Halifax public invited to attend a presentation at the Maritime Museum of ‘Charles Dickens Voyage to America’

The works of Charles Dickens remain a great draw to this very day. His famous first trip to North America in 1843 attracted great interest and not the least of which was Dickens account of his transatlantic crossing as a passenger aboard the Cunard paddle steamship RMS Britannia. January, the month inexplicably chosen by Dickens to cross was deemed an appropriate time for a presentation on that subject by the author to a large appreciative crowd gathered at Halifax’s Maritime Museum of the Atlantic.

The Charles Dickens talk was the subject of an interview with CSS Chairman at a Halifax television station

Bill Miller with Michele Stevens in the sail loft. Behind them employees are at work making a sail for the newly built replica of Columbia – an American schooner which competed against Bluenose in the International Fisherman’s Races in 1920’s

Canada’s goodwill sailing ambassador, the schooner Bluenose has been the subject of a major rebuilding effort and will be back sailing once again in 2013. A fall visit to Nova Scotia by ocean liner historian Bill Miller gave rise to a visit to the Stevens sail loft in Second Peninsula … and a tour of the just recently launched Bluenose as she lay alongside the wharf at Lunenburg Foundry.

‘Mr Ocean Liner’ aboard a ‘Grand Banker’ … the rebuilt Bluenose in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

Director/producer Robert Neal Marshall at work behind the camera on the Halifax waterfront

Producer/Director Robert Neal Marshall (RNM Productions) was in Halifax during the Tall Ships Festival to gather material, visit sites and do some filming as part of a documentary on Haligonian Samuel Cunard – founder of Cunard Line. Stay tuned – more to come!

Joseph Cunard headstone in Toxteth Park Cemetery, Liverpool, May 2012

It may come as a surprise to some that founder Samuel Cunard has family buried in Liverpool, a city with strong historical links to his company. Joseph Cunard was a younger brother who, before moving to Liverpool, oversaw the Cunard family business interests in Mirimichi, New Brunswick which he ran under the firm name of Joseph Cunard & Company. He is buried at Toxteth Park Cemetery in Liverpool. The author visited the gravesite accompanied by Liverpool friend and former Cunarder Harold Woods in May of 2012. Many thanks also to John Harris and his wife Sue of Wilton, Salisbury (John is a direct descendant of Joseph Cunard) for their sharing of the family history.

Commodore Warwick and marine artist Robert Lloyd

A Spring visit with retired Commodore Ron Warwick and wife Kim included quality time spent with two very talented people. Robert Lloyd, the world -renowned marine artist whose many works of art are enjoyed aboard the ships of Cunard Line and throughout the world welcomed Commodore Warwick and the author during a visit to his home and workplace in Pewsey.
In the village of Corsley David Carruthers, a modeler, who formerly worked with the Union Castle Line shared some time in his workshop. A long time admirer of the RMS Queen Mary, David has been busy ‘off and on’ for more than 40 years building a working 10 foot long scale model of this former Cunard flagship which still is with us as a hotel in Long Beach, California.

David Carruthers and his ‘under construction’ model of RMS Queen Mary

David Carruthers and wife Anne with a treasured painting of Queen Mary

Queen Victoria ‘stern to stern’ with Cunard’s newest ‘ocean monarch’ Queen Elizabeth at Zeebrugge, Belgium in May of 2012.(Baltic Cruise)

Although still quite young when compared to her namesake, Cunard’s Queen Victoria achieved a milestone when she completed her fifth year of service in 2012. And the ship, much like the former British monarch continues to become ever more popular with the passage of time.

Queen Victoria – ‘making and celebrating Cunard history’. Some of the author’s artifacts on display in Cunardia Exhibit aboard Queen Victoria.

Ken Marschall with CSS Chairman John G. Langley looking over the recently-acquired model of Lusitania-Mauretania at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, Halifax, N.S.

Renowned maritime artist and Titanic aficionado Ken Marschall was in Halifax on a film assignment following his appearance as one of the guest speakers aboard Azamara Journey’s Titanic Memorial Cruise.

In the maritime world, 2012 was the 100th anniversary of the sinking of Titanic April 15, 1912. John G. Langley, Q.C, Chairman of CSS was one of the guest speakers aboard Azamara Journey, one of two cruise ships which made a symbolic pilgrimage to the site of the sinking. The other vessel was the Balmoral which had a number of distinguished Titanic experts as speakers, including Society Patron, retired Cunard Commodore Ronald Warwick.

Chart showing plot of the course taken by Azamara Journey on Titanic Memorial Cruise April 10-18, 2012

New York/Manhattan skyline as seen from deck of Azamara Journey April 10, 2012, almost 100 years to the day that the Cunarder Carpathia departed New York on a routine transatlantic crossing which would end with her historic rescue of the survivors of the ill-fated Titanic

‘Order of Service aboard Azamara Journey April 15, 2012; ‘silent vigil’ over Titanic site April 15, 2012; Cunard Line Commemorative Dinner Menu April 15, 2012′