SS Laconia 1912 Second Cabin Passage: A Glimpse into Transatlantic Travel

📌 Explore a rare 1912 Second Cabin passage receipt from the Cunard Line’s SS Laconia, showcasing transatlantic travel between Boston and Liverpool. A valuable artifact for historians, genealogists, and maritime enthusiasts! 🌊🔍📖

Agent's Receipt and Record of a Second Cabin Ticket for an Eastbound voyage on the new Cunard Laconia from Boston to Liverpool, 3 June 1906. The Passenger was to Sail on 15 June 1912. The Agency was located in Boston, Cunard Building on 126 State Street. GGA Image ID # 1e9c63a3fb

Agent's Receipt and Record Summary

• Date of Purchase / Voyage: 3 June 1912 / 25 June 1912
• Steamship Line: Cunard Line
• Steamship: SS Laconia
• Route: Boston to Liverpool
• Ticket Type: Agent's Receipt and Record
• Voyage Class: Second Cabin
• Name on Contract: James Bartholomew
• Etnicity of Passenger(s): British?
• Contract Terms: Not Stated
• Cost of Ticket: $52.50 / $1,450.00 USD in 2020

Agent's Receipt and Record Details

Cunard Steamship Company, Limited

Outward Second Cabin Ticket No. 31040

Sold on 3 June 1912

For Second Cabin Passage in the Steamship Laconia

To Sail 15 June 1912

Passengers' Name: James Bartholomew

Age: Not given

Other Notations: E 41/1 (Berth Number)

1 Adult, 0 Children, 0 Infant

Amount Paid: $52.50

Booked to Liverpool

15 June 1912

Information on Document

• Date: 1912 June 3
• Agent Receipt No. 31040
• Dimensions: 10 x 19.68 cm

Relative Cost of Passage Ticket in Today's Currency Value

In 2020, the relative values of $52.50 from 1912 ranges from $1,030.00 to $29,100.00.

A simple Purchasing Power Calculator would say the relative value is $1,450.00. This answer is obtained by multiplying $52.5 by the percentage increase in the CPI from 1912 to 2020.

This may not be the best answer.

The best measure of the relative value over time depends on if you are interested in comparing the cost or value of a Commodity, Income or Wealth, or a Project.

If you want to compare the value of a $52.50 Commodity in 1912 there are four choices. In 2020 the relative:

• real price of that commodity is $1,450.00
• real value in consumption of that commodity is $2,950.00
• labor value of that commodity is $7,220.00 (using the unskilled wage) or $9,140.00 (using production worker compensation)
• income value of that commodity is $8,390.00
• economic share of that commodity is $29,100.00

If you want to compare the value of a $52.50 Income or Wealth , in 1912 there are five choices. In 2020 the relative:

• real wage or real wealth value of that income or wealth is $1,450.00
• household purchasing power value of that income or wealth is $2,950.00
• relative labor earnings of that commodity are $7,220.00 (using the unskilled wage) or $9,140.00 (using production worker compensation)
• relative income value of that income or wealth is $8,390.00
• relative output value of that income or wealth is $29,100.00

If you want to compare the value of a $52.50 Project in 1912 there are four choices. In 2020 the relative:

• real cost of that project is $1,030.00
• household cost of that project is $2,950.00
• labor cost of that project is $7,220.00 (using the unskilled wage) or $9,140.00 (using production worker compensation)
• relative cost of that project is $8,390.00
• economy cost of that project is $29,100.00

Source: www.measuringworth.com Samuel H. Williamson, "Seven Ways to Compute the Relative Value of a U.S. Dollar Amount, 1790 to present," MeasuringWorth, 2022.

🌊 A Journey Across the Atlantic: The SS Laconia Agent's Receipt & Record – 3 June 1912 🚢

🔍 Overview: A Second Cabin Passage from Boston to Liverpool

This Agent’s Receipt and Record for a Second Cabin passage aboard the Cunard Line’s SS Laconia, dated 3 June 1912, provides a compelling snapshot of early 20th-century transatlantic travel. The ticket was purchased for James Bartholomew, a traveler booked for the 15 June 1912 voyage from Boston to Liverpool. The cost of the ticket was $52.50, equivalent to $1,450.00 in 2020 dollars when adjusted for inflation.

🛳️ Relevance to Ocean Travel & Immigration Studies

This document is a goldmine of historical significance for:

📖 Teachers & Students: Understanding early 20th-century travel logistics.

📜 Genealogists: Tracing family migration patterns.

🏛️ Historians: Studying passenger classes, travel routes, and the role of transatlantic liners.

🗺️ Maritime Enthusiasts: Gaining insight into Cunard Line operations and ship accommodations.

📌 Key Highlights of This Passage Ticket

🌍 A Reflection of the Transatlantic Travel Boom

The early 1900s saw a surge in transatlantic travel, with Cunard Line’s luxurious and efficient steamships dominating the route between North America and Europe. The SS Laconia, one of Cunard’s newer vessels, offered travelers multiple class options, with Second Cabin positioned between the elite First Class and the crowded Third Class steerage.

🔹 Second Cabin: The Middle-Class Experience Second Cabin passage was often chosen by business travelers, skilled workers, and middle-class families who sought better accommodations than steerage but could not afford the luxury of First Class.

🔹 Boston to Liverpool: A Major Migration Route This eastbound ticket indicates a return to Europe—possibly for a visit or permanent relocation. Many immigrants who initially traveled to the U.S. later returned to their homeland, either temporarily or permanently.

🖼️ Noteworthy Images & Their Importance

1️⃣ SS Laconia Agent’s Receipt (1912)

📜 This receipt provides a rare look at how passenger bookings were recorded in travel agencies before the digital era.

2️⃣ Cunard Line’s Boston Office

🏛 The ticket was issued at the Cunard Building in Boston (126 State Street), a historic center for transatlantic travel arrangements.

🔎 Economic Context: The Cost of Passage in 1912

The $52.50 fare may seem insignificant today, but when adjusted for inflation, it represents a substantial amount equivalent to $1,450 in 2020. Here’s how the cost compared in economic terms:

💰 Relative Value in 2020:

Purchasing Power: Equivalent to $1,450.00

Labor Value: Equal to $7,220.00 based on unskilled wages

Economic Share: Equivalent to $29,100.00 in overall wealth share

📌 Insight: The ticket price reflects the affordability of Second Cabin travel for the working middle class, a stark contrast to the much higher costs of luxury First-Class travel.

🌊 Broader Historical Connections

🛳️ The SS Laconia and Cunard’s Role in Transatlantic Travel

Launched in 1911, the RMS Laconia was a key player in the growing demand for transatlantic travel.

The Cunard Line catered to different classes of passengers, ranging from wealthy elites to working-class immigrants.

During World War I, the ship was converted into an armed merchant cruiser and later sunk by a German U-boat in 1917, highlighting the perils of ocean travel in wartime.

📜 Genealogical & Historical Relevance

🔎 For Genealogists

This document confirms passenger names, routes, and class status—essential for tracking family history.

Second Cabin travelers often had greater financial security than Third Class emigrants, which can provide clues about an ancestor’s social and economic background.

🏛️ For Historians

It provides direct evidence of the cost and logistics of transatlantic travel in 1912.

The document ties into broader themes of migration, economic class, and maritime history.

🔮 Final Thoughts

This 1912 Agent’s Receipt for a Second Cabin passage on the SS Laconia is more than just a ticket—it’s a tangible link to a bygone era of transatlantic migration, maritime history, and personal journeys.

📜 For historians, educators, and genealogists, documents like these serve as valuable primary sources, shedding light on the realities of early 20th-century ocean travel.

🚢 Whether tracing family roots or studying maritime economics, this receipt is a fascinating artifact that brings the era of steamship travel to life! 🌍✨