A similar design to the South Coast steamer Stirling Castle, from the same builders, City of Rochester was the second ship to bear that name. She had an open foredeck and was the first Thames steamer to have her bridge forward of the funnel.
Capable of carrying 1000 passengers, she ran between Harwich, Felixstowe and Ipswich, as well as from Sheerness to Southend and round the lightships.
City of Rochester served as a Government tender during the First World War. She also did some minesweeping for the Admiralty.
She continued in service with NMSP Co bewteen Strood and Southend and was called up again by the Admiralty when war again broke out.
After being converted as a minesweeper she was found to be unsuitable and was in the course of being converted for use as a stores vessel when she was blown up in the Medway by a land mine dropped by parachute on 19th May 1941.