*QUEEN MARY* Turns 90 Years Old! | HISTORY

Summary

The RMS Queen Mary, a symbol of hope and resilience, was constructed during the Great Depression. Despite economic challenges and a temporary halt in construction, she was completed with government support after Cunard merged with White Star Line. Launched in 1934, she became an iconic ocean liner, offering luxurious transatlantic travel and later serving as a troopship in WWII. Today, she rests as a retired legend in Long Beach, CA.

Takeaways

• 🚢 The RMS Queen Mary was conceived amidst the Great Depression and symbolized hope and bravery.
• 🌊 The ship was designed to be the fastest and largest to reclaim the title of the world's fastest ocean liner.
• 🏭 Construction began at John Brown shipyard in Clydebank, Scotland, and was initially halted due to the economic crisis.
• 💼 Cunard Line faced financial difficulties and had to halt construction, leading to job losses in Clydebank.
• 📨 Public support and contributions helped persuade Cunard to continue building the ship.
• 🤝 The British Parliament provided a loan under the condition that Cunard merged with the White Star Line.
• 👑 The ship was named RMS Queen Mary in honor of Queen Mary and launched with great fanfare.
• 🎨 The interior was designed by over 30 artists and featured luxurious materials and amenities across three classes.
• 🚀 During sea trials, the Queen Mary achieved her fastest speed of 32.84 knots.
• 🎵 The ship's maiden voyage was celebrated with a special musical piece composed by Henry Hall.
• 🌐 The Queen Mary became a symbol of triumph over adversity and is now retired in Long Beach, California.

Q & A

What was the RMS Queen Mary designed to represent?

The RMS Queen Mary was designed to embody the hope, bravery, and spirit of the interwar generation.

Which company was in competition with the White Star Line to build bigger and faster ocean liners?

The Cunard Line was in competition with the White Star Line.

Why did Cunard Line decide to halt construction on the RMS Queen Mary?

Cunard Line halted construction due to a lack of funds caused by the Great Depression and low ticket sales.

What was the significance of the French Line's announcement in relation to Cunard Line's decision to build the RMS Queen Mary?

The French Line's announcement to build a new ocean liner that would dominate the competition prompted Cunard Line to construct the RMS Queen Mary to regain supremacy over the Atlantic.

How did the British public respond to the halt in construction of the RMS Queen Mary?

The British public sent letters and small contributions to Sir Percey Bates, chairman of Cunard Line, urging him to continue work on the ship and keep people employed.

What was the condition set by the British Parliament for providing a loan to Cunard Line to complete the RMS Queen Mary?

The condition was that Cunard Line must merge with the White Star Line to consolidate their debts.

Why was the RMS Queen Mary's maiden voyage significant?

The maiden voyage of the RMS Queen Mary was significant because it symbolized a triumph over the Great Depression and marked the return of optimism in the United Kingdom.

What was the fastest achievable speed of the RMS Queen Mary during her sea trials?

The RMS Queen Mary's fastest achievable speed during her sea trials was 32.84 knots.

How did the RMS Queen Mary honor the Titanic during her maiden voyage?

As the RMS Queen Mary passed the spot where the Titanic sank, the crew tossed a wreath of red roses into the sea in honor of those who lost their lives.

What was the name of the musical piece composed by Henry Hall specifically for the RMS Queen Mary?

The musical piece composed by Henry Hall for the RMS Queen Mary was called 'Somewhere at Sea'.

Where is the RMS Queen Mary currently located?

The RMS Queen Mary is currently retired and located in the City of Long Beach, CA.

Outlines

00:00

🚢 The Birth of a Legend

The RMS Queen Mary was conceived amidst the challenges of the Great Depression and the decline of luxury ocean travel. The ship was a symbol of hope and bravery, embodying the spirit of the interwar generation. The White Star Line's RMS Titanic had sparked a rivalry to build grander ships, and Cunard Line aimed to reclaim supremacy over the Atlantic with a new, faster ship. Despite the economic downturn, the British public supported the construction of the Queen Mary, which was temporarily halted due to funding issues. The ship's construction was a beacon of hope during the Great Depression, and its eventual completion was financed with a government loan on the condition that Cunard merged with the White Star Line.

05:04

🎉 Launch and Maiden Voyage

After overcoming the Great Depression's challenges, the Queen Mary was launched on September 26, 1934, with great fanfare and optimism. The ship was named in a grand ceremony attended by King George V and Queen Mary. The launch was a spectacle, with the ship's descent into the water causing a splash that reached a mile away. The ship was then fitted out with luxurious interiors, featuring rare woods and state-of-the-art amenities across three classes. Despite a grounding incident during river transit, the Queen Mary was undamaged and proceeded to Southampton for sea trials, achieving a top speed of 32.84 knots. Her maiden voyage began on May 27, 1936, with a full complement of passengers and crew, and was celebrated with a musical piece composed for the occasion.

10:06

🌊 A Transatlantic Triumph

The Queen Mary's maiden voyage to New York City was a significant event, marked by a salute from three planes and a grand welcome as she sailed up the Hudson River. The ship's arrival was a symbol of triumph over the Great Depression and was celebrated by thousands, including President Roosevelt. Despite not breaking the speed record on her maiden voyage due to technical issues, the Queen Mary was a testament to British resilience and ingenuity. Today, she is retired in Long Beach, CA, a lasting reminder of the spirit and determination that brought her to life during one of the darkest economic periods in history.

Keywords

💡Great Depression

The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression that lasted from 1929 to the late 1930s. It was characterized by widespread unemployment, poverty, and a significant decline in industrial production and trade. In the context of the video, the Great Depression is highlighted as a backdrop to the construction of RMS Queen Mary, illustrating the economic challenges faced during its development. The video mentions that despite the economic downturn, the ship's construction continued, symbolizing hope and resilience.

💡RMS Queen Mary

RMS Queen Mary was a British ocean liner that served as a symbol of hope and progress during the Great Depression. The ship was renowned for its speed and luxury, and it played a significant role in transatlantic travel during its operational years. The video script describes the ship's construction, launch, and maiden voyage, emphasizing its importance as a triumph over adversity and a beacon of British pride.

💡Cunard Line

Cunard Line is a British shipping company that has a long history of operating luxury ocean liners. In the video, Cunard Line is depicted as the company responsible for the construction of RMS Queen Mary. The company's decision to build the ship, despite the economic challenges of the time, is portrayed as a bold move that ultimately paid off, both in terms of prestige and practicality for transatlantic travel.

💡White Star Line

White Star Line was another prominent British shipping company, known for its luxury ocean liners, including the ill-fated RMS Titanic. In the script, White Star Line is mentioned in the context of the competitive rivalry with Cunard Line. The video suggests that this competition spurred the desire to build larger and more luxurious ships, which eventually led to the construction of RMS Queen Mary.

💡Maureetania

Maureetania was a British ocean liner that held the title of the world's fastest ship before the construction of RMS Queen Mary. The video script mentions that Cunard Line's Mauretania losing its title to a French liner prompted Cunard to construct a new ship that could reclaim the title and provide faster transatlantic service.

💡John Brown Shipyard

John Brown Shipyard was a Scottish shipbuilding company that constructed the RMS Queen Mary. The script describes the shipyard's engineers as having completed most of the designs and conducted numerous tests in water tanks to simulate ocean conditions. The shipyard's role in building the Queen Mary is integral to the video's narrative, showcasing the technical expertise and craftsmanship that went into creating the ship.

💡Launch

The term 'launch' in the context of the video refers to the process of moving a newly constructed ship from the shipyard into the water for the first time. The video describes the launch of RMS Queen Mary as a significant event, attended by King George V and Queen Mary, and marked by a grand ceremony and public celebration. The launch symbolizes the culmination of years of effort and the realization of a dream amidst economic hardship.

💡Sea Trials

Sea trials are a series of tests conducted on a ship to ensure that it is seaworthy and meets the required specifications. In the script, the sea trials of RMS Queen Mary are mentioned as a critical phase before the ship's maiden voyage. The trials allowed the ship to achieve its fastest speed and ensured that it was ready for its inaugural transatlantic crossing.

💡Maiden Voyage

A maiden voyage is the first journey of a ship after its launch. The video script highlights the maiden voyage of RMS Queen Mary as a highly anticipated event, marking the ship's entry into service. The voyage from Southampton to New York City is described with great fanfare, including a send-off by King Edward VIII and a celebratory welcome in New York, symbolizing the ship's importance and the pride it instilled.

💡Blue Riband

The Blue Riband is a prestigious award given to the passenger liner crossing the Atlantic Ocean in record time. The video script mentions that RMS Queen Mary was not attempting to break the speed record during its maiden voyage, despite the ship's potential. The Blue Riband is used in the narrative to emphasize the ship's speed capabilities and the expectations surrounding its performance.

💡Long Beach, CA

Long Beach, CA refers to the city in California where RMS Queen Mary is now permanently docked as a retired ocean liner and museum. The video script concludes with the ship's current status, serving as a reminder of its historical significance and a testament to the enduring legacy of the ship that was built during the Great Depression.

Highlights

RMS Queen Mary witnessed major historical events including the Great Depression and World War II.

The ship was a symbol of hope and bravery during the interwar period.

The White Star Line's RMS Titanic sparked a rivalry to build bigger and faster ocean liners.

Cunard Line aimed to reclaim the title of the world's fastest ocean liner with a new ship.

The Great Depression initially halted construction due to economic decline.

Public support and small contributions helped persuade Cunard to continue the project.

A government loan was secured for the ship's completion under the condition of a Cunard-White Star Line merger.

The ship's construction provided much-needed employment during the Great Depression.

The Queen Mary was launched in 1934 with King George V and Queen Mary present.

The ship was designed with luxurious interiors and state-of-the-art facilities.

The Queen Mary achieved a top speed of 32.84 knots during sea trials.

The ship's maiden voyage in 1936 was a significant event with 2,140 passengers and 1,100 crew members.

The Queen Mary was honored with a tribute to the Titanic during her maiden voyage.

The ship's arrival in New York was celebrated with a grand welcome and a flyover.

The Queen Mary became a symbol of triumph over the Great Depression.

The ship now resides in Long Beach, CA, as a retired icon of maritime history.

Transcripts

The Great Depression, World War II, the decline  of luxury ocean travel, and a global lockdown…the  

RMS Queen Mary has seen it all. 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, during the first World War, ocean liners  

were very useful for transporting troops and  supplies, parliament knew that the new ocean liner  

would be a great asset if war broke out again. 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. 

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,  

ensuring 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 Scotts of the River Clyde.