairy”.

Our galley range, which was a coal burner, shared the main smoke stack and it was not uncommon for a blow back of smoke which often left the chef and me choking. I was given urgent orders to run on deck and alter the direction of the vent cowls to hasten the removal of the smoke. The chef at the time was Mr. Tom Hester and I was firmly convinced that he could perform miracles with food. The varied jars and tins from which he produced “magic“ powders held me in awe and I sampled flavours that I had never tasted before or since. The skipper (Captain Hayman) always congratulated him on providing a fine meal and so did many others!

Adapted from “The Medway Queen” published in 2013 and reprinted by MQPS in 2014 and 2020

​As you can imagine, priorities and menus were rather different during the war but the cooking facilities were still a small solid fuel range in a cramped galley (see right). It was in use throughout Medway Queen’s excursion and war service and wasn’t updated until 1966 for the Medway Queen Club.

We are fortunate to have detailed accounts of Medway Queen’s part in the Dunkirk Evacuation of 1940. In particular the account by the ship’s cook, Thomas Russell, is relevant to this exhibition; excerpts in the gallery below. It has been reproduced in full in the society’s book – “Memories of Dunkirk”.

HMS Medway Queen made seven trips in all to Dunkirk, rescuing thousands of men; all of whom were offered food and drink by Thomas and his assistant “Sec” in their small galley with its primitive equipment. No mean feat!

HMS Medway Queen served in the Royal Navy for the whole of the second World War. From 1944 she was allocated to a training unit based in Granton, Edinburgh. Charles McCara joined the ship in April 1945 and was in command by June of that year. He recorded that HMS Medway Queen had a company of 4 officers and 24 ratings and there was accommodation for up to 20 trainees. She established a reputation for treating the trainees as guests and the ship’s cook was crucial to maintaining this standard. The wardroom had retained the qualities of an excursion steamer saloon and seemed more like a restaurant than part of a warship. A roaring coal fire, pre lunch drinks and then roast beef followed by a pudding with custard made a marked contrast to the conditions on an exposed deck in the North Sea. All prepared in that same small galley with its coal fired range!

From ​”Mainly in Minesweepers”, Charles McAra, R J Leach and Co, 1991and “The Medway Queen”, 2013, 2014, 2020.

In the seasons of 1952 and ’53 Dawn Fenwick (now Mrs. Dawn Mattocks) worked on board Medway Queen in the restaurant. She tells us that “Mrs.Osborn was the Catering Manageress and her responsibilities included the bars and ice cream kiosk. We served mainly sandwiches and snacks plus the usual beverages. I also had to help out in the ice cream kiosk as and when required. The saloon had to be kept clean at all times, Clearing the tables after passengers had vacated was a number one requirement, leaving a “sticky” table was a cardinal sin. Limited hot meals were prepared in the galley and served in the saloon. Meat was still on ration, until July 1954, but the traditional “Plaice & Chips” was available for those passengers that could afford it. They were austere days and money was in short supply for the average family so a day on a Medway steamer was a big day out! ”

George Painter also remembers a non-landing evening cruise to Southend and back in 1952 He was accompanied by his future wife Iris and remembers a “plaice and chips” supper in the forward saloon and later Iris feeling a little “woozy” but not sea sick. There was always a bit of a sway on the Medway Queen, even in calm waters, sometimes the captain requested passengers to move to either side of the ship to maintain a balance!

Spithead Review: Brian Goodhew worked on board in 1953 and remembered the ship’s excursion to the Coronation Naval Review at Spithead. Medway Queen’s allotted position was in row “L” just off Ryde Pier. This was not a “front stalls” position by any means but still very much part of the event. The sometimes distant view of proceedings was supplemented by listening to the commentary provided via the BBC “Home Service”. After a cruise around the assembled fleet the ship anchored in her allotted position and with the bar open and a packed lunch included in the price her passengers settled down to wait for the official proceedings to begin. Apparently the packed lunch made a poor impression on some people. A cardboard box (left) with a sandwich, apple and biscuit inside was less than some had expected for 12 guineas!

​​The firework display was scheduled for 10.40pm with the illuminations turned off at midnight. During the intervals between these activities there was plenty of time for more food (although supplies ran out before the end of the afternoon) and to spend money in the ship’s bars. This opportunity was exploited to the full by some of the passengers who had to be carried off the ship at the end of the day.

Menu Variations:
Richard Lingham travelled on board in the ’50s. He recalled that many passengers would eat their own packed lunches on deck, or in the lower saloon aft, having purchased drinks at the tea bar, Acorn Bar or kiosk. A fortunate minority could afford morning coffee and biscuits, lunch or high tea in the dining saloon, served by waitresses who steered a circuitous path with heavily laden trays between the saloon and the galley which was located forward of the engine room. It was a sheer marvel that the cook, assisted by one galley-boy could deliver so many tasty meals to passengers and the crew from such a narrow space, equipped only with a 1920s cast-iron cooking range. For lighter appetites, crisps, ice- creams and soft drinks were available all day from the kiosk, whilst the tea bar served hot drinks, sandwiches, meat pies, biscuits and cakes.

Brian Goodhew records that his day on the PS Medway Queen as galley boy in 1953 started by reporting aboard for 07:00, to the galley where the cook was working away cooking breakfast for the crew, filling the ship with the aroma of eggs, bacon and sausages. If the cook was a little late I used to lay out the strips of bacon on large enamel trays and slide them into the oven. By 07:15 we were serving breakfast to the crew who were queueing at the port side of the galley while the waitresses waited at the starboard side for orders for the saloon, which included Captain Horsham and the officers. 07:30 always seemed to be the time that swans would gather by the rear of the port sponson for scraps from the breakfast plates. At 07:45 he would go ashore and cycle to the butcher’s shop to pick up the meat for the day – usually a joint of beef.

​Both recalled the popularity of the ship’s bars, the opening hours of which were not controlled by 1950s licensing laws when the ship was at sea. Brian also recalled hurried trips ashore at Southend to obtain fresh crabs for the restaurant or for the officers’ meals.

Extracts from “The Medway Queen”, 2013,2014,2020, and “Life on Board”, 2021. Both published by the Medway Queen Preservation Society.

From 1966 the paddle steamer Medway Queen served as a marina clubhouse and nightclub at Island Harbour on the Isle of Wight. The club opened for business on Saturday 14th May 1966 and annual membership was 3 guineas (£3.15) for one person or 4 guineas (£4.20) for a married couple. Temporary membership, presumably aimed at holiday makers, was 5 shillings (25p) per week.

In an interesting link back to an earlier era, Thomas Russell visited the club in its first year of opening. His record of the event reads “In 1966, with my brother and our wives, we celebrated my retirement after 40 years of seafaring once more in the Medway Queen. This time I enjoyed a superb meal in leisurely, luxurious style. ……She was now a very beautiful lady indeed, with first class amenities for wining, dining and dancing. She was still a paddle steamer but moored by the shore of the river Medina near Cowes. My galley was a storage cupboard. She carried a brass plaque commemorating her great effort during those historic days, and it was with a deep feeling of pride, when asked to sign her visitor’s book, that I saw added carefully in red letters beside my name, Ship’s cook during Dunkirk”

Helen Shipman started work on Medway Queen about a week before the opening on 14th May and the first week was mostly spent cleaning and polishing in preparation for the big day. After that she worked as a waitress through the summer of 1966. The restaurant and galley were in the lower forward saloon which must have made for a “cosy” atmosphere but on occasion barbeques and other events were held, possibly on shore.
​
The ship’s restaurant enjoyed a good reputation through the 1960s and early ‘70s. A succession of chefs were employed and the menu changed to reflect their specialisations. The “Dining Saloon” was open for lunch and evening dinner from the start and from the newspaper advertisements placed by the club we can ascertain that in 1966 the chef was “Manuel Gonzalez”. In 1968 the advertising made a feature of delicacies such as “Scampi in the basket” and “Chicken in the basket”. In addition to the restaurant meals service many evening events featured a buffet. In 1970 Italian food was advertised with the chef being Signor Carlos Barletta. ​

​At Christmas 1971 the club was closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day but the advertisement for the Christmas Season reads “The ship’s restaurant will be in full swing every evening with a full Christmas menu at £1-25 per head.

Wedding Receptions were catered for in the early days, for which the ship provided an interesting and unusual venue. By today’s standards and expectations the price charged sounds very reasonable! We have a record of a reception for 83 adults and 7 children charged at £102 6s 6d including service and hire of cake stand. A souvenir cake knife was provided, engraved with the ship’s name.

​The restaurant business transferred to another larger ship, PS Ryde Queen, in 1972 and the Medway Queen Club became a disco which closed for the last time at the end of the 1974 season.