RMS Oceanic Passenger Lists 1907-1909

RMS Oceanic (1899) of the White Star Line. GGA Image ID # 1d325a3766

Oceanic (1899) White Star Line

Built by Harland & Wolff, Ltd., Belfast, Ireland. Tonnage: 17,274. Dimensions: 685' x 68' (704' o.l.). Twin-screw, 21 knots. Triple expansion engines. Three masts and two funnels. Promenade deck was 400 feet long. Note: The first steamship to exceed the Great Eastern in length. Displacement of 28,500 tons. Cost $3,600,000 to build. Passengers: 410 first, 300 second, 1,000 third. Launched, January 14, 1899. Maiden voyage: Liverpool-New York, September 6, 1899. Record: Made a westward passage in 5 days, 16 hours, 34 minutes. WW1 Service: Converted to an armed merchant cruiser in August 1914. Fate: Stranded on Foula Island, September 8, 1914 and became a total loss. The wreck was broken up for scrap.

Docking a Big Liner--The RMS Oceanic (1899) of the White Star Line. Detroit Publishing Company, 1903. Library of Congress # 2016805074. GGA Image ID # 1d325fc050

The second ship of her name in the White Star fleet, the first being one of the original four White Star liners of 1871 with a tonnage of 3,700 tons gross.

The largest ship in the world when commissioned she was the first to exceed in length the Great Eastern.

The White Star Line's last attempt at building for speed, and she was a disappointment to the line as she was slower than the contemporary Cunard and German liners.

She was a very popular ship on the Atlantic, and Mr. T. H. Ismay, the founder of the Line, only lived two months after his greatest ship made her maiden voyage, in September 1899. In 1900 she was trooping to South Africa during the Boer War and was the marvel of the world as a troopship carrying so many troops.

Her record passages for Western voyage were: 5 days, 16 hrs., 34 mins., for Eastern run 5 days, 18 hrs., 30 mins.

1899, August 19th. She was opened for inspection at Belfast, and thousands visited her.

1912, May 15th. She picked up a raft from the ill-fated Titanic containing the remains of three men, a fur coat, ladies' rings and other articles which seemed to prove that the raft left the sinking liner with a number of people.

She was struck by lightning when at anchor in River Mersey.

1914, August. Commissioned as merchant cruiser, later attached to the famous 10th Cruiser Squadron.

1914, September 8th. Stranded on Foula Island, in the North of Scotland, and became a total wreck.

All Digitized Passenger Lists For the RMS Oceanic Available at the GG Archives. Listing Includes Date Voyage Began, Steamship Line, Vessel, Passenger Class and Route.

 

 

Passenger Lists contained in the GG Archives collection represent the souvenir list provided to the passengers of each cabin class (and other classes). Many of these souvenir passenger lists have disappeared over the years. Our collection contains a sampling of what was originally produced and printed by the steamship lines.