Built on the Clyde in Glasgow in 1869, Esperance was then sailed to Barrow-in-Furness and transported by train to Windermere. It was commissioned by the wealthy industrialist Henry Schneider (1817-1887), who as director of the Furness Railway Company could arrange for the train tracks to be altered so his new boat could fit under the bridges on its way to Windermere.  

 Schneider lived at Belsfield House in Bowness. Every day he had breakfast on Esperance while it steamed across Windermere to Lakeside, and then boarded his private train to his office in Barrow. Schneider made his fortune in iron- Esperance is made of the highest grade of iron, produced by one of Schneider’s companies.  

 Eventually Esperance was sold to the Ferry Hotel and carried visitors, including Beatrix Potter, to the hotel for afternoon tea and to Wray Church on Sundays. In the 1920s, it became a houseboat and was one of the inspirations for Captain Flint’s houseboat in Arthur Ransome’s classic children’s book, Swallows and Amazons. In 1941, Esperance sank in Windermere in over 20 feet of water. Despite the shortages of the Second World War making it difficult to find essential equipment, it was successfully salvaged by TC Pattinson, father of George Pattinson.  

 Esperance can now be seen in dry dock on the boat wharf at Windermere Jetty Museum. It has been stabilised according to its conservation management plan and is awaiting further conservation. As possibly the first twin-screw steam yacht built in the UK, Esperance is of great historic significance and is a member of the UK’s National Historic Fleet.