Marcia retires after 41 years with Scilly ferries
THE Isles of Scilly Steamship Group’s popular purser Marcia Still is leaving the iconic Scillonian III passenger ferry more than four decades after she first began working on board the ship.
Marcia initially joined the ship as a stewardess in 1980 making daily, sometimes twice-daily, crossings from Penzance to the Isles of Scilly during the ship’s season of sailings between March and November.
Marcia worked regularly for the Steamship Group as a stewardess during the intervening years, returning after two periods of working away, and since 2004 has worked as the Scillonian’s purser, with responsibilities for overseeing staff, accounts, administrative and financial tasks including cargo and passenger manifests, as well as managing guest services.
Marcia has become well-known to passengers, including both islanders making the journey to and from the mainland and to regular visitors to the Isles of Scilly, many of whom return year after year. She said: “The people are definitely what I will miss most – the crew feel like family.”
Marcia is stepping down from her role to spend more time at home in Newquay with husband Steve Hoare, who she first met in 1980 when he travelled to Scilly for the annual Newquay/ Scilly gig racing. The couple got together in 2000, married in 2018, and Marcia found during lockdown that she enjoyed being at home more so decided to scale back her working hours and learn new crafts.
“I certainly hope to keep visiting the Isles of Scilly regularly though, as I have many friends there now,” said Marcia, 58, who grew up in Newlyn and attended Heamoor Secondary School.
Stuart Reid, chief executive of the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group, said: “Marcia is known and loved by all of our returning customers, as well as the Isles of Scilly community. She will be deeply missed and we are grateful for her many years of service.”