A 1950s cruise ship will have a starring role in a new drama by comedy legend Sir Lenny Henry.
Three Little Birds is based loosely on his mother's move from Jamaica to begin a new life in 1950s England, and was commissioned by ITV. The ship used for the filming, the Duke of Lancaster, stood in for the Windrush - best remembered today for bringing one of the first large groups of post-war West Indian immigrants to the United Kingdom.
The ship carried 1,027 passengers and two stowaways on a voyage from Jamaica to London in 1948. Of these, more than 800 passengers gave their last country of residence as somewhere in the Caribbean.
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The Duke of Lancaster was chosen for the six-part drama as it is from the same age as the Windrush. The Duke of Lancaster began her life as a passenger ferry and cruise liner in 1956, with its passengers treated to silver service as they travelled the seas from Ireland, Scotland and Europe.
During the 1950s and 1960s, its first-class quarters were branded "the best around", according to a website dedicated to the ship.
However, when the huge ship took its final trip in 1978 it was sold to a Liverpool-based company who wanted to re-use it as a dry docked attraction.
But now, decades later, campaigners are hoping for a new lease of life with grand plans to restore it to its former glory. In 1979 the Duke of Lancaster was beached at Llanerch-y-Mor in Flintshire and turned into a floating leisure and retail complex called The Fun Ship. It has been there ever since.
But the dream was short lived and never came into full fruition. The owners of the ship walked away following alleged long-standing legal disputes with the local council and by the mid-1980s, the ship had closed.
One of the plans for The Fun Ship was an amusements arcade covering an entire deck. So when it closed over 50 arcade machines "from the golden era" were sealed shut inside the ship. It also still has the original bar, restaurant, and cafeterias
The ship's owner, John Rowley, spent around 30 years trying to start a project that could restore the ship to serve the community and attract tourists. Sadly, it never happened, and in 2012, Mr Rowley allowed several street artists to leave their stamp on the ship.
The baton has now been taken over by John's son, Antony Rowley, who finally got an events project off the ground after decades of trying. The aim is to raise money that will go towards renovating the ship for it to fully reopen to the public.
Antony, who grew up on the ship, said: "Restoration work is still continuing but it's a big job. The ITV drama is about the Windrush and Lenny's parents coming over from Jamaica, so they have been filming here on the ship as it's the same age ship that bought the people over from Jamaica.
"We also have three music concerts booked in for next year on the quayside with some big name acts, also we have some yachts on the quayside which we are turning into glamping yachts, so there's plenty going on at the moment.
"We are hiring the ship out now for other filming and there a few in the pipeline, also the quayside is available to hire for events , weddings etc."
For information and interest in events, please contact: thefunshipnorthwales@gmail.com
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