Lady Florence

Lady Florence began life in 1944 as an Admiralty motor fishing vessel, one of more than a thousand such supply boats built during the Second World War. She was bought in 1983 by Geoffrey Ingram Smith of Woodbridge, who renamed her and launched a river cruise business from Orford Quay the following year. The 50ft vessel, registered as British Ship number 361575, has run breakfast, lunch, supper and dinner cruises along the Rivers Alde and Ore ever since, carrying a maximum of twelve guests and keeping a coal fire burning through the winter season. Meals are cooked aboard using local produce, with a wine list drawing on South African vineyards. The business operates from the single quay at Orford, with no other departure points or branches.