Royal Mersey Rivers Class

The Rivers Class yachts were built for the Royal Mersey Yacht Club by William Crossfields and Sons in their Beach Walk Boatyard on the shore at Arnside. The boats would have been a prestigious job for William Crossfield. The Royal Mersey was one of the country's premier yacht clubs.

Six boats were built were built in 1912 - Mersey, Deva, Elwy (Severn), Styx, Alyn and Dart with a further four in 1914 - Clwyd, Keer, Bronx and a second Styx (The original Styx was renamed Volga, though  the name was later changed back to Styx). 

The yachts  cost £50 each, with additional £12.7s for sails. The average yearly wage in 1912 was £67. The design of the boats was based on the Blackpool and Fleetwood Yacht Club Jewel Class, which were also built by Crossfields.. If it had not been for the outbreak of World War One, it is probable that more Rivers Class yachts would have been built

The boats were part of a trend towards racing yachts of a standard design, where everybody competed on equal footing. The boats were allocated to owners by ballot. The Rivers Class were smaller than the typical Royal Mersey Yacht, which on average weighed 55 tonnes. They were designed for short evening races on the River Mersey with 2 to 3 people crewing. Originally there would not have been a cabin. Crews were amateur rather than paid, as in the case of larger yachts.

Around nine races were held each season between May and July, largely in the evening. In the summer Royal Mersey members took part in races at Beaumaris in Anglesey. The yachts were raced for money. In 1914 prize money was £50.10s (about £5000 at current values). There was annual regatta in July. A steamer was hired so that the ladies could watch the racing.

Owners include three 1908 Olympic Silver Medallists, partners in Cunard and other members of the Liverpool merchant elite. The Royal Mersey Yacht Club is located in Rock Ferry, Birkenhead close to an area of large Victorian houses overlooking the Mersey. The Club was the leading yacht club in the North West. In 1914 the Royal Mersey arranged a regatta at Holyhead involving the King’s yacht“Britannia”.

Earl of Derby

In 1925 the Earl of Derby brought Deva, one of the Rivers Class Yachts, though it is unlikely he sailed the boat himself.  The Earl of Derby was Commodore of the Royal Mersey, an honorary post,  Secretary of State for War 1917-18 and 1922-24 and  involved in the Treaty of Versailles. He was the leading horse race owner of the twentieth century winning  20 classics including the Derby three times. The Earls of Derby with their main seat at Knowsley Park, near Liverpool were the leading noble family in Lancashire from 15th Century onwards. They also owned Witherslack Hall on the other side estuary to Arnside. Up till 1813 Arnside was part of the Derby Estate.