HISTORY OF CUNARD: 'AQUITANIA'

Here is another chapter in the history of Cunard, cdelebrating its 175th year in 2015.

From Cunard

In 1915 the British Government War Office requested that Mauretania and Aquitania be made available to transport three divisions of troops to the Mediterranean where the Allied armies were heavily involved in the ill-fated Gallipoli expedition.

Painted black (including her funnels) Aquitania left Liverpool on 18 May 1915 for Mudros with over 5,000 troops of the 13th Division. She left Liverpool again on 3 July, again with over 5,000 troops, including much of the 11th (Northern Division) and two days out Aquitania was fired upon by a submarine, possibly Austrian, but fortunately the torpedo missed by some fifty feet astern. Aquitania reached Mudros on 10 July. During the next three months she made a number of trooping voyages between Liverpool and Mudros and conveyed around 30,000 troops. The troops delighted in the “ample accommodations” found on Aquitania and recalled adequate breakfasts of porridge, eggs and bacon and a whole pint of coffee as well as sports and parades on deck being the order of the day.

CUNARD MARKS 175 YEARS AT LIVERPOOL

Today was truly a red letter day for Cunard. The three Queens, Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth, gathered in Liverpool to mark the cruise line's 175th anniversary. From Cunard:

"At midday on 25 May, Cunard’s current fleet will become the largest ships ever to sail in formation on the Mersey when all three Queens perform a meticulously planned series of manoeuvres to mark the company’s 175th anniversary and to salute Liverpool, its spiritual home, where the company began in 1840. The ships will perform a ‘river dance’ against the backdrop of Liverpool’s Three Graces, a world heritage site which includes the Cunard Building, the company’s headquarters from 1916-1967. Hundreds of thousands of spectators are expected to gather on both sides of the river to watch."

Here's the video, and congratulations to Cunard. Here's a toast from Cruising Squared for another 175 years!

CUNARD TIMELINE CELEBRATES 175 YEARS

As part of Cunard's 175th anniversary year, they have put together a timeline video that showcases key moments from its illustrious past, including "Charles Dickens declaiming his 1842 cabin as a ‘profoundly preposterous box,’ to Cunard’s carriage of all the horses which charged with the Light Brigade in 1853, to the first time that the monarch’s wife is heard on the radio when Queen Mary was launched in 1934. The five minute video also explores Cunard’s impact on key moments in world history: From Cunard’s small ship, Carpathia, and her rescue of the survivors from the White Star Line’s Titanic, to Sir Winston Churchill’s words of esteem in thanking Cunard for the troops carried on Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth, which, in his words, helped shorten World War II by at least a year."

THE HISTORY OF THE CUNARD BUILDING

Editor's Note: As Cunard marks its 175th year, here's another chapter in their history. This one is about the history of the Cunard Building in Liverpool, posted here from their press release:



"Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson and Cunard Director Angus Struthers hoisted a specially-commissioned 175 Flag above the Cunard Building at the Pier Head in Liverpool on Feb. 20.

Cunard Director Angus Struthers and
Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson

"Cunard celebrates the 175th anniversary of the departure from Liverpool of its first ship in 2015 and the Cunard Building, its former Headquarters from 1916 to 1967, will play a key role in the celebrations planned to mark this milestone anniversary. The Building, one of the famous “Three Graces” on the Pier Head waterfront, a UNESCO World Heritage site, will mark its own 100th anniversary in June 2016.

"Angus Struthers, Cunard Director, comments:

“The Cunard Building was designed to convey gravitas as a land-based representation of the Cunard ships themselves: solid, reliable, elegant and impressive. For almost 100 years the Building has remained just that and although Cunard moved to another home in 1967, the Building has remained a true statement to the shared history of the company and Liverpool. It is therefore very fitting that the Three Queens of the Cunard fleet will salute the Cunard Building when they gather on the Mersey on 25 May 2015.”

"The Cunard Building, now one of the “Three Graces” on Liverpool’s magnificent World Heritage Site Pierhead, was built on the site of George’s Dock. Divided into three sites by the extension of Water Street and Brunswick Street, it was destined to become one of the most famous waterfronts in the world.

BIG BAND BALL TO MARK 'QE'S' BIRTHDAY

What better way celebrate a ship's birthday than a Big Band Ball? That's how Cunard is marking the fifth birthday of Queen Elizabeth during a special sailing Oct. 2-7, 2015.

On Oct. 3, the eve of Queen Elizabeth’s 5th birthday, guests will enjoy a "classic black tie gala dinner with a specially crafted commemorative menu to mark the occasion. Then they will be welcomed to the Queens Ballroom by the ship’s 14 piece band, as it strikes up hits from some of the most successful artists of the era including Glenn Miller, Ted Heath, Count Basie and Duke Ellington." Guests will gather for a midnight countdown to Queen Elizabeth’s official birthday.

The five-night cruise will also feature one of the UK’s best tribute 60s acts, The Overtures, as well as historian Eric Flounders, who will lecture on the history of Cunard.

'NEW LOOK' QUEEN VICTORIA SETS SAIL

Queen Victoria has always been a beautiful ship. Now she is even more beautiful after a recent 20-day refit. Here are the details from Cunard:

"Queen Victoria sailed past a fusillade of fireworks to mark the start of her 2015 World Voyage and show off her stunning new look. The ship set out from Southampton in tip-top form having just returned from an intensive 20-day refurbishment at the Blohm and Voss shipyard in Hamburg. 

"Nine brand new single staterooms were installed as part of the refurbishment. In addition to refreshing existing furnishings, enhancements have been made to the outdoor spaces, beverage provision in the ship’s informal Lido restaurant and eight brand new internet stations have been installed on the upper floor of the library."

It's another highlight marking Cunard's 175th anniversary year. -- Gerry

CUNARD HISTORY: SOUTHAMPTON

This article, written by Michael Gallagher, public relations executive and historian for Cunard Line, is part of an ongoing series of key moments in Cunard Line's history

By Michael Gallagher
Cunard Historian

Cunard's “Big Three:” Mauretania, Berengaria and Aquitania

Southampton has been a port since at least Roman times. During the Middle Ages, it was particularly important for wool and wine trade, which finally dwindled away almost completely by the early 18th Century. After a brief period as a spa resort, the port sprang into new life with the coming of the railway; and by 1840 – the year Cunard service from Liverpool to Boston began – it was obvious Southampton’s future prosperity as a passenger shipping port was assured.

During the 19th Century, the docks at Southampton gradually expanded, and many shipping companies came to use the port regularly. Liverpool remained the Cunard port, although an occasional call at Southampton by a Cunarder was not unknown.

White Star Line had been using Southampton since 1907 and had an office there. Cunard made occasional calls before World War One; but after that Cunard found it politic to operate its express liner service from Southampton and, in 1919, an office was established at Maritime Chambers. Soon Cunard's “Big Three,” Mauretania, Aquitania and Berengaria, were running from Southampton to New York via Cherbourg, with the first Cunarder to use the port being Aquitania. However, Mauretania inaugurated the new service on 18 November 1919.

The increased prosperity made the Southern Railway Company, who then owned the docks, consider plans for greatly enlarging them, and by the late 1920s the New Docks was under construction. News of the proposed new superliner, Queen Mary, prompted Southern Railway to include a giant dry dock in its plans – one large enough to accommodate Queen Mary. The New Docks was largely finished during the early 1930s, and on 26 July 1933, the dry dock was officially opened by King George V, whose name it bears.

South Western House, 1966 (Credit: Cunard)

The decision in 1965 to make Southampton the Head Office of Cunard meant that the premises at Maritime Chambers, used since 1919, were no longer adequate, so South Western House became the new home of Cunard. The former hotel building had been converted to provide office accommodation for the company. About 120 staff members and their families moved from Liverpool to Southampton, the existing staff of some 200 persons was retained and about 200 extra personnel were engaged, many locally.

On 4 July 1966 – 166 years to the day Britannia departed on the voyage that changed ocean travel forever – Cunard Managing Director Philip Bates with his fellow Directors watched the Cunard flag unfurl above South Western House.

When QE2 entered service in 1969, she was the first Cunard passenger ship to have Southampton on her stern.

Cunard remained at South Western House until 1996 before relocating to Mountbatten House at Grosvenor Square ,and then to Harbour Parade in 2009.

THE LEGACY OF THE PRETTY SISTERS

Credit: Cunard

The Pretty Sisters and Their Lasting Legacy

By Michael Gallagher
Cunard Historian

This article, written by Michael Gallagher, public relations executive and historian for Cunard Line, is part of an ongoing series of key moments in Cunard Line's history. Read our interview with Michael here.
As the 20th Century dawned, Cunard Line began to draw up initial plans for what would become the first-ever “superliners,” Lusitania and Mauretania, which would enter service in 1907. But how would the future superliners, the largest and fastest ships in the world, be powered?

There were two options for Cunard to consider: the standard quadruple-expansion system or the new-fangled Parsons steam turbine system. Engineer Charles Parsons had caused controversy at the 1897 Spithead Naval Review by demonstrating his revolutionary turbine-powered Turbinia.

CONCERTS WILL MARK CUNARD'S 175TH YEAR

Britannia and the Queen Mary 2 (Cunard)

Passengers aboard the Queen Mary 2's July 175th Anniversary Crossing are in for a special treat. (175 years -- that's amazing for any business, yet alone the cruise business!) On July 4, 2015, that voyage will be celebrated with special concerts at the Anglican Cathedral in Liverpool, attended by all Queen Mary 2 passengers. The “Triumph of a Great Tradition” concerts will celebrate Cunard's long heritage.

"Queen Mary 2 will be berthed in Liverpool on the exact day 175 years earlier that Cunard’s first ship, Britannia, left Liverpool. Later that day Queen Mary 2 will follow in Britannia’s wake and recreate that epic first voyage, calling at Halifax and Boston (just as Britannia did) before arriving in New York." The departure from Liverpool will be marked by fireworks and the voyage will feature special events, including gala dinners and a 175 Ball in the Queens Room.

CUNARD SETS 'LUSITANIA' EXHIBIT

Pam on our Queen Victoria voyage
to the Panama Canal (Photo: Gerry)

News from Cunard:

"Cunard has commissioned historian Eric Sauder to produce a temporary exhibition of Lusitania memorabilia that will be displayed on board Queen Victoria during her May 3, 2015 voyage commemorating the loss of Lusitania 100 years earlier. Eric Sauder has been interested in ocean liners, particularly Lusitania, for more than 30 years, with his first job being a tour guide on Queen Mary in Long Beach, California. He has dived on the wreck of Lusitania and has authored two books on the subject: RMS Lusitania: The Ship and Her Record and The Unseen Lusitania: The Ship in Rare Illustrations, the latter to be released for the 100th anniversary of the sinking.

"Lusitania was the first of 22 Cunard ships lost in the First World War. On May 7, 2015 it will be exactly 100 years since the Cunard flagship was torpedoed while en route from New York to Liverpool. The ship sank approximately 11 miles off the old Head of Kinsale in Ireland.

"This special seven-night Lusitania Remembered cruise by Queen Victoria will commemorate the loss of Lusitania and the other Cunard ships in World War One. Queen Victoria will call at Cobh (formerly Queenstown) on May 7, 2015. Cobh will forever be associated with the tragedy. The sinking was a human catastrophe on a scale that this small town had not experienced before or since. People there witnessed first-hand the trauma, tragedy and heartbreak that ensued. The dead, the injured and the bereaved were brought among a community that mobilised itself and responded with courage and compassion to their needs.

"All passengers aboard Queen Victoria will be invited to attend a special service ashore as well as witness a number of other tributes occurring that day, and a Commemorative Dinner will be held for them that night on board the ship.

"Sailing from and back to Southampton, the Lusitania Remembered voyage will call at St. Peter Port (Guernsey), Le Havre, Cobh and Dublin. The Lusitania exhibit will feature china, silver, brochures, postcards, memorabilia and souvenirs that will bring to life the story of Cunard's flagship.

"Lusitania and her sister Mauretania were the first of the floating palaces and today still conjure up images of power, speed, Palm Courts, Smoking Rooms, afternoon tea and grand staircases."

CUNARD HISTORY: WHAT'S IN A NAME?

Cunard Introduces the Helen Gormley

This article, written by Michael Gallagher, public relations executive and historian for Cunard Line, is part of an ongoing series of key moments in Cunard Line's history

Credit: Cunard

When Her Majesty The Queen (then Princess Elizabeth) accompanied her Mother to the launch of Queen Elizabeth in 1938 the world knew that the new ship was to be called Queen Elizabeth (great secrecy had surrounded the name of Queen Mary until the very moment of her launch in 1934). When Her Majesty named Queen Elizabeth in Southampton in 2010 the world knew what name she was to give that ship. And when Her Majesty named the new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth recently once again the name was known beforehand.

But when Her Majesty traveled to Clydebank on Sept. 20, 1967 to name the new Cunarder it was a different story…

'QUEEN ELIZABETH' DRY-DOCK IN 4 MINUTES

Talk about your dry-dock "Cliff Notes." Cunard has condensed 20 days of work, re-fitting and re-furbishing the Queen Elizabeth, into a four-minute video. Among other things, nine new single staterooms were created, 25,000 square meters of carpeting laid, 3,000 mattresses replaced, 1,200 flat screen TVs installed and new awnings added on the sun decks.

Over 20 days in May and June, they note "950 contractors worked with ship’s staff around the clock to complete the work at the Blohm+Voss yard in Hamburg, Germany, drinking 54,300 cups of coffee, more than 35,000 cups of tea and 9,000 bottles of water, and consuming more than 80,000 meals – with 13,500 sachets of tomato sauce - over the duration of the 265,000 man-hour project." Workers have to eat, right?

Let's cue the video:

A SURPRISING CUNARD GEM

Editor's Note: Our readers know how much we love history. Here's another article in a series by Cunard's historian and public relations executive, Michael Gallagher (who we interviewed here).

By Michael Gallagher
Cunard Historian

Skirmisher (Cunard)

Which Cunarder served longer than any other? Which carried more passengers than any other? I think you will be surprised with the answers...

The River Mersey is a tidal river and the range of the tide can be as great as 33 feet. In Cunard’s early days, its ships were moored in the river and passengers would embark and disembark in tenders. With the arrival at Liverpool of increasingly larger ships in the 1880s, two new tenders were built: one was the baggage and fresh water carrier Otter, while the other was the large passenger tender Skirmisher. When Cunard ships berthed alongside from 1895, Skirmisher was used to control the positioning of every Cunarder as well as ferry passengers to and from those mid-river.

Skirmisher (607 gross tons / 165 feet long / 32.2 feet wide with accommodations for three classes) was launched at Clydebank on May 14, 1854 and was in fact Cunard’s first two-propeller ship! She entered service in July that year and would remain a familiar sight on the Mersey until she was withdrawn from service in October 1945.

By then, Skirmisher had become Cunard’s longest-serving ship and carried more passengers than any other Cunarder!

Royal duties beckoned twice. On May 25, 1894 Skirmisher acted as an escort to HRH Queen Victoria’s Royal Yacht at the opening of the Manchester Ship Canal. And then in 1897 she acted as a tender to Cunard’s Campania at the Diamond Jubilee Spithead Naval Review. 
She also visited Fishguard at this time.

Skirmisher did her duty for the country in time of war too. She acted during the whole of the Boer War as the Liverpool Embarkation Ship as the troopships mainly anchored mid-river and were stored and provisioned by a medley of small craft. In 1917 when U Boats were reported off the Mersey, she was berthed across Gladstone Dock Gate in case of an attempt to destroy it by torpedo. In the Second World War she was equipped as a fire fighter and capable of pumping 100 tons of water per minute. In 1944 she went to Fishguard to disembark Winston Churchill from Queen Mary after the Quebec Conference as bad weather forced Queen Mary to sail straight to the Clyde.

With the advent of the "giants" Lusitania and Mauretania an extra deck was added to Skirmisher to enable her gangways to reach the hull doors.

In 1914 Skirmisher went to the Clyde to attend the launch of Aquitania.
A truly remarkable Cunarder indeed!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, 'QUEEN MARY 2'!

The Three Queens arrive at Southampton (Cunard)

A special occasion calls for a special celebration. On May 9, Cunard Line marked the 10th anniversary of Queen Mary 2 with a rare opportunity to view all Three Queens together – Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria in their home port of Southampton.
The ships arrived to the sounds of “Happy Birthday” from the ships' foghorns. This was followed by a special reception and lunch aboard Queen Mary 2 for His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, "who last visited the ship when accompanying Her Majesty The Queen to name her in 2004."

We also want to wish Queen Mary 2 a very happy birthday, and many more to come! Here are some photos and videos from Cunard that captured the festivities:

His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh visits with
Captain Christopher Wells, master of the QM2

 

Captain Kevin Oprey takes His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh and other guests

  on a tour

Gerry and Pam from their voyage on the QM2

3 QUEENS MEET TO CELEBRATE ON MAY 9

The Three Queens  (Credit: Cunard)

Cunard will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the line’s flagship, Queen Mary 2, on May 9 with the arrival of the whole three-ship fleet in Southampton. This will be a rare occasion to see Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth together, and Southampton will be the only place in the world to have hosted the Three Queens three times.

The celebration begins with an early morning Birthday Salute, a special reception and lunch on board Queen Mary 2 for invited guests in the presence of His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, and a big fireworks send-off in the evening before Queen Mary 2 leads the three ships in convoy down Southampton Water.

MEET CUNARD'S HISTORIAN, MICHAEL GALLAGHER

Michael Gallagher

First, it’s a pleasure to meet you and thank you for generously agreeing to answer a few questions for Cruising Squared.

Please tell us a little about yourself, your background and how you came to your role as historian for Cunard.

Coming from just outside Liverpool (where Cunard was founded) and hearing all my Grandad's tales from his time working for Cunard I was very interested in the company from a young age. I used to pester the Public Relations Manager at the time, Eric Flounders, for information. We got to know each other and in 1994 he offered me a job as his Assistant. So, at 19 years old, I left home and went to work in London for Cunard - 20 years ago this August. Eric and I worked together until his retirement in 2011. It was at that point I was made Public Relations Manager and Historian. I am very proud of the "Historian" element as I am the first to undertake such a role in Cunard history.

Cunard has a long, rich and storied history. How did you set about learning it all?

I think having a real passion and interest in finding out as much as you can about something you love helps. And the fact that the Cunard story is unlike any other, with so many strands, means you are always learning more about the company.

If you were making a list of top five or ten most fascinating Cunard historical happenings, what would you include?

For starters...

• The fact that the company came about at all after Samuel Cunard's brainwave to establish the first scheduled service across the Atlantic and how he secured the Admiralty contract without Atlantic experience and without ships!

• The story of the little Carpathia rushing through the night to rescue all the survivors of Titanic.

• The company's war record. Cunard ships took the horses to the Charge of the Light Brigade at Crimea and Churchill saying that the contribution of Queen Mary and Elizabeth helped shorten the Second World War by a year!

• The amazing QE2 and how she defied the odds when she entered service in 1969, when many thought she would be laid up within six months, but she went on to sail more miles than any other ship in history and became one of Cunard's most-loved and longest-serving (39.5 years) ships.

• The association Her Majesty The Queen has with Cunard. She attended the 1938 launching of Queen Elizabeth and has since them launched / named four Cunard ship and visited and traveled many times. That association dates back 76 years!

• How Queen Mary was (and still is) heralded as a sign of the UK coming out of the Great Depression in the 1930s.

• How despite the fact more Cunard ships have won the Blue Riband for the fastest Atlantic crossing and yet not once did the company collect / display the Hales Trophy or fly the Blue Riband, insisting its ships were not in it for speed.

• How not once in 174 years has the company been responsible for a single loss of life - or loss of a mailbag!

And that what Cunard started on the Atlantic one day Cunard will finish!

What’s been your top personal highlight or accomplishment in your time with Cunard?

There are many, including the ship namings, Royal visits and concerts held at the Liverpool Cathedral, but the biggest highlight has to be meeting Her Majesty The Queen on QE2 during her farewell visit to the ship on June 2, 2008.

So many of the new ships seem like amusement parks at sea. In your opinion, will there always be a market for “classic cruising” in the white glove style of Cunard?

Absolutely. No doubt about it!

We agree 100 percent! Thanks again for sharing your insights with our readers.

Special thanks also to Cunard's Jackie Chase, who assisted with this article.

A DOUBLE DECKER HISTORY LESSON

Loading onto the Queen Mary (Cunard)

If you are history buffs, as we are, you'll enjoy this item written by Michael Gallagher, public relations executive and historian for Cunard Line and part of an ongoing series of key moments in the Cunard Line's history.

"After purchasing Queen Mary, the City of Long Beach wanted to build an 'Olde London' village alongside their new acquisition. As well as buying the great Queen herself, the City purchased two London Double Decker buses to be used in the village. The easiest way to get them to Long Beach would be on Queen Mary. Before her final departure from Southampton in October 1967, the buses were loaded onto the aft decks of the ship.

"It would prove to be a very good revenue stream for Cunard as tickets (a dollar a time) were sold to passengers to sit on the bus as Queen Mary rounded the notorious Cape Horn.

"The 'Olde London' idea never quite came to fruition and neither did the plan to have live electric eels swimming in specially-made handrails on staircases in the Jacques Cousteau's Museum of the Sea which was built in the gutted machinery spaces!

"A London Double Decker Bus was used at ceremonies to mark the Float Out of Queen Mary 2 in March 2003. The bus ferried guests to and from the airport and then took them on an excursion into the dry-dock to see Queen Mary 2. An on board Conductor processed tickets giving the destination as 'QM2'. It was perhaps then we realized just how big she is...."

Credit: Cunard

A MAIDEN CALL TO HALONG BAY

Stopping at Vietnam's Halong Bay             Credit: James Morgan

Cunard's Queen Elizabeth made her maiden call March 31 at Halong Bay in Vietnam. These fishermen seem impressed. The bay, noted for its "spectacular seascape of islands and sheer rock pillars, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and famous as a James Bond film location." Queen Elizabeth is over half way through her annual Round World Voyage, and headed for Singapore, Sri Lanka, India and Dubai, arriving back in Southampton on May 9 after 118 nights and calls at 40 ports in 23 different countries.

PROOF THAT CRUISE SHIPS ARE BIG

Yes, we know cruise ships are big, but there's nothing like a photo to really put their size in perspective. Here's just that, courtesy of Cunard. Aside to the captain -- watch that first step! -- Gerry

"On Sunday (March 2), Cunard captured dramatic photographs of Captain Kevin Oprey, Master of Queen Mary 2, standing beneath the flagship’s soaring hull a mile off the coast of Bali during the ship's World Cruise in her 10th anniversary year. The amazing images by James Morgan show Captain Oprey surveying the scene from the top of Queen Mary 2's bulbous bow, an underwater projection that minimizes the creation of bow waves around the waterline when the ship is under way. Two safety craft were standing by during the photo shoot, but Captain Oprey remained sure-footed throughout."

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, QUEEN MARY 2

Queen Mary 2 (Cunard)

It seems like only yesterday when Pam and I boarded the Queen Mary 2 for the Transatlantic crossing from New York. Today we are among the thousands who have made that unforgettable journey aboard one of the world's most magnificent ships.

This year marks a milestone for Cunard Line’s flagship: Queen Mary 2 will celebrate her first ten years of service in 2014. Over that time she has taken a total of 419 voyages, including over 200 Transatlantic Crossings, and has called at 182 ports in 60 countries.

Along with this special video, http://bit.ly/1koe4jr, here are some more facts about her first ten years from Cunard: