On Thursday 10th September, Red Funnel transformed Red Falcon’s Signature Lounge into a Victorian first-class saloon, whisking guests back to 1861 – a world of steamship travel.
Red Funnel’s connection with the Victorian era runs far deeper than this anniversary voyage. Its story stretches back through the age of steam travel, when the Isle of Wight was flourishing as a fashionable Victorian destination and Queen Victoria made Osborne House her much-loved Island home. For generations, Red Funnel’s vessels have carried Islanders and visitors across the Solent, making the company part of the fabric of Island life and its changing fortunes ever since.
As guests stepped aboard, actors were ready to greet them in full character, bringing the sights, personalities and playful exchanges of 1860s travel vividly to life. Following opening remarks from Fran Collins, CEO of Red Funnel, the performers entertained passengers with a theatrical glimpse into the characters and conversations that might have coloured Red Funnel’s earliest crossings.
Adding an extra flourish to the voyage, classic violinist Emma-Marie Kabanova provided the soundtrack to the journey, performing classical music of the times as Red Falcon swept across the Solent, creating a scene that would not have felt entirely out of place 165 years ago.
In the run-up to its milestone anniversary, the Red Funnel team has been delving deep into its archives, uncovering fascinating stories and artefacts from across its remarkable history. A selection of these treasures was brought aboard for the occasion, offering guests a rare window into 165 years of Solent crossings and the extraordinary ways travel has changed along the way.
Across that history, Red Funnel has marked a remarkable number of maritime milestones. Its vessels and those that later joined its fleet played a role in the Dunkirk evacuation and the D-Day landings, while the company went on to launch the UK’s first commercial hydrofoil service in 1969. Its story has its quirks too – despite the name, Red Funnel’s steamers actually sported fashionable yellow-brown funnels until the 1930s, while passengers on early crossings could even enjoy the accompaniment of an orchestral band.
Among the pieces on display were an original ship’s wheel from Cowes Castle, alongside antique dinnerware and ticketing memorabilia, each telling its own part of a story that has unfolded across generations.
Fran Collins, Chief Executive Officer at Red Funnel, said: “Celebrating 165 years is an incredibly special moment for everyone at Red Funnel, a company that has always been brave, bold and entrepreneurial at its heart.
Whilst today was a chance to celebrate some of the big achievements in our history, it’s also about celebrating the everyday journeys and the people behind them, and it was lovely to hear some of the memories from our customers today.”
