The many lives of a much-loved liner

Built in Clydebank in the 1930s, the RMS Queen Mary was the biggest superstar vessel since the Titanic – and had a much more successful career.

As this beautifully-illustrated new book explains, the transatlantic liner was named after the wife of the reigning monarch, George V. King George and Queen Mary took part in the launching ceremony in 1934, which was the first such event to be broadcast on the radio.

The vessel continued to be a favourite with royalty and celebrities, and no expense was spared in fitting out the cabins and staterooms to attract these First Class passengers. There were so many beautiful features in the design that the whole ship became something of a work of art.

The book's tales of the crew having to fawn over the wealthy elite become a little grating (there's one story of a passenger demanding a full change of furniture for her suite mid-voyage.) However, the vessel was generally popular with the seafarers who worked onboard, and good-quality food and facilities were offered to all passengers and crew.

During the Second World War, the Queen Mary was converted into a troop carrier, and this is a particularly interesting period to read about. Murals by distinguished artists remained in place to adorn ballrooms converted into canteens, giving the American GIs a rather surreal start to their tour of duty in Europe.

After resuming normal service in the 1950s, the liner gradually became surplus to requirements due to the rise of affordable air travel, but the fame and attractiveness of the vessel saved it from the breakers' yard. The Queen Mary remains in Long Beach, California to this day as a hotel and tourist destination, and 'the world's favourite liner' seems a reasonable description after nearly a century of excellent service.

RMS Queen Mary: the World's Favourite Liner
By David Ellery
Seaforth Publishing, £40
ISBN: 978 13390 53051