Liverpool Picturebook

It was in 1838 that shipping magnate Samuel Cunard, of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, along with engineer Robert Napier and businessmen James Donaldson, Sir George Burns, and David MacIver formed the British and North American Royal Mail Steam Packet Company (BNARMSPC). This company was however distinct from the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company founded in London in 1839 by Scot James Macqueen. BNARMSPC successfully bid for the rights to a transatlantic mail shipping contract between England and America - winning this entitled it to use the RMS (Royal Mail Ship) prefix on its vessels. The company later changed its name to Cunard Steamships Ltd.

In May 1840 the 648 gross ton coastal paddle steamer SS Unicorn, the company's first steamship, made the company's first transatlantic trip. Under the direction of Captain Douglas, she carried 24 passengers, including Edward Cunard (Samuel's son), on a trip lasting 14 days, at an average speed of 8 knots, thereby meeting the contract requirement of a crossing in a fortnight. Regular passenger and cargo service by steamship was inaugurated by the paddle steamer Britannia, the first ship commissioned by the company. On 4 July 1840 she sailed from Liverpool to Halifax, arriving in 12 days, then to Boston in 2 days 8 hours more.

PS Caledonia was another of their early ships.

David MacIver, the superintendant over the Liverpool branch of the company died in 1845 and the reins were passed to his brother, Charles MacIver. Cunard continued to face competition from its many competitors from Britain, France, the United States and Germany, but survived them all. This was mainly due to a great focus on safety. Cunard ships were usually not the largest or the fastest but they earned a reputation for being the most reliable and the safest.

Between 1914 and 1918 Cunard Line built its European headquarters in Liverpool. The grand neo-Classical Cunard Building was to be the third of Liverpool's 'Three Graces'. The headquarters were used by Cunard until the 1960s. The prosperous company eventually absorbed Canadian Northern Steamships Ltd and, in 1934, Cunard's principal competitor, the White Star Line, owners of the ill-fated RMS Titanic and the RMS Britannic.

For more than a century and a half, Cunard dominated the Atlantic passenger trade and was one of the world's most important companies, with the majority of their liners being built at John Brown's Shipyard, Clydebank, Scotland. Its ships played important roles in the development of the world economy, and also participated in all of Britain's major wars from Crimea to the Falklands War, when Cunard's container ship Atlantic Conveyor was sunk by an Exocet missile.

Cunard Line and Princess Cruises had headquarters in Santa Clarita. The line began to decline in the 1950s as speedy air travel began to replace ships as the main transporters of passengers and mail across the Atlantic. Cunard tried to address this by forming BOAC-Cunard Ltd in 1962 with the British Overseas Airways Corporation to operate scheduled air services to North America, the Caribbean and South America. It was dissolved in 1966.

Cunard Ships

The Cunard fleet, all built for Cunard unless otherwise indicated, consisted of the following ships in order of acquisition:

Ship	Built	In service for Cunard	Type of Ship	Tonnage (GRT)	Notes
Unicorn	1836	1840–1846	wood-paddler	650	coastal steamer purchased for Montreal service, sold 1846
RMS Britannia	1840	1840–1849	wood-paddler	1,150	Eastbound record holder, sold to North German Navy 1849
RMS Acadia	1840	1840–1849	wood-paddler	1,150	sold to North German Navy 1849
RMS Caledonia	1840	1840–1850	wood-paddler	1,150	sold to Spanish Navy 1850
RMS Columbia	1841	1841–1843	wood-paddler	1,150	Blue Riband, wrecked 1843 without loss of life
RMS Hibernia	1843	1843–1850	wood-paddler	1,400	Eastbound record holder, sold to Spanish Navy 1850
RMS Cambria	1845	1845–1860	wood-paddler	1,400	Blue Riband, sold to Italian owners 1860
RMS America	1848	1848–1863	wood-paddler	1,850	Blue Riband, sold 1863 and converted to sail
RMS Niagara	1848	1848–1866	wood-paddler	1,850	sold 1866 and converted to sail
RMS Europa	1848	1848–1867	wood-paddler	1,850	Blue Riband, sold 1867
RMS Canada	1848	1848–1866	wood-paddler	1,850	Eastbound record holder, sold 1866 and converted to sail
RMS Asia	1850	1850–1868	wood-paddler	2,250	Blue Riband, sold 1868
RMS Africa	1850	1850–1868	wood-paddler	2,250	sold 1868
Arabia	1852	1852–1864	wood-paddler	2,400	sold 1864 and converted to sail
Andes	1852	1852–1859	iron-screw	1,400	sold to Spanish Government 1859
Alps	1853	1853–1859	iron-screw	1,400	sold to Spanish Government 1859
Jura	1854	1854–1860	iron-screw	2,200	sold to Allan Line 1860
Etna	1855	1855–1860	iron-screw	2,200	sold to Inman Line 1860
RMS Persia	1856	1856–1869	iron-paddler	3,300	Blue Riband, taken out of service 1868 and scrapped 1872
Australian	1857	1860–1876	iron-screw	2,700	built for other owners, sold 1876
China	1862	1862–1880	iron-screw	2,550	sold to Spanish owners 1880
RMS Scotia	1862	1864–1878	iron-paddler	3,850	Blue Riband, sold 1878 and converted to cable layer
Cuba	1864	1865–1876	iron-screw	2,700	sold 1876 and converted to sail
SS Java	1865	1865–1878	iron-screw	2,700	sold 1878 to Red Star Line, and renamed "Zeeland"
SS Russia	1867	1867–1880	express	2,950	sold to Red Star Line 1880
SS Siberia	1867	1867–1880	intermediate	2,550	sold to Spanish owners 1880
SS Samaria	1868	1868–1892	intermediate	2,550	sold 1892
SS Batavia	1870	1870–1884	intermediate	2,550	traded in for Oregon 1884
SS Abyssinia	1870	1870–1880	express	3,250	sold to Guion Line 1880
SS Algeria	1870	1870–1881	express	3,250	sold to Red Star Line 1881
SS Parthia	1870	1870–1884	intermediate	3,150	traded in for Oregon 1884, scrapped 1955
SS Bothnia	1874	1874–1898	express	4,550	sold 1898
SS Scythia	1875	1875–1899	express	4,550	sold 1899
Gallia	1879	1879–1897	express	4,800	sold to Beaver Line 1899
Cathalonia	1881	1881–1901	intermediate	4,850	sold 1901
Cephaloni	1882	1882–1900	intermediate	5,500	sold to Russian Navy 1900, sunk Port Authur
Pavonia	1882	1882–1900	intermediate	5,500	sold 1900
SS Servia	1881	1881–1902	express	7,400	first steel liner to New York, scrapped 1902
Aurania	1883	1883–1905	express	7,250	sold 1905
SS Oregon (1883)	1883	1884–1886	express	7,400	Blue Riband, built for Guion Line, purchased by Cunard 1884, sank 1886 without loss of life
RMS Umbria	1884	1884–1910	express	7,700	Blue Riband, sold 1910
RMS Etruria	1884	1884–1910	express	7,700	Blue Riband, sold 1910
RMS Campania	1893	1893–1914	express	12,900	Blue Riband, sold to Royal Navy 1914 and converted to aircraft carrier
RMS Lucania	1893	1893–1909	express	12,900	Blue Riband, scrapped after fire 1909
Ultonia	1899	1899–1917	intermediate	10,400	sunk by submarine 1917
SS Ivernia	1900	1900–1917	intermediate	14,250	sunk by submarine 1917
RMS Saxonia	1900	1900–1925	intermediate	14,250	sold 1925
RMS Carpathia	1903	1903–1918	intermediate	13,600	rescued survivors from Titanic, sunk by submarine 1918
RMS Caronia	1905	1905–1932	intermediate	19,650	scrapped 1932
RMS Carmania	1905	1905–1932	intermediate	19,650	scrapped 1932
RMS Lusitania	1907	1907–1915	express	31,550	Blue Riband, sunk by submarine 1915
RMS Mauretania	1907	1907–1934	express	31,950	Blue Riband, scrapped 1934
Franconia	1911	1911–1916	intermediate	18,100	sunk by submarine 1916
RMS Albania	1900	1911–1912	intermediate	7,650	built for Thompson Line, purchased by Cunard 1911, sold 1912
Ascania	1911	1911–1918	intermediate	9,100	wrecked 1918
RMS Laconia	1912	1912–1917	intermediate	18,100	sunk by submarine 1917
RMS Andania	1913	1913–1918	intermediate	13,400	sunk by submarine 1918
RMS Alaunia	1913	1913–1916	intermediate	13,400	sunk by mine 1916
RMS Aquitania	1914	1914–1950	express	45,650	scrapped 1950
SS Orduna	1914	1914–1921	intermediate	15,700	built for other owners, acquired by Cunard 1914, sold 1921
Aurania	1916	1916–1918	intermediate	13,400	sunk by submarine 1918
Albania	1920	1920–1930	intermediate	12,750	sold to Libera Triestina 1930
RMS Berengaria	1913	1921–1938	express	51,950	built by Hapag as Imperator, purchased by Cunard 1921, sold for scrap 1938
RMS Scythia	1921	1921–1958	intermediate	19,700	scrapped 1958
Samaria	1922	1922–1955	intermediate	19,700	scrapped 1955
RMS Laconia	1922	1922–1942	intermediate	19,700	sunk by submarine 1942
RMS Antonia	1922	1922–1942	intermediate	13,900	sold to Admiralty 1942
Austonia	1922	1922–1942	intermediate	13,900	sold to Admiralty 1942
RMS Lancastria	1922	1922–1940	intermediate	16,250	sunk by bombing 1940
Franconia	1923	1923–1956	intermediate	20,200	scrapped 1956
RMS Aurania	1924	1924–1942	intermediate	14,000	sold to Admiralty 1942
RMS Carinthia	1925	1925–1940	cruise	20,200	sunk by submarine 1940
Ascania	1925	1925–1956	intermediate	14,000	scrapped 1956
Alaunia	1925	1925–1942	intermediate	14,000	sold to Admiralty 1942
RMS Queen Mary	1936	1936–1967	express	80,750	Blue Riband, sold 1967, now a stationary hotel ship
RMS Mauretania	1939	1939–1965	express	37,750	scrapped 1965
RMS Queen Elizabeth	1940	1946–1968	express	83,650	WWII troopship 1940-1945, sold 1968, destroyed by fire 1972

Post WWII

Ship	Built	Cunard service	Type of Ship	Tonnage (GRT)	Notes
RMS Media	1947	1947–1961	Cargo liner	13,350	sold to Cogedar Line 1961
Parthia	1947	1947–1961	Cargo liner	13,350	sold to P&O 1961
RMS Caronia	1949	1949–1968	Cruise	34,200	sold 1968, wrecked 1974
RMS Saxonia RMS Carmania	1954	1954-1962 1962-1973	Iintermediate Cruise	21,637 21,370	Sold to the Black Sea Shipping Company, Soviet Union 1973
RMS Ivernia RMS Franconia	1955	1955-1963 1963-1973	Cruise	21,800	Sold to the Far Eastern Shipping Company, Soviet Union 1973
RMS Carinthia	1956	1956–1968	Intermediate	21,800	sold to Sitmar Line 1968
RMS Sylvania	1957	1957–1968	Intermediate	21,800	sold to Sitmar Line 1968
Queen Elizabeth 2	1969	1969–2008	Express	70,300	sold 2008, laid up in Port Rashid
Cunard Adventurer	1971	1971–1977	Cruise	14,150	sold to Norwegian Cruise Line 1977
Cunard Ambassador	1972	1972–1974	Cruise	14,150	sold after fire 1974 to C. Clausen and converted to a cattle carrier
Cunard Countess	1975	1976–1996	Cruise	17,500	sold to Awani Cruise Line 1996
Cunard Princess	1975	1977–1995	Cruise	17,500	sold to MSC Cruises 1995
Sagafjord	1965	1983–1997	Cruise	24,500	built for Norwegian America Line, sold to Saga Cruises 1997
Vistafjord Caronia	1973	1983-1999 1999-2004	Cruise	24,300	built for Norwegian America Line, sold to Saga Cruises 2004
Sea Goddess I	1984	1986–1998	Cruise	4,333	Built for Sea Goddess Cruises, transferred to Seabourn Cruise Line 1998
Sea Goddess II	1985	1986–1998	Cruise	4,333	Built for Sea Goddess Cruises, transferred to Seabourn Cruise Line 1998
Royal Viking Sun	1988	1994–1999	Cruise	37,850	built for Royal Viking Line, transferred to Seabourn Cruise Line 1999
Queen Mary 2	2004	2004–present	Cruise	148,528 GT	in service
Queen Victoria	2007	2007–present	Cruise	90,049 GT	in service
Queen Elizabeth	2010	2010–present	Cruise	90,901 GT	in service