A former Thames ferry boat that shares its name with a Disney princess is being sold for £125,000.

The Princess Pocahontas, which had carried passengers along the River Thames from Gravesend to Greenwich and beyond since the 1980s, has recently been retired and is now being sold by Premier Houseboats in Hoo.

The boat is named after Pocahontas, the Native American woman who was the inspiration for the popular Disney film character of the same name, and died in Gravesend in around 1617.

While it has been used as a passenger ferry, sightseeing boat, and party boat since first docking in Gravesend, the Princess Pocahontas began its life 60 years ago under a different name altogether.

Gravesend historian Christoph Bull, with the help of local shipping expert Bob Scott, revealed some of the boat's history.

The Princess Pocahontas was built in 1962, in Rendsburg, Germany. Starting life as a ferry boat and harbour boat in Hamburg, it carried up to 300 passengers at a time.

At the time it was named Die Laboe, after the Laboe Naval Memorial, a German monument which is now dedicated to sailors of all nationalities who have been lost at sea.

Work to build the memorial began in 1927 and was completed in 1936. At first, it commemorated the war dead of the Imperial German Navy in the First World War, and after 1945, further names were added for members of the German navy that died during the Second World War.

But in 1954, the memorial was re-dedicated to become its current symbol of all sailors lost at sea, no matter their nationality, and for peaceful sailing in open seas.

While in Germany, Die Laboe was docked close to Gravesham's twin town, Neumünster.

The boat became the Princess Pocahontas in 1989 after it was bought by the Lower Thames & Medway Passenger Boat Co. Ltd in 1988, and took up post in its namesake's final resting place, Gravesend.

The real princess's life was very different to that of her Disney counterpart.

Pocahontas, whose real name was Matoaka, was born the daughter of the powerful chief Powhatan in around 1595 in what is now Virginia.

For much of her early life, her father's rule was threatened by European invasions, and in 1612 she was captured by the English captain, Samuel Argall, as ransom for eight settlers being held by Powhatan.

Over the next two years she became a symbol of friendship between her father and the English, and she was put into the care of a reverend. She was taught Christianity and met John Rolfe, the tobacco planter who would become her husband.

She was baptised under the name Rebecca and married Rolfe in 1614, when she was around 18, and he was around 28.

In 1616, the couple had a son and moved to London. In March of the following year, they set off to return to Virginia, with a brief stop at Gravesend to pick up fresh food and water.

Pocahontas, who was only 20 or 21 at the time, was taken ill, and died of unknown causes after being brought ashore.

She was buried in the nearby St George's Church in the town centre, where a statue now stands to commemorate her life. The exact location of her burial is unknown to this day.

The former passenger ship is available to buy, and Premier Houseboats has said that the ship could be put back into service with some minor work, or converted into a houseboat.