Koh-i-noor was a sumptuous steamer, boasting a promenade deck that ran for some 300 ft from stem to stern and dining facilities for 200 passengers at one sitting. Other facilities included electrical lighting throughout, a post office, a hairdresser's, two bathrooms, as well as a book stall and fruit stall. At the time she was the largest and fastest paddler on the Thames and was built at a cost of £50,000. On her trials she achieved 19.5 knots and was known as the "Jewel of the Thames". On her delivery voyage she encountered poor weather and was badly damaged off St David's Head in Wales, where she ran into rocks in dense fog. Her bows were concertinaed to a depth of 20 feet, but her robust construction meant she was able to return to her builders under her own steam. A new bow was constructed and fitted in just six days.
Koh-i-noor was a virtual sister to Royal Sovereign, with whom she is shown in this wonderful picture, although Royal Sovereign had a somewhat more balanced appearance, due to her forward funnel being placed nearer the bows than Koh-i-noor. Initially running from Swan Lane Pier to Southend and Clacton, Koh-i-noor but was later transferred to the Tilbury - Margate service where she became known as the one of the "Husband's Boats", along with Southend Belle. This title refers to the men from Essex and Kent who worked in London during the week and, finishing at mid day on Saturday, would catch a "Husband's Boat" to take them home to their families. Koh-i-noor was due to have new boilers fitted just before the outbreak of the Great War, but in the event this did not happen and after sailing back to her builders for the work to be done, she was laid up for the duration and never again entered service, being broken up at Morcambe in 1919.
