Statistics:

M.V. Jervis Queen
Previous Name	Bainbridge (1928-61)
Place Built	Houghton, Washington
Year Built	1928
Year Retired from BC Ferries	1966
At Retirement:
Vehicle Capacity	45
Passenger Capacity	600
Length	169.3 ft.
Gross Tons	780
Horsepower	850

Special Notes:

• The wooden-hulled Bainbridge was built in 1928 for Kitsap County Transportation Company for use on various routes in Puget Sound including to Bainbridge Island. (Kline and Bayless, 164)

• Kitsap County Transportation Company was sold to the Puget Sound Navigation Company in 1935. (Kline and Bayless, 214)

• M.S. Kline and G.A. Bayless note that the Bainbridge and her sister ships, the Vashon and the Kitsap, "were considered major contributors to the development of Vashon Island and Bainbridge Island," by giving them access to the international market. (Kline and Bayless, 164-5)

• As early as 1940, the Bainbridge was partly operating in B.C. waters on the Anacortes (Wash.) - Sidney (B.C.) route for the Black Ball Line (ie. Puget Sound Navigation Company). (Kline and Bayless, 274)

• Just before Washington State took over the Puget Sound Navigation Company in 1951, company president Captain Peabody created a Canadian subsidary, Black Ball Ferries Ltd. To this Canadian company were transferred the Bainbridge along with the Quillayute, the City of Sacramento (renamed Kahloke and later Langdale Queen), the Chinook (renamed Chinook II and later Sechelt Queen), and the Smokwa. (Kline and Bayless, 310-11 ; Bannerman, 37, 69, 170)

• The Bainbridge operated on the Horseshoe Bay - Gibsons route for Black Ball Ferries. Along with investment in highways by Captain Peabody, the Bainbridge was instrumental in the development of the Sunshine Coast region of British Columbia. (Kline and Bayless, 310-11)

  I have been told that the Bainbridge also operated between Bowen Island and Horseshoe Bay during the late Black Ball years. (Thanks to John Clark for the info.)

• When Black Ball Ferries Ltd. was taken over by BC Ferries in 1961, the Bainbridge was renamed Jervis Queen. BC Ferries continued to use her between Horseshoe Bay and Langdale and sometimes between Earls Cove and Saltery Bay until she was retired in 1966. (Bannerman, 170 ; Griffiths and Cadieux, 96)

Origin of the Names:

• Bainbridge - Named after Bainbridge Island which is now known as the City of Bainbridge Island in Washington, USA. According to the city's website, the island was named after Commodore William Bainbridge, who was the commander of the Constitution during the War of 1812.

• Jervis Queen - Named after Jervis Inlet, where she sometimes operated between Earls Cove and Saltery Bay on the Sunshine Coast. Jervis Inlet was named by Captain George Vancouver after Admiral John Jervis. ("Jervis Inlet" - Encyclopedia of British Columbia)

What happened to the Jervis Queen?

• According to Gary and Patricia Bannerman, the Jervis Queen was seen "rotting at a Fraser River pier along River Road (Surrey/Delta) in 1985. (Bannerman, 170)

• More up-to-date information from www.evergreenfleet.com would suggest that in 1986, the Jervis Queen she sank at her Fraser River dock. She was then removed, broken up, and burned. Source: http://www.evergreenfleet.com/qullayute.html

• If you have any more information, please e-mail me.

Works Cited & Sources:

Bannerman, Gary and Patricia. The Ships of British Columbia. Surrey: Hancock House Publishers, 1985.

Francis, Daniel, ed. Encyclopedia of British Columbia. Madeira Park: Harbour Publishing, 2000.

Griffiths, Garth, and H.L. Cadieux. Dogwood Fleet. Nanaimo: Cadieux and Griffiths, 1967.

Kline, M.S. and G.A. Bayless. Ferryboats - A Legend on Puget Sound. Seattle: Bayless Books, 1983.

Relevant Links:

Early Ships - by Kevin Stapleton - Photo of the Bainbridge and several other early BC Ferries.

The Forgotten Fleet - M/V Bainbridge - Several photos of the Bainbridge/Jervis Queen and Quillayute and a short history.

BC Archives Photograph (By Call Number)

I-29107 - Bainbridge at Gibsons (quite distant)

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