Kitty of Coleraine

This advertisement from June 1864 for a steamship excursion from Coleraine to Toomebridge via river and canal shows us how the Victorians spent their leisure time.

The Kitty of Coleraine was a steamer of 24 tonnes that belonged to the Lower Bann steamship company, established by Thomas Barklie in 1862. Barklie promoted his vessel via adverts in the Coleraine Chronicle newspaper.

The vessel was launched on the 7th of October 1863, and constructed by Harland and Wolff of Belfast to commence a bi-weekly passenger and goods trade route between Coleraine and Toome. This advertisement in the TIDAL Toome archive offers a window into the steamship trade on the River Bann and the culture of transport at a time when trade by river and canal was more economical and time efficient than by coach on the road.