On Thursday 30th January Ramsgate Society Members attended a “packed house” at the San Clu Hotel for a talk by David Walton, Chairman of the Cervia Steam Tug Preservation Trust.

Members will be aware that the Cervia has been lying in the Smeaton Dry Dock in Ramsgate for many years now and needs a great deal of restoration work.  David’s talk was both fascinating and informative and covered not only the history of Cervia, her work since her launch in 1946 and how she came to be in Ramsgate, but also the Trust’s future plans for her restoration.

The Cervia is listed on the Historic Ships Register and was previously owned by the Steam Preservation Trust (SPT). She is now owned by Thanet District Council, who acquired it recently as part of an agreement with SPT to surrender their lease on The Clock House and the Smeaton Dry Dock. The newly formed Cervia Steam Tug Preservation Trust is now actively working with TDC to secure the long term future of the vessel as a tourist attraction alongside the Clock House and Pier Yard both of which are about to be renovated as a new Heritage Centre and Maritime Museum and a new town square as part of the Governments Levelling up Fund. Work on these projects is expected to start during the Summer of this year.

David’s talk was enthusiastically received by the full house. This was reflected in the question and answer session that followed David’s presentation and the fact that there were £60 in donations to The Steam Tug Cervia Preservation Trust and two people who expressed interest volunteering to help with the work.

We wish the Cervia Steam Tug Preservation Trust every success in its endevours to restore the Cervia and bring it into use as a visitor attraction alongside the Clock House Maritime Museum and Heritage Centre with which the Society has been closely involved since 2016.

For more information on the Cervia, please go the Trust’s website.

John Walker

Ramsgate Society Chair