After the end of the second World War in 1945, the War Office continued to use Naiad Errant for Water Transport duties. Finally, in February of 1947, she was offered back to her original owner - as had been agreed at the time of her charter. Unfortunately Major Nightingale had since died, and his son could not afford to buy Naiad Errant. As a result, the Navy put her up for sale.
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The photograph on the right shows Naiad Errant fairly soon after her sale - perhaps with her new
owner? She is still in Naval configuration.
Naiad Errant went through a number of owners during the post-war years, and various changes in appearance as well. She was well-used as a pleasure craft during this time, with different owners taking her to Lechlade, to Calais and down the French canals, and to Ostend and along the Dutch canals. |
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The photograph above shows Naiad Errant on the Thames sometime in the mid-1950's.
The photograph on the right shows her, again on the Thames, in 1959. |
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Our first colour photograph (left) of Naiad Errant comes in 1960, when she was owned by E. Ralston
Jones of Beaconsfield. Here she is moored at Bray on the Thames.
During his onwership of her, Mr. Jones even makes a model of Naiad Errant (below). 
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In 1974, when Naiad Errant is up for sale, she is moved to a Southampton boatyard. Whilst there she
is stripped of all her external identification - all that remains is her builder's plate and her registration
number carved into a deckhead beam.
When she is finally sold, her new owners take her to the West Country and name her Avalon, being unaware of her original name and historic past. The photograph on the right shows her as Avalon in 1975. |
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