For nearly half a century, Scillonian III has been far more than a vessel linking the Isles of Scilly to the mainland. For islander Julia Walder, it has been a constant thread running through her life, woven into family, work and generations of history.
“In some ways, I feel quite sad about her soon no longer serving the islands. She’s been part of our lives for nearly 50 years and what a workhorse she’s been.”
As Scillonian III prepares to leave the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group’s operations, Julia shares her perspective on what the ship has meant to the community it has served for decades.
Julia grew up on St Martin’s, attending the island’s primary school before going on to Truro High School. She later married Steve Walder, and together they built a life shaped by the family farm and then introducing holiday accommodation. From 1997 until 2014, they ran the local shop and post office.
Julia’s connection to the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group stretches back even further. Both her and her husband’s families were involved from the very beginning, not only as regular users of the service but also as shareholders, part of a generation of islanders who helped establish the company more than a century ago. Today, that legacy continues, with her 99-year-old father, Derek Perkins, still a shareholder.
In 1998, Julia was invited to join the board of the Group. At the time, she and Steve had only just taken on the shop and post office, so it was not a decision she took lightly. But she recognised it as a rare opportunity to represent the off-islands and help shape how they were served.
She went on to serve for 17 years, becoming the first woman on the board – a role she reflects on with a smile. “Islander Clive Mumford once called me ‘Julia the First,’ and it stuck!” Throughout her time as a director, she remained conscious of the responsibility she carried in representing communities beyond St Mary’s.
“I used to say, ‘from an off-island perspective…’ because life is different when you rely on those connections every single day.”
Her memories of the Steamship Group go back even further than her time on the board. She remembers the transition from Scillonian II to Scillonian III in 1977.
From the beginning, Scillonian III became part of daily island life, carrying both people and produce. In those early years, this included flowers, which were carefully packed in the early hours of the morning and sent off to market.
“I can remember packing flowers at five o’clock in the morning so they could be taken down to the quay and put aboard the inter-island launch Gugh to St Mary’s, to catch Scillonian III’s sailing.” A small example of how closely daily life was tied to the ship’s schedule.
The ship also became part of her family’s story. Her brother, John Perkins, whilst training to be a radio officer, at a time when ships still carried dedicated communications crew, did a summer onboard Scillonian III to get his sea time.
“Pete Crawford, who was the radio officer then and went on to become master, even loaned him his cabin. I remember going down to St Mary’s and seeing him in the radio room. It was fascinating.
“I wasn’t feeling very well on one crossing but my son, Andrew, and my daughter, Louise, were up on the bridge with my brother, sitting in the captain’s chair, having the best time.”
Scillonian III became central not only to work and family life but also to the simple comings and goings.
“In those days, you went away once a year, usually in October half term, and Scillonian III was how you travelled. Guests, family, friends – everyone came and went on her. She’s been part of all of that.”
Over the years, Julia has seen the commitment of the crews. “They’ve been incredible. There’s such loyalty there. People have spent years, even decades, working on those ships.”
“She’s such a lovely ship, and she’s beautiful to look at. That silhouette… she’s iconic. But it is time for a new ship. She’s done incredibly well to keep going for as long as she has.”
Book now for your last chance to sail on Scillonian III.