CUNARD LINER ‘SAMARIA’ OF 1921

Built by Cammell Laird (Shipbuilders & Engineers) at Birkenhead in 1921. Yard No. 836

Official Number: 145923   Signal Letters: G J C F

Gross Tonnage: 19,848,  Nett: 10,955.     Length: 601·5ft,  Breadth: 73·7ft.

Owned by the Cunard Steamship Co.Ltd.,  registered at Liverpool.

6 steam turbines, double-reduction geared to twin screws. Speed: 16 knots.

            The Samaria was launched on 27^th November 1920 and at the time was the largest passenger liner so far constructed on Merseyside. The launching ceremony was performed by Mrs J.H. Beazley, the wife of one of the Cunard Line Directors, at a time when labour conditions were interfering considerably with shipbuilding output, and the Samaria was delayed for six months on the slipway and cost an additional quarter of a million pounds. The final cost of the Samaria was reputed to be just about as much as for the first Mauretania – a ship of nearly twice her gross tonnage.

            The Samaria ran her trials in Liverpool Bay on 8^th April 1922 and began her maiden voyage to Boston on 19^th April. She was originally scheduled for the New York route, but owing to the delayed completion of the Laconia by a strike at Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson at Wallsend, the Samaria had her sailing date brought forward by a few days.

            In June 1922, the Samaria was forced to return to Liverpool with engine trouble and her passengers were transferred to the Laconia. In July 1922 it was announced that the Samaria would make a round-the-world cruise, east-about, organised by Thomas Cook, sailing from New York on 20^th January 1923. However, the Samaria was detained at Liverpool with gearing trouble and was not able to leave for New York until 24^th January. She eventually sailed on the world cruise a fortnight later than scheduled, carrying 400 passengers. The cruise ended back at New York in June 1923, and a similar cruise was arranged for the following year. The Samaria had the distinction of being the first Cunard liner to transit the Panama Canal.

            The next time the Samaria came into the news was in August 1926, when on a Saturday evening outside New York she narrowly missed being in collision with the Anchor Line vessel Cameronia. In dense fog the two ships came to within six feet of each other, and the Cameronia’s log line was carried away by the Samaria.

            On 28^th January 1928 the Samaria left New York for a 30-day cruise to the Caribbean, the first of three such similar cruises. On 14^th July of the same year she sailed from New York for Galway Bay with the ‘Mayo Men’s Association of New York’ on their annual pilgrimage to Croagh Patrick – Ireland’s holy mountain. It was noted at the time that she was the first 20,000-ton liner to call at Galway, and while she was there she embarked pilgrims on their way to Lourdes.

            During the years prior to the Second World War the Samaria established herself as a popular ship on the trans-Atlantic run from Liverpool. After the outbreak of war she was taken over for service as a troopship. On 16^th December 1939 the Samaria left Liverpool for New York, but had to put back after striking her escorting warship. Following the end of hostilities she carried many thousands of returning troops to Canada, accompanied by their wives and children. Her passengers during the immediate post-war years included many displaced persons. These voyages commenced in the main at Cuxhaven and sailed to Quebec or Halifax, often via Le Havre. In 1950 the Samaria made a series of voyages from London to Quebec, operating as a one-class ship. It was an innovation, although only short-lived, for passengers to board the ship at London.

            In the Autumn of 1950 the Samaria was given a long overdue refit by John Brown at Clydebank, and re-entered service when she sailed from Liverpool to Quebec on 14^th June 1951 with accommodation for 250 first-class and 650 tourist-class passengers. In 1952 the Samaria grounded near Quebec. Her draft was almost that of the depth of the St Lawrence, and it should be remembered that she was designed for the New York or Boston, not the Canadian, service. The following year, in 1953, the Samaria represented Cunard among the 260 vessels at the Coronation Naval Review at Spithead.

The Samaria completed her last trans-Atlantic voyage at Southampton on 3^rd December 1955. The British Iron & Steel Corporation bought her and she left Southampton on 26^th January 1956, and arrived at Inverkeithing for demolition on the following day.