Cosens of Weymouth, 1848 to 1918 : a history of the Bournemouth, Swanage and Weymouth paddle steamers /Richard Clammer.

A history of the paddle steamer company Cosens & Co, from their formation in the mid-19th century up until the First World War. Cosens were mostly known for their extensive range of summer excursions along the coasts of Devon, Dorset and Hampshire, and occasional trips across the English Channel to France and the Channel Islands. However, Cosens also had diverse business interests in many other areas of shipping, including rescue and salvage, transportation of building supplies, Admiralty contracting, engineering and ship repair, ice importing and the coal and bunkering trades. This comprehensive account of the Cosens story is told through the twists and turns of the highly competitive summer excursion trade with its many rivals including the Bournemouth Company, as well as detailed accounts of the dramatic and often tragic rescue missions that took place off the coast of Dorset in the late 19th and early 20th century. It is illustrated with a good selection of photographs, prints, plans, technical drawings, postcards and other ephemera. In addition there is a fleet list showing each vessel's history, builder and technical details, a list of Ships' Masters, and an index of the salvage and rescue jobs carried out by Cosens Steamers between 1848 and 1918.