The 'Royal Iris of the Mersey', a historic ferry that once carried Queen Elizabeth II and hosted early Beatles concerts, now lies as a vandalised wreck abandoned on the River Thames in London. The vessel, which inspired the 1964 musical 'Ferry Cross the Mersey' and the Gerry and the Pacemakers hit of the same name, has fallen into a state of severe disrepair after decades of neglect.
In its prime, the ferry crossed the River Mersey for four decades, carrying more than 2,000 passengers at a time. It was known locally as the 'fish and chip boat' for its live music cruises in the 1960s and 1970s. The ship also featured in the ITV children's programme 'The Mersey Pirate' and played a role in the Hillsborough disaster memorial service in 1989.
After being taken out of service in 1991, the ferry was sold for conversion into a nightclub but has been abandoned since 2002. A fire in April 2025 gutted half the vessel, requiring six fire engines and 40 firefighters to tackle the blaze. The ship's ownership is now in dispute, and a public appeal to save it failed.
Trevor Barnett, 75, who spotted the ferry near the Mellish Industrial estate, said: 'You can still see the name Royal Iris of the Mersey on the side... It is covered in graffiti, and vandals have had a good go at it.' Several campaigns to bring the ferry back to Liverpool have been unsuccessful, with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority stating they are unable to comment as the vessel is no longer in their ownership.
