Weymouth Belle tourist boat, Weymouth 1971

This authentic 1970s colour photograph, captured in 1971, features the “Weymouth Belle” tourist boat moored along the Customs Quay in Weymouth Harbour, Dorset. The archival image documents the 72-foot motor vessel, which was originally built in 1948 at Bolson’s yard in Poole as the “Bournemouth Belle” before being renamed by the Wills family of Weymouth. During the early 1970s, the vessel was a staple of the local tourism industry, typically running a daily programme of excursions including morning trips to Portland Lighthouse and afternoon voyages to Lulworth Cove. The composition captures the boat’s classic mid-century lines against the backdrop of the “Old Custom House,” a historic red brick building that served as the H.M. Coastguard control centre. In 1971, the Weymouth Belle also played a role in the town’s quatercentenary celebrations, joining a celebratory flotilla in the harbour. Shortly after this photograph was taken, the vessel was sold and renamed “Souters Lass” (circa 1974), eventually moving to Scotland to serve as a ferry and seal-watching boat. This factual record preserves a key element of Dorset’s maritime leisure heritage during the early 1970s.