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Historic ALS "Your loving sister Betty", September 21st, 1906, Wallsend, UK, Launch of R.M.S. Mauretania

New Autographed Letter Signed, September 21st, 1906, six pages describing in great detail the launching of the Cunard express liner R.M.S. Mauretania, sister of Lusitania (sunk 5.7.15) and the fastest and perhaps the greatest liner of her day (26.75 knots even before entering service, "no" lives lost in WW1 and not sunk). She had the largest turbine engines in the world. She was, by far and in fact, the largest and fastest man-made object on the planet until 1929. She briefly attained 32 knots an hour (with the wind at her back) in 1931, which is truly incredible. I have been looking for something like this for some time. Over 15 years, easily. I've just had postcards and some unique photographs of this event. This letter is six full pages and has truly excellent content. The launching goes on for a few pages starting well before - thses folks waited some time. I knew there were 20,00 people there (on a rainy day) but this is a different vantage. I wrote out a bit below - very exciting:

“…We stood beside the corporation quay & got a splendid view…About 3:35 we heard the hammering and then the buzzer blow and every one was on the tip toe of excitement in fact held their breath, until the shout went up ‘She’s moving!’ & then oh!...The roar off voices, whistles, buzzers until she reached the water was deafening...”

Below is an original photograph (one I have never shown I believe) of the event taken from Ballast Hill (exactly what it sounds like - a pile of rocks) across the river, a ticket to attend the launch, and this new letter:

This is the liner that I research and write about. I have not been active in this area for a few years but my research and images will all be in a new and comprehensive book by a friend. In Wallsend now, at the Discovery Museum Segedunum Annex, which is about 1000 ft from where this launch took place in 1906, there is a full African mahogany pilaster from the First Class Lounge which I identified, authenticated and sold to the Discovery Museum in 2010. I also wrote the tag. It is now fully restored and on permanent exhibit with an image of the ship from my collection. I show it below; one of the images I created during my research of this piece the display and as first exhibited C. 2011. I believe it has been enhanced now for permanent display.

Below is an article for anyone interested. It is not new, but features nearly all unpublished photographs and an interview with a 102 year old lady who saw this ship head for her trials 110 years ago. Not my site, so please pardon the typo here and there.

Farewell to the Tyne: Photographs and Memories of the Mauretania Le...

The pilaster as I first found it and fully restored in the Segedunum Annex of the Discovery Museum, Wallsend-upon-Tyne (I have the key to the image, all my research into the symbolism and my measurements for any woodworking/liner fans):

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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on May 11, 2017 at 6:44pm

Hello, I don't know why this was discussion was "closed" - perhaps I hit the wrong button when editing late last night. Not my intent - I love to hear your opinions and all - that's what I post for in the first place.

Here is the autograph of Mauretania's first Captain, John Pritchard, who commended her until the end of 1909. He was the first the bring a liner into the new channel dug out for these monster vessels in NY harbor. This is a 1906 page from the log book of the Cunard R.M.S. (Royal Mail Ship) Carmania, the first such liner with turbines. The portrait below is a family real photographic postcard with a message in Welsh describing his new appointment to the largest liner in the world.

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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on May 12, 2017 at 8:51pm

Here is the autograph of professional photographer Gladstone Adams, on a postcard he published in 1907 showing the Mauretania entering the North Sea for the first time on her "secret" first set of trials, September 17th, 1907. So secret it is well documented in cards and photographs. The color tinting was actually done by his wife, a fact I reveal here for the first time; Adams was so proud of this image he hung a large color reproduction above the 2nd floor entrance to his studios until his death in the 1950's. I interviewed someone who knew him as a child, was photographed, and remembered this image - this can be read my article linked above. It is a good story -Adams started out by oversleeping and missing the press boat. Adams is remembered for this photograph and for arranging the burial of the Red Baron, Manfred von Richtofen - this is detailed in the article as well. The color tinting is important because the exact color of those funnels has been a point of contention among researchers for years. Until the 1928 Autochromes were discovered a few years back, there was no hard evidence one way or another apart from one powdered paint ship - were they blood red? Orange? Mrs. Gladstone captured the correct burnt orange color - PR 102 (red earth/red oxide). I had been claiming this would be the pigment for at least 10 years before online, based on my experience as a painter.

Did I mention Adams invented the windshield wiper?

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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on January 18, 2018 at 1:32am

Here is a rather funny candid from 1911 which I tentatively title "How to stuff yourself in First Class". It is neat to see the lifeboat arrangement in the window reflection. As this is not just 11 am beef broth it must be afternoon. She appears to be...fully loaded. Normal deck benches were $1 for the crossing, I don't know if these wicker chairs were rented or simply available - they were all over the place.