Embarkation Notice - Glasgow to Canada - White Star Line - 1928
A rare example of an Embarkation Notice from the 1920s for a transatlantic voyage of Cabin Passenger Miss McKellar on the SS Laurentic of the White Star Line. The two-page flyer featured a photograph of the ship and six photographs of Cabin Class accommodations. It was likely provided to the passenger when booking by the White Star Line agents in Glasgow.
Front Side of 1928 Embarkation Notice Distributed by White Star Line Agents in Glasgow for the 15 September 1928 Sailing of the SS Laurentic from Glasgow to Québec and Montréal. GGA Image ID # 21480f4eda
Miss C. A. C. McKellar, Ticket No. B13018 Cabin B143
1.9.28 embarkation Notice
White Star Line
New Triple Screw Steamer " Laurentic,” 19,000 Tons
One of the Largest and Fastest Steamers to Canada
Glasgow to Canada
DATE | DAY | STEAMER | FOR | Passengers will embarkat PRINCES PIER, GREENOCK, where a tender will be alongside to convey them to Steamer. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1928 Sept. 15 |
Sat. | LAURENTIC | Québec and Montréal |
CABIN CLASS PASSENGERS leave ST. ENOCH STATION, GLASGOW, by Train, departing at 6-3 p.m. on Sailing Day for Princes Pier, Greenock. PASSENGERS from Ayrshire and the West of Scotland may join this Train at GILMOUR STREET STATION, PAISLEY, where it is due at 6:15 p.m.
TOURIST THIRD CABIN PASSENGERS leave ST. ENOCH STATION, GLASGOW, by Special Train departing at 5:20 p.m. on Sailing Day for Princes Pier, Greenock. PASSENGERS from Ayrshire and the West of Scotland may join this Train at GILMOUR STREET STATION, PAISLEY, where it is due at 5:35 pm.
THIRD CLASS PASSENGERS Leave T. Enoch Station, Glasgow, by Special Train Departing at 5:20 P.m. on Sailing Day for Princes Pier, Greenock. Passengers From Ayrshire and the West of Scotland May Join This Train at Gilmour Street Station, Paisley, Where It Is Due at 5:35 pm.
PASSPORTS—Canada—Passengers landing at a Canadian port must have Cards of Identity endorsed by Canadian Government Authorities. Tourists, Returning Canadians, U.S. Citizens, and persons passing through Canada to destinations beyond do not require Cards of Identity but should hold valid Passports.
UNITED STATES.--No Passenger will be allowed to embark without a Passport or Permit. All Passengers proceeding to the United States (except United States Citizens holding unexpired Passports or returning United States Residents holding permits to re-enter the United States, " Form 632 ") must have their Passports vised by an American Diplomatic or Consular Officer. Unless this requirement is fulfilled, passengers will not be admitted into the United States.
All Passports, Identity Cards, Permits, and Tickets must be produced for examination when embarking.
FRIENDS of passengers wishing to accompany them to Princes Pier Station, Greenock, may travel on the same Train provided they obtain railway tickets ordinarily.
BAGGAGE.—All heavy baggage should be at Princes Pier Station, Greenock, no later than noon, two days before sailing. For the convenience of passengers resident in Glasgow, the Railway Company will accept such baggage if delivered two days before sailing at the Shop Parcels Office, St. Enoch Station, Glasgow. The Company's baggage labels should be affixed to the ends of all packages.
Apply to Local Booking Agents or WHITE STAR LINE,
Telegrams: " CARTHAGE," GLASGOW.
153, ST. VINCENT STREET (P.O. Box. 72), GLASGOW
Telephone: 9467 CENTRAL.
Back Side of Embarkation Notice
Back Side of 1928 Embarkation Notice Distributed by White Star Line Agents in Glasgow for the 15 September 1928 Sailing of the SS Laurentic from Glasgow to Québec and Montréal. GGA Image ID # 2148415045
Cabin Class Gymnasium on the SS Laurentic. GGA Image ID # 2148aa5100
Cabin Class Lounge on the SS Laurentic. GGA Image ID # 2148bf5d29
Photo Collage of Third Class Accommodations on the SS Laurentic. Images Include (Top to Bottom, Left to Right): Third Class Smoking Room, Third Class Dining Saloon, Third Class Loung and Third Class Children's Playroom. GGA Image ID # 2149476fd2
Document Information
- Date: 15 September 1928
- Published by: White Star Line
- Dimensions: 22.8 x 29.2 cm
Review of the 1928 Embarkation Notice for SS Laurentic and Its Relevance to Ocean Travel Studies
The 1928 White Star Line Embarkation Notice for the SS Laurentic provides a valuable historical artifact for researchers, educators, genealogists, and maritime historians. It offers detailed logistical information about transatlantic voyages from Glasgow to Canada, including passenger procedures, accommodations, passport requirements, and shipboard life. This document serves as an essential primary source for understanding ocean travel in the late 1920s, particularly for those studying immigration, maritime history, and social class distinctions aboard ocean liners.
Why This Document Is Important
1. For Educators & Students: A Practical Example of Transatlantic Travel
📌 Key Themes: Immigration, Logistics of Ocean Travel, Economic Class Distinctions
For history and social studies teachers, this embarkation notice can be incorporated into lessons on transatlantic migration, early 20th-century travel, and the White Star Line’s role in global transportation.
💡 How It Can Be Used in the Classroom:
- Analyzing Historical Travel Documents: Students can examine how travel logistics were structured in the 1920s, including passport and visa requirements.
- Comparing Class Distinctions in Travel: The Cabin Class accommodations (luxury lounges, gymnasium, spacious cabins) versus Third Class (smoking rooms, dining saloon, children's playroom) highlight economic disparities in passenger experiences.
- Understanding Immigration Routes to Canada: The Glasgow-to-Québec-and-Montréal route was a major corridor for European migration to North America, particularly for Scottish and Irish immigrants.
🔎 Classroom Activity Idea:
Students can compare this 1928 embarkation notice to modern travel tickets and immigration policies, discussing how ocean travel evolved into air travel and how immigration laws have changed over time.
2. For Genealogists: A Reference for Tracking Ancestors’ Migration
📌 Key Themes: Passenger Records, Immigration Routes, Travel Documentation
This embarkation notice is a key artifact for genealogical research, particularly for those tracing Scottish, Irish, and British ancestors who immigrated to Canada in the 1920s.
💡 Why It’s Valuable for Genealogists:
- The specific mention of passenger Miss C.A.C. McKellar (Cabin Passenger, Ticket No. B13018, Cabin B143) provides a real-world example of how an individual’s journey was recorded.
- The list of embarkation instructions, train departures, and baggage handling procedures provides insights into how migrants and travelers prepared for long ocean voyages.
- The passport and identity card requirements for Canada and the United States highlight the early enforcement of immigration regulations, which can help genealogists understand barriers faced by their ancestors.
📖 Genealogy Tip:
For those researching family history, this embarkation notice can serve as a guide to interpreting White Star Line passenger manifests and embarkation records from the same period.
3. For Maritime Historians: Insights into White Star Line Operations
📌 Key Themes: White Star Line, Transatlantic Routes, Passenger Accommodations
The SS Laurentic was one of the largest and fastest White Star Line vessels operating between Europe and Canada in the late 1920s. This document sheds light on:
🚢 Ship Operations & Passenger Services
- Departure Procedures: The use of a tender at Greenock to transport passengers to the main vessel highlights standard embarkation practices.
- Train Connectivity: The synchronized train departures from Glasgow to the pier at Greenock illustrate how steamship companies worked with rail networks to streamline passenger movement.
- Class Divisions in Ocean Travel: The differentiation between Cabin Class, Tourist Third Cabin, and Third Class reflects the social and economic stratification aboard transatlantic liners.
📖 Maritime History Tip:
Researchers studying White Star Line operations can use this document to cross-reference passenger lists, promotional brochures, and shipboard regulations from the same period to reconstruct the transatlantic travel experience.
Final Assessment: A Rare & Valuable Historical Artifact
This 1928 embarkation notice for the SS Laurentic is a rich primary source that can be used to study immigration, maritime travel, and social history from multiple perspectives.
✅ Teachers & Students: Gain insights into immigration, travel logistics, and ocean liner accommodations.
✅ Genealogists: Understand how family members may have traveled from Scotland to Canada in the late 1920s.
✅ Maritime Historians: Explore White Star Line passenger procedures, shipboard life, and class distinctions.
By examining the detailed instructions and images in this document, researchers can reconstruct the journey of passengers traveling across the Atlantic in the interwar period, making it a valuable resource for historical inquiry and education.