Clydebank, Scotland: Origin of Cunard White Star Line 

In 1931, towering over the town of Clydebank, Scotland, the skeleton of a great ocean vessel was taking form at the John Brown & Company shipyard. Known only as a job 534, this ship, the local shipyard workers, and the entire world would soon battle the storm of the Great Depression. Nearly three years would pass while construction ceased, and the local community began facing poverty. Miraculously, funding became available to complete the ship. Christened by Her Majesty, Queen Mary on September 26th, 1934 at 3:10pm , the ship was finally given the name "Queen Mary". To the citizens of Clydebank, the RMS Queen Mary became a symbol of pride & a remembrance of security, stability, & hope that her construction offered. 

The 1930s, Celebrities & Emigration

From 1936 to 1939, the RMS Queen Mary was the pride of Great Britain and the flagship of her owners, the Cunard White Star Line. Sailing her normal route between Southampton, & New York, she would eventually hold the title of “The Blue Riband,” representing the shortest time to cross the Atlantic of any passenger ship. The crème of Hollywood, royalty, political & social society chose ‘the Mary’ regularly to travel in style. It was also the Mary that carried thousands of immigrating families to North America, escaping racial & religious persecution that was steadily growing in Nazi Germany & Italy. For these families, the Mary would be their magic chariot, whisking them safely to the ‘New World’ in a level of comfort that most of them had never experienced before. She would forever remain a cherished part of their family’s legacies. 

World War II and our "Greatest Generation"

As war in Europe erupted in late 1939, the Queen Mary’s reputation for speed would take on a new meaning, as she was requisitioned by the British Admiralty and transformed into a troop transport vessel. Painted in battleship grey, often using the cover night & fog arriving or departing, she was cleverly nicknamed, ‘The Grey Ghost.’ Aiding in multiple campaigns in North Africa and Western Europe, she transported nearly 800,000 Australian, British, American, & Canadian troops to “challenge the fury of Hitlerism” between 1940 and 1945. In addition to her wartime career, she would also partake in ‘Operation Baby Carriage’ in which she transported thousands of British and European war-brides & infants to be reunited with their American and Canadian military husbands & fathers.

The Long Beach Queen Mary 

Her final voyage (#1001) began 10/31/1967 in Southampton, England and after 39 days, she arrived on 12/9/1967 to Long Beach, California. The ship was welcomed by thousands and is the only ocean liner to be proudly owned by a City and its residents. 
 
The Queen Mary brought history to the City of Long Beach and continues to amaze people with her ability to touch the hearts and minds of all generations. A remarkable ship!

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