Cunard Line History and Ephemera
The Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives has extensive holdings in Cunard Line Ephemera from the 1880s through 1954. The Collections are organized by Passenger Lists, Steamship Tickets, Brochures, Menus, Periodicals, Books, Photographs and Miscellaneous.
Primary Cunard Line Steamship Company Ephemera Collections
- Cunard Line Articles
- Cunard Line Books
- Cunard Steamship Tickets - Contracts for Passage
- Cunard Line Periodicals (Magazines)
- History of the Cunard Line through 1910
Cunard Passenger Lists
Cunard Line Passenger Manifests
The Cunard Line's main services — New York-Southampton; New York-Liverpool; New York-London; New York-Bristol; Baltimore- Bristol: New York-Mediterranean; New York-Antwerp; New York-Rotterdam; Boston-Liverpool; Boston-London; Boston-Glasgow; Philadelphia-Bristol; Philadelphia-London; Montreal-Falmouth-London; Montreal-Bristol; U. K.- Mediterranean; U. K.-Levant and Black Sea; U. K.-French Ports.
Vintage Brochures
The Story of the Cunard Line - 1902
Cunard Steamship Company, Limited, one of the oldest and most famous of British steam navigation undertakings elected to remain independent and outside the scope of the great Trust. This is their Story as published by BUSINESS ILLUSTRATED. December 1902. Lavishly Illustrated including Interior Photographs.
8-Page Booklet/Leaflet from 1910 titled "Famous Cunarders" provided an illustrated introduction to their "A"-List Cunard fleet including the Campania, Carmania & Caronia, Carpathia, Lusitania & Mauretania, Pannonia, and the Saxonia & Ivernia.
Franconia and Laconia For The Boston Service - 1911
Flyer created by Cunard to announce two new steamships for the Boston service, 18,000 tons each. The ships were of the intermediate class and accommodations described in this flyer pertain primarily to the First Class.
RMS Franconia and Laconia - Cunard Line - 1912
A scarce brochure provides a remarkable record of these two short-lived steamships that brought thousands of immigrants from Liverpool to Boston from 1912 to 1916. The Laconia was torpedoed and sunk by the German Submarine U-50 on 25 February 1917; and, the Franconia was torpedoed and sunk by German Submarine UB-47 on 4 October 1916.
Fishguard Information for Passengers of Cunard - 1913
Fishguard is situated on the south-west coast of Wales, and is the nearest British port to New York used by Atlantic liners. It affords the quickest means of reaching London, and is also a convenient port for the Continent.
Cunard Passenger Log Book - 1913
Rare Third-Class Accommodation on Cunard Liners featuring interior and exterior photographs of the ships and accommodations for third class/steerage passengers. Undated brochure circa 1913. Its contents were meant to entice the immigrants to book passage to the New World.
Cunard Line RMS Aquitania Comparisons - 1914
Aquitania made her maiden voyage from Liverpool on 30 May 1914. This brochure was one of many published in 1914 to exalt the size of the ship and accommodations available. Many comparisons were made with well-known US structures of that era.
Cunard to Liverpool via Cobh (Queenstown) - 1920s
Superb interior photographs of the Cunard steamships Carinthia, Franconia, Laconia, Samaria, and Scythia makes this an excellent brochure from the 1920s. The uniqueness of this booklet is greatly improved by the inclusions of context with photo captions.
Cunard Tourist Third Cabin Accommodations - 1920s
Tourist Third Cabin replaced the old Third Class on the Cunard Steamships, the refinished accommodations attracted students, professors, young business people, and bargain-hunters filling the cabins left mostly empty from the decline of the immigrant trade. This is a photo journal of the accommodations found in the new Tourist Third Cabin class.
The re-opening of the Liverpool-Queenstown-Boston Service with the “ Samaria,” one of the finest and largest of the new post-War Cunarders, emphasizes the importance which the Cunard Company attaches to this Service.
Cunard - The Liverpool Route - 1923
16- Page Brochure provides insight into the Liverpool Route that is shared by both the Cunard Line and Anchor Line. The majority of the booklet is a tour guide of England, and the remainder on passenger service between Boston, New York, and Canada to Liverpool, Queenstown, Cherbourg, and other European ports of call.
Cunard Line Second Class to Europe - 1927
12-Page brochure covers the Boston to Europe route of the Cunard Line in 1927. Interior photographs help to illustrate the second class accommodations available on the Samaria, Scythia, and Laconia.
Vintage Brochures - Legacy System
1893 Cunard Passenger's Log Book
Excellent source for understanding the history and operations of a steamship including crew requirements.
1914 Cunard Services to Boston
This 1914 brochure provides an overview of the port of Boston, the Cunard Line piers and the history of the Cunard Line in the Boston to Liverpool route starting with the sailing of the Britannia in 1840.
1921 Passenger's Guide: Mauretania
This 1921 brochure covers Saloon and Second Class accommodations, Cutout indicates what is located in Decks A through E and a listing and information about Ocean Sign Posts.
Cunard Vintage Menus
Vintage Menus of the Cunard Line
The rule was always enforced to sacrifice speed to safety, and never to run any avoidable risk. Even now, though newspapers often speak of "racing" and "making a record," it is believed that the Cunard ships are never allowed to practice either.
Miscellaneous Historical Documents from the Cunard Line
Abstract of Log
Letters Written by Passengers on Board Cunard Steamships
- 1903-03-07 Letter written on board the RMS Saxonia with Newspaper clippings on the 1,046 new Americans (immigrants) that were on board this voyage and reporting on a death of a young passenger and burial at sea.
Ship Histories
Other Cunard Line Historical Documents
- 1913-06-10 Immigrants and Steerage Passengers Inspection Card, RMS Laconia. Norwegian Immigrant including photograph.
- Baggage Contract and Receipt, Cunard Line SS Aurania, 1904
- Abstract of Log, Cunard Line RMS Andania, Westbound Voyage No. 12, 1923
- Treasure Quest - The Silver Queen (SS Laconia I - 1911)
“Treasure Quest – The Silver Queen” a production of the Discovery Channel produced a program in 2009 about the SS Laconia (1911) that was torpedoed in the North Atlantic off the coast of Ireland at the start of WWI. - Express Route between New York an London via Fishguard (ca 1911)
The attention of Passengers is specially drawn to the facilities provided by the Cunard Line for their American patrons in reaching London and the Continent by traveling via Fishguard on the South Wales Coast, which is now recognized as the most expeditious route. Includes Route Map.
External Sites
We recommend viewing Chicago Film Archives' promotional film produced by the Cunard Line during the 1920s that begins with the RMS Berengaria leaving New York harbor on route to Cherbourg or Southampton with the return trip to New York on the SS Maurentania. The film highlights the features of the ship as well as ship entertainment.
Other Cunard Line Ephemera Not Digitized
- 1900-03-20 Certificate of Discharge for a Seaman aboard the Lucania
- 1910s Poster - Cunard Line Royal Mail Steamers From Liverpool to New York and Boston via Queenstown - 5 1/3 Days across the Atlantic.
- 1912-06-29 Letter written during the voyage on the RMS Caronia giving a great slice of life on board ship and a recap of how the passengers met.
- 1912 Photograph of the RMS Laconia at Riverside Docking Area, Liverpool.
- 1912 Photograph of the RMS Laconia in Open Sea.
- 1912 Photograph of the RMS Laconia from the Frank Braynard Collection
- 1913 Letter written on board the RMS Franconia during voyage about activities and observations made about the ship.
- 1913-07-02 Itinerary and Souvenir Program, Tour B Conducted by E. W. Van Deusen, RMS Carpathia Voyage from 2 July to 23 August 1913
- 1913-07-29 Abstract of Log, RMS Laconia, Boston to Liverpool in 6 Days, 22 Hours, 42 Minutes. Reverse side is Photograph of RMS Laconia.
- 1920s (Undated) Handwritten letter (partial) from passenger aboard the Cunard Berengaria (in service at Cunard 1921-1938
- 1920-04-15 Ricevuta Vaglia - Currency Exchange Receipt Text in Italian.
- 1920s Fold Out Maps: Ports of Call: Maps of Approaches to North Atlantic Ports - Cunard Line. Includes Quebec - Montreal & St. Lawrence River; New York and Hudson River Approaches; English Channel and Southampton; English Channel - Cherbourg & Le Havre; Liverpool & The River Mersey; and South Coast of Eire and Cobh.
- 1922-08-24 Program of Concert: In aid of the Seaman's Charities of New York and Liverpool, RMS Scythia
- 1923-06-17 Abstract of Log of the Cunard RMS Andania, Voyage 12, Captain E. T. Britten, R.D., R.N.R. From London, Southampton and Cherbourg To Quebec and Montreal. Voyage June 7-17. Illustration of RMS Andania on Reverse Side.
- 1925 ca. Atlas of the World: Cunard Line, Anchor Line 36 pages of mostly maps with a hand-written notation of "around 1933-34 - another estimate of the time this was printed.
- 1926: Atlas: Cunard and Anchor Lines - Atlas of the World. 36 Pages.
- 1927-01-23 Abstract of Log, RMS Laconia II, Liverpool to New York via Queenstown. Recap of voyage January 15-23 of 7 Days, 14 Hours, 39 Minutes. Captain E. T. Britten, R.D., R.N.R. Illustration of RMS Laconia II on reverse side.
- 1928-10-07 Abstract of Log, RMS Ausonia, Southampton to Quebec and Montreal via Queenstown, Captain G. R. Dolphin, R.D., R.N.R. Voyage from September 29-October 7: 6 Days, 10 Hours, 36 Minutes, 2,296 Miles. Photograph of RMS Ausonia on Reverse Side.
- 1929-07-16 Landing Arrangements at Cherbourg & Southampton, RMS Berengaria, New York to Cherbourg and Southampton.
- 1929-07-19 Entertainment Program: In aid of British and American Seamen's Institutions, RMS Berengaria. Includes a complete listing of the institutions which benefit.
- 1929-07-22 Abstract of Log, RMS Berengaria, 5 Days, 18 Hours, 47 Minutes New York to Southampton via Cherbourg. Photograph of RMS Berengaria on reverse side.
- 1929-09 Program of Events, Monday through Thursday, RMS Aquitania. Typo in omission on complete date.
- 1930-07-12 Immigration Control Card, Form B 46, Tourist Third Cabin Passenger Barah Smith, SS Ascania, From Cherbourg to Quebec and US.
- 1930-09-15 Abstract of Log, RMS Lancastria, Southampton to New York via Havre, Captain B. B. Oram, R.D., R.N.R. Voyage from September 6 - 15, 1930 covering 3,152 Miles. Length of Passage: 8 Days, 10 Hours, 36 Minutes. Photograph of the RMS Lancastria on reverse side.
- 1931-01-10 Program of Events, RMS Scythia, Listing of Social Events from Monday, January 12th through Saturday, January 17th on a voyage from Liverpool to New York via Belfast and Halifax. Captain G. Gibbons, R.D., R.N.R. Includes Deck Sports Program on back cover.
- 1932-09-02 List of Passengers - Weekend Cruise, RMS Berengaria, New York to Halifax and returning to New York on 6 September. Captain E. T. Britten, R.D., R.N.R.
- 1934-02 Postcard: The Queen Mary No. 534 The World's Largest Liner with London skyline in background - Valentine's Post Card Printed in Great Britain.
- 1954-06-17 Postcard: Illustration of Cunard RMS Queen Mary
