When peering up at this towering liner of magnificent steel and exotic woods, it’s
difficult to imagine how much hardship it has been through in its nearly 91 years of
existence. It was very nearly an impossible dream just to bring this ocean liner into
being, but out of the tribulation came a ship that would embody the hope, the bravery, and
the spirit of the interwar generation.
The White Star Line’s RMS Titanic made famous
the competitive rivalry between ocean liner companies and their insatiable desire to build
bigger, faster, more luxurious ships. In 1929, the Cunard Line’s biggest and fastest
ship, the Mauretania had lost the title of World’s fastest ocean liner and though the
global recession had slowed down ticket sales on passenger crossings, the British people
had felt that either Cunard or White Star should construct the next champion to take
back supremacy over the Atlantic. However, neither company was ready to invest that amount
of capital, considering the economic decline. It wasn’t until the French line announced
the construction of their newest ocean liner which would dominate the competition, that
Cunard finally gave in and announced that they too would construct a new liner. The
intention was to design two ships so large and fast that they could provide weekly transatlantic
service and allow the company to retire some of their older vessels.
Engineers of John Brown shipyard in Clydebank, Scotland, had finished most of the designs
and they constructed several 17 foot long models of the ship that they would test in
a water tank to simulate all manner of ocean conditions. Over 8,000 tests were performed
until Cunard was finally satisfied with the plans, signing a $30 million dollar contract
with John Brown shipyards on December 1st, 1930 to construct what they called Job #534.
Ten days later workers began to lay down the keel.
For over a year, construction continued as planned, as the steel girders and ribs of
the hull were built ever upward, the economy continued to sink under the weight of the
Great Depression. But the workers at Clydebank were still ahead of schedule and aiming for
a launch date of May 1932, however, Cunard was suffering from low ticket sales and any
profits they made were quickly being absorbed by the costs of the new liner.
On December 10, 1931, Cunard halted construction on the ship due to a lack of funds.
Hull #534 was one of the last Clydebank jobs that had continued during the depression and now that they had
lost it, all work had ceased.
The sudden silence that overcame the industrial town was stark and eerie.
Sir Percey Bates, chairman of the Cunard line was receiving letters every day
from citizens around Great Britain asking that he continue work on hull 534 and keep
people working. Some letters even contained small contributions of money, in hopes that
any amount would help save the liner. Sir Percey Bates assured the public he would see
the ship completed. In the grip of the Great Depression, British
families suffered. In Clydebank, shipbuilding was all the town could do, and without any
work, there was virtually no way out of the nightmare. The occasional rumor stated that
work on the ship would continue soon, but it became a vicious cycle that teased the
hopes of those in need of a miracle.
Prior to the halt on construction, the chairman
of White Star Line, Walter Runciman, had pleaded with Cunard to merge with them so that both
companies might survive the economic downturn. But White Star had an aging fleet of ships,
and Cunard was reluctant to dilute their assets in a merger. As it turned out, Walter Runciman
would later join Britain’s board of trade, and when Cunard went to Parliament to request
a government subsidy to finance the completion of 534, it was Mr. Runciman that influenced
Parliament to agree on a loan, under the condition that Cunard merges with White Star Line to
consolidate their debts. Not to mention, it was common practice to construct ocean liners
to certain military standards in case of war. Parliament was convinced job 534 would be
their greatest asset, should war break out. They had no idea how right they would be.
Cunard had been put in a tough situation because Sir Percy Bates had the much-needed support
from the Prince of Wales, heir to the British throne, and he didn’t want to disregard it.
On December 14th, 1933, the merger was announced, and henceforth the company would
be known as Cunard White Star. British Parliament would loan the company 9.5 million pounds
to complete the first ship and start the second one.
Clydebank was abuzz with the roar of cheers and celebration on the morning of April 3rd,
1934, as 400 men marched down to the shipyard, escorted by bagpipers. The men had to clear
the hull of thousands of nesting birds and proceeded to scrape off nearly 130 tons of
rust that had accumulated over the last two years. Soon the shipyard was in full swing
with 3800 workers busy on construction, they were even visited by the Prince of Wales as
the riveters hammered in the 10 million rivets that would hold the ship together.
Getting the people back to work had become a symbol of optimism across the United Kingdom.
It was only six months later when the ship was ready for launch, but a name had not been
announced, it was being kept secret. Though, the press had suspected the ship would be
named after Queen Victoria. The day of the launch came on September 26th, 1934, His Majesty
King George V and his consort Queen Mary had arrived at the ceremonies. The King declared
that 534 was “the stateliest ship now in being”, Queen Mary stepped up to the podium
to announce the name of the ship and christen her. The crowd would gasp upon the grand reveal
of the ship’s name and then erupt in cheers.
"I am happy to name this ship, The Queen Mary..."
[The crowd gasps and then cheers in unison as the Queen continues to speak]
"...I wish success to her, and to all who sail her."
As the ship went down the slipway, her hull was slowed down by 18 enormous bundles of
drag chains totaling 2,530 tons of weight…creating a cacophony of noise that excited the spectators.
The hull slowed as it entered the water, dipping into it as graceful as a Queen, though her
massive hull still managed to cause the water to jump the banks, it was said that hay farmers
a half-mile away got their feet wet as the river flooded the fields.
Next, the ship was being pulled by tug to the fitting-out basin
where her interiors and superstructure would take shape.
Over 30 different British and American artists
had designed and decorated the luxurious interiors. Her bulkheads and fittings were paneled in
56 different types of rare and exotic woods, and her interiors were separated into three
different classes. Admittedly, first-class had the most impressive public rooms, but
no other ocean liner could compete with the second and third-class amenities of the Queen Mary
After 18 months of fitting-out, she was ready to leave the shipyards on her way
to Southampton, as the tugs pulled her along the Clyde, they lost control and the ship
ran aground, wedging itself across the river. This could have resulted in damage to her
hull, or propellers, delaying her departure...but after a complete inspection, she was deemed
to be in good shape and was refloated. After her arrival in Southampton, she would
embark on her four days of sea trials starting April 15th, 1936, insuring that she was ready
for her maiden voyage. It was on these sea trials that the Queen Mary made her fastest
achievable speed of 32.84 knots.
Just two days prior to the maiden voyage the
Royal Family was invited to a ceremony honoring the ship’s namesake, Queen Mary the Queen Mother.
The Prince of Wales was now the new King Edward VIII, and he was so enthralled
with the ship, he walked nearly 7 miles around it, touring every room he could.
On the Promenade Deck, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret had tried out the first-class children’s
playroom, going down the slide, which Cunard would later name the Royal Slide.
The day everyone had dreamed of for nearly six years had finally come, it was May 27th, 1936,
the day the RMS Queen Mary would embark on her maiden voyage.
She was loaded up with 2,140 passengers and 1,100 crew members. Cunard had invited Henry Hall, the director of the
BBC Dance Orchestra to be among the first to sail aboard the ship and made him the co-director
of the ship’s orchestra.
The King was there to see the Queen Mary off
as she departed Southampton on her way to Cherbourg, France then on to New York City.
As the ship made its way west across the Atlantic to the United States, Cunard had already told
its passengers that the Queen Mary would not be attempting to break the speed record and
capture the title of the Blue Riband. They explained that the ship’s engines still
needed to be run-in, the truth of the matter was that the ship was beset with vibration
and soot was raining down from her funnels. But still, everyone had hoped Cunard was only
building up the surprise.
Henry Hall was proud to introduce a musical piece which he had written specifically for
the Queen Mary, which he called “Somewhere at Sea".
As the music played, it was broadcast on-air for the western world to hear. He would
also keep the public updated with the progression of the voyage each day.
After two days the ship slowed as it entered a fog bank, prompting the journalists on board
to report that the ship would not be breaking the speed record. And as the Queen Mary passed
the spot where the Titanic sank, the crew tossed over a wreath of red roses in honor
of those who lost their lives on the ill-fated vessel.
Just 100 miles from New York, three planes flew over the ship as a salute, dropping a
shower of carnations onto the decks in celebration, this was only a taste of the grand welcome
to come. And as she sailed up the Hudson River, the Queen Mary was flanked by an armada of
small vessels. Fireboats launched a spray of water into the air, a decorative display
fitting for the arrival of a Queen. The Mary was carefully maneuvered into her new dock
at Pier 90, a dock built specifically for her. And among the thousands of spectators
who crowded the waterfront was President Roosevelt and Canadian Prime Minister Bennett.
Though she was a British ship, she quickly became a household name to the Americans.
Everyone around the world saw the ship as a triumph over the harsh throes of the Great Depression.
It seemed building the Queen Mary would become a matter of impossibility, yet
here she was, floating in a dock thousands of miles from her home port. Today she lives
out her retirement in the City of Long Beach, CA. A ship that almost never was.
Amid the grips of the worst economic downturn in Britain’s history, she was hammered into existence
by the hard-working Scots of the River Clyde.