Courtesy Of Cunard

On this day in 1952:

Churchill Says He Got Free Ride

LONDON, Jan. 29 (AP)--Prime Minister Churchill disclosed today that he got a free ride to the United States and back aboard the Queen Mary.

A Laborite member of the House of Commons demanded to know how much the prime minister's trip to Washington and Canada cost. Churchill replied that both he and Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden traveled as guests of the Cunard Company.

A government spokesman added that overall expenses for the party of 35 who accompanied Churchill and Eden were expected to total about $41,000.

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Queen Speaks for Herself

On this day in 1936:

THE QUEEN MARY

MAIDEN VOYAGE BROADCASTS

When the Queen Mary ploughs her majestic way across the Atlantic on her maiden voyage next May the ship herself will "tell" the story of the trip.

The B. B. C. have made elaborate arrangements for broadcasts, from the vessel from the moment she sails from Southampton until she greets New York for the first time.

We will hear the excited voices of the passengers on the dock at Southampton, the loading of the luggage, the sirens of other vessels in farewell salutation.

Then during the voyage we will be able to listen to a detailed descriptive [sic] pictures of day-by-day life on board.

And last of all, across three thousand miles of ocean, will come the sounds of the welcoming cheers from New York.

Mr. R. H. Eckersley, Assistant Controller of Programmes, will supervise all the broadcasts. Mr. John Snagge and Mr. R. H. Wood will be in charge of the technical side, and Mr. John Watt will produce. They, with about six assistants, will sail in the ship.

The departure from Southampton will be described in commentaries from ship to shore.

On each night of the voyage a "flash" from the ship will be included in the news bulletins. The biggest broadcast of all is planned for the second night out. It will last for three-quarters of an hour and will take the form of a tour of the the ship. Forty points of the ship are being wired for microphones.

It is in this broadcast that the B. B. C. intend to make the Queen Mary speak for herself. From the bridge we will hear the voice of the commander, grey-haired Captain Sir Edgar Britten, as he gives his orders. Then the clang of the telegraph taking the message down to the engine-room.

And then...the throb of the giant engines....the chatter and laughter from the dining-rooms....the dance bands on the sun deck and in the ballroom....the quiet tones of the men in the crow's nest....the surge of the Atlantic.

Source: The Longreach Leader (Queensland, Australia)

Churchill Retires

On this day in 1952:

NEW YORK, Wednesday. Mr. Winston Churchill left the United States to-day after an 18-day visit, sailing for home aboard the liner Queen Mary.

Several hundred persons were at the wharf to farewell Mr. Churchill.

Mr. Churchill went straight to bed last night after boarding the liner, a Reuter correspondent  reported by radio-telephone from the ship to-day.

The correspondent's comments were heard on a televised news programme here.

The interviewer asked about Mr. Churchill's cold. He was told that the Prime Minister's decision to retire early was unusual, as he was fond of staying up late.

Earlier, in New York, Mr. Churchill was presented with New York [illegible] Medal of Honour in his bedroom.

Wearing blue pyjamas, Mr. Churchill sat up in bed as the Mayor, Mr. Impelliterri, placed the ribbon of the medal around his neck.

Source: The Canberra Times

Gargoyle D.T.E.

On this day in 1936:

LUBRICATING THE QUEEN MARY.

The eyes of the world will be on the "Queen Mary" when she makes her maiden voyage May next. Her main propelling machinery, consisting of four enormous steam turbines generating 200,000 h.p., calls for the world's best lubrication and leading Oil Companies have been vying with one another for the prestige of lubricating turbines of this mammoth vessel. The palm has at last been awarded.

A recent issue of "Engineering," the leading British authority on engineering matters, refers to the lubrication of the "Queen Mary" in this paragraph:

"Messrs the Vacuum Oil Company Ltd., Caxton House, Westminster, London, S.W. 1., has just received an order from Messrs Cunard White Star Ltd. for the whole of the lubricating oil requirements for the main propelling machinery of the liner, "Queen Mary". The first delivery of over 20,000 gallons for the initial requirements will be made on December 23rd."

Gargoyle D.T.E. oil supplied to the "Queen Mary" is of the same type as that used in the "Normandie," "Europa," "Bremen," "Majestic," and "Empress of Britain." This oil is also used very extensively in vessels plying on the Australian waterfront and in many other important industries.

Source: Burra Record (South Australia)

A Woman's Mind

From The West Australian (Perth) on this day in 1935:

WOMEN DECORATORS.

Lady Essendon, wife of the chairman of the Furness Withy Line, and Mrs. Fred Bates, wife of a director of the Cunard White Star concern, played the final part in choosing the fittings and decorations for the cabins of the great new ship Queen Mary.

They travelled to Clydebank for this purpose, and they were shown 16 model cabins, built months ago in a loft near the berth of the half-finished vessel, in which experts had been trying schemes of furnishing and decoration.


Gold-coloured tapestry, with Pullman beds, is the predominating scheme of the first-class cabins. The tourist cabins will be predominantly gold, with a diamond pattern, and the third class cabins, stated to be equal to second-class cabins in any other line now operating, will be carried out in a scheme of cream enamel.

The company thought that a woman's mind would frequently notice things the most expert men might miss, and hence these ladies were asked to give final approval to the plans.