TSS Carlotta was built by A. W. Robertson and Company, Canning Town, West Ham, Essex (now in London), as Yard No.70 for the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway as a Gravesend-Tilbury Ferry.

[3] Carlotta was delivered to the railway company on 13 January 1893 after running successful trials.

[5] However, she was resold to the Essex Yacht Club and became their floating clubhouse at Leigh-on-Sea.

[2][6] On 1 February 1941 Carlotta was requisitioned by the Admiralty as a depot ship for the auxiliary patrol service, and renamed Gypsy (the name of her predecessor as clubhouse at Leigh-on-Sea).

[6][7] She was sunk by aircraft bombing off Tower Pier, London on 11 May 1941.