Behind the Royal Iris from Liverpool, is Canary Wharf in the distance (where it looks best), and in-between the Thames Barrier. Because this shot was taken with a semi-telephoto lens it makes these three things look closer to each than they really are. The Royal Iris from Liverpool, it’s a ferry with Merseybeat history but now abandoned far from home on a River Thames. Gerry and the Pacemakers performed on board this ferry. Their famous song ”Ferry Cross the Mersey" refers to this ferry on the River Mersey. Another group that that performed on the ferry did quite well was the Beatles. Paul McCartney refers to the ferry in his song lyrics "That Was Me” : ‘Well that was me, Royal Iris, on the river; Merseybeat n' with the band, that was me. Many groups from the Cavern Club performed on this boat. Years later Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh on their Silver Jubilee were aboard the Royal Iris, for their Jubilee Mersey Review in 1977. However the Royal Iris of Liverpool is now far from home, looking homesick in a sorry state of disrepair with only a sandbank under the water stopping it sinking completely into the River Thames. Woolwich, London, UK, 11 February 2023
Date: 11/02/2023
Location: River Thames, Woolwich, London, UK
Photographer: Richard Keith Wolff
