Heritage
Havengore was designed as a hydrographic survey vessel for the Port of London Authority. In service from February 1956, Havengore served the Port of London Authority for nearly 40 years and became their longest serving vessel - before being retired in 1995.
During her long years of service, Havengore has also been used for a large number of official events. The most notable of these was State Funeral of Sir Winston Churchill. In addition she has taken part in many others some of which are listed below:
The State Funeral of Sir Winston Churchill
Havengore carried Sir Winston Churchill on his last journey by water from Tower Pier to Festival Pier during his State Funeral. This event, on 30th January 1965, was attended by 110 world leaders and watched live on television by 350 million people worldwide.
Two PLA launches were used for the State Funeral. On Havengore in the lead, was the coffin of Sir Winston accompanied by the Earl Marshall, Lady Churchill, Mr. Randolph Churchill, Lady Audley, Mr and Mrs. Christopher Soames, Mr. Winston Churchill, Mr. Julian Sandys, Mrs. Piers Dixon, Miss Celia Sandys, Mr. Nicholas Soames and Miss Arabella Churchill. Following on the second launch, the Thame, travelled Earl and Countess of Avon, the Duke of Marlborough, Major and Mrs. John Churchill, Mr. Peregrine Churchill, Mrs. Peregrine Churchill, Mr. Piers Dixon, Miss Emma Soames, Miss Charlotte Soames, Mr. Jeremy Soames and Mr. Montague-Browne.
As Havengore left Tower Pier to the strains of ’Rule Britannia’ and a nineteen gun salute from the Tower of London, the jibs of the cranes lining the wharves bowed in a spontaneous salute, as sixteen RAF Lightning fighters streaked overhead. On arrival at Festival Hall Pier, the State Funeral ended. The coffin was then taken by motor hearse to Waterloo Station. Here, a bearer party was provided by the Queen’s Royal Irish Hussars, the regiment to which Sir Winston was gazetted, when they were the 4th Hussars, in March 1895. A Battle of Britain class locomotive, "Winston Churchill", drew the funeral train of Pullman coaches from Waterloo to Long Handborough, near Bladon, Oxfordshire, where Sir Winston was buried privately.
Remembrance and Armistice Day Services
For many years when in service with the PLA, Havengore took part in Remembrance Day commemorations where she carried members of the ’Goldfish Club’; men of the Royal Air Force who had been rescued from the sea after ejecting from their aircraft over the Channel. Havengore would travel to the City the previous day and with most of the crew staying aboard would lay overnight at Westminster Pier. The following morning the crew in best uniforms would board the guests at Westminster Pier. By 10:40am Havengore, with PLA ensign at half mast and the Goldfish Club pennant flying, would drop away from the pier, taking up position in mid-channel. The members of the Goldfish Club would assemble on the afterdeck and the crew would muster by the Chart Room, as Big Ben struck 11:00am they would stand to attention for the minutes silence. As the final notes of the Last Post were heard from Whitehall a wreath was dropped over the side, slowly sinking below the surface. A RAF padre would conduct a short service.
This tradition of Havengore’s involvement with remembrance has been revived in recent years when she now acts as the centrepiece for an Armistice Day service on the River Thames
Queen Elizabeth II 1952-1977 Silver Jubilee
For London’s Silver Jubilee celebrations Havengore joined a pageant of more than 100 boats and five simultaneous firework displays on the River Thames. The craft taking part represented London riverside and British industry and commerce as well as many other organisations. The pageant started from Greenwich and proceeded up the Thames to Vauxhall.