African Queen launched

The Oscar winning boat ready for her 100th anniversary



One of the world’s most

famous boats has re-entered service in time to celebrate its 100th

anniversary. African Queen, which

took the title role in the Oscar-winning 1951 film starring Humphrey Bogart and

Katharine Hepburn, was on the point of being broken up after 10 years of

neglect, but is back earning its keep in Florida.

The 30ft open launch,

originally named Livingstone, was

built by Abdela & Mitchell at Brimscombe in Gloucestershire in 1912 for the

British East Africa Railway. It was shipped to Africa where it was used to

carry passengers and cargo on Lake Albert between Uganda and the Democratic

Republic of the Congo.

African Queen dropped from view following its starring role in the

film until it was found in Egypt in the 1970s and shipped to Florida where it

was placed on display ashore, first in Marathon and later in Key Largo. However

Jim Hendricks, who inherited the boat from his father, has leased it to Lance

and Suzanne Holmqvist who have spent a reported £37,500 in fully restoring African

Queen
and have put it into service as

a river cruise boat.

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