Royal Iris Retired: 70 Years of History Over
Previously, we published a piece about the Mersey Ferry and its place in Liverpool’s history. Now, one of the specific ferries in question has been retired, taken off the River Mersey in time to allow a new boat to be added to the water.
For some, it will be a piece of news that barely even registers, whilst for others, it will bring up some emotions that they didn’t even know were bubbling under the surface.
That is thanks to the fact that the Royal Iris had been sailing the water between Liverpool and the Wirral for nearly 70 years, meaning that it has been there for births, deaths and marriages of people living in the area.
About the Ferry Boat
There has been a ferry going back and forth across the Mersey almost as long as there have been people living in the area. In the 1930s, the Corporation of Birkenhead had some steamers that carried out the job, but by the 1950s, they were looking quite old hat.
As a result, the Corporation commissioned the building of the MV Mountwood and the MV Woodchurch, with the two new vessels based somewhat loosely on the Leasowe and the Egremont, two ferries that were owned by the Wallasey Corporation. The Mountwood was launched on the sixth of July 1959 into the River Dart, after which it was fitted out and delivered to the Mersey.
@merseyferries Who remembers their first time on the Mersey Ferry? ⛴️ This City is Ours star, James Nelson Joyce shares his memories of going on the iconic ferry as a child with his Grandad. If you’ve not tried the Mersey Ferry yet, 30 degrees this weekend seems a perfect time 😎☀️ #MerseyFerries #VisitLiverpool #VisitWirral #FerriesMemories #ThisCityIsOurs #JamesNelsonJoyce ♬ original sound – Mersey Ferries
Originally named after a post-war housing development in Birkenhead that was designed to house the overspill from Liverpool, both the Mountwood and the Woodchurch had orange funnels with a black base. The main deck featured a forward shelter that was heated, as well as a main saloon with toilets and space for machines.
The saloon bar was below it, whilst the top deck offered a large, open promenade. The wheelhouse was on the bridge deck, whilst the boat was powered by a pair of medium-speed Crossley diesel engines. In the early years, the Mountwood was an unreliable boat, often breaking down midway through the voyage.
Becoming the Royal Iris
In spite of the lack of reliability around the Mountwood, she remained operational until being withdrawn for a refurbishment in 1989. At that point, the boat was rewired and given an overhaul to her internals, with one large navigation bridge installed where the wheelhouse was located.
She returned to service in the July of 1990, staying on the river until 2001 when another major refit occurred. Stripped of the fittings and parts of the superstructure, problems at the shipyard meant that the ferry was dormant for some time. When she appeared on the water once again, the boat had been rechristened as the Royal Iris of the Mersey.
The Royal Iris of The Mersey final sailings this weekend before retirement after 67 years of service, images from my archives including from 1973 as The Mountwood, famous for the film with Gerry Marsden, Ferry Cross The Mersey @yoliverpool.bsky.social @daveyph.bsky.social @merseyferries.bsky.social
— Bernard Rose Photography (@brpimages.bsky.social) Mar 27, 2026 at 14:45
It immediately became one of the vessels used to cross the Mersey and take people backwards and forward between the Wirral and Liverpool, as well as heading up the Manchester Ship Canal on occasional cruises. With a top speed of 12 knots and many features of the original Mountwood boat, the vessel couldn’t be named simply ‘Royal Iris’ on account of the fact that the MV Royal Iris was still listed on the Lloyd’s Register of Shipping.
As a result, the ‘of the Mersey’ was added in order to differentiate the two. There have been numerous incidents suffered by the boat over the years, including when she took on water in 2016.
What’s Next?
The Royal Iris of the Mersey undertook her final voyage on the river on the 29th of March 2026. That brought a close to one of the most recognisable maritime careers on the famous waterway, roughly 17 million passengers have boarded her over the years. That she also appeared in the film Ferry ‘Cross the Mersey in 1965 as well as in TV programmes such as The Liver Birds and Peaky Blinders also helped with her notoriety.
What followed her retirement was a weekend of farewells, including crowds lining both sides of the River Mersey for that final voyage as people across the northwest wished to wave goodbye to a legend.
For the Mersey itself, the Royal Daffodil will continue from where the Royal Iris left off, ensuring that the tradition of seeing a ferry sail across the Mersey will continue into the future. The new generation of ferries can be read about elsewhere on this site. What matters for Liverpool is that there will continue to be a ferry ‘cross the Mersey, taking people to this land, ‘the place I love’.
The idea of a River Mersey without such a vessel is unthinkable, being such an important part of the city’s history as well as featuring in many of the songs and stories about Liverpool. The specific boat has been retired, but the legend lives on.
