Written by Chloe Gamble
The decadence of travel, the glamour of First Class, and the grandeur of life on the high seas, at an era when the voyage itself, for leisure and style, might be as significant as the destination…
In the golden age, transatlantic passenger travel began with the debut of the White Star Liner Oceanic in 1870. The opulent, 400-foot ship, sailing weekly between Liverpool and New York, Boston, and Quebec. This long journey didn’t need to be a chore, it was seen as an occasion to be eagerly anticipated. In the beginning of this era, ships were built with the concern for speed than luxury, yet soon wealthy shipping magnates began to decorate them with magnificent staircases and Louis XVI furniture.
In the height of the opulence, the 1920s and 1930s. The affluent were the target of the ships by this point, particularly wealthy Americans who were escaping Prohibition to enjoy the liquor in Europe.
In our collection, we have a suitcase from the 20th century. Crafted in cow hide and complete with a pocket created from pig leather, this suitcase certainly brings an element of true class and style. The stickers (and their questionable placement of them) fascinates me the most, when researching this very well preserved suitcase.
On the blue oval sticker, this is an image of the Cunard White Star ‘Queen Mary’. Passengers were allowed to bring as much luggage as they wished, thus the number of bags that have survived today. Many of these bags included suitcases and steamer trunks; the Duke and Duchess of Windsor famously boarded with 25 pieces of luggage!
Try bringing that onto Stena Line for your next summer holiday! Items that passengers did not require during the journey were carried free of charge in the hold.
This hat case that was created to safely store a gentleman’s top hat and was made from cow hide.
Taking a closer look at the hat case, you can see a red sticker showing the letter ‘B’, it appears that the letter matched the surname of the passenger. At the end of the voyage, luggage was placed in alphabetical order on the pier, allowing the porters quick access to an individual’s luggage.
At the side of the hat case there is an identical sticker of the Cunard White Star ‘Queen Mary’. Perhaps both objects travelled together on the ship?
The large amount of luggage allowance meant that passengers were able to bring many extravagant outfits aboard the Queen Mary. The passengers frequently changed their clothes multiple times throughout the day; various outfits were suitable for morning walks on the deck and afternoon tea in the lounge. Gentlemen were expected to dress for supper in the evening, in a black-tie fashion.
The Queen Mary hosted a range of extravagant rooms for various activities to entertain guests such as: A dining room, lounge, library, smoking room, lecture room, music room, children’s playground, drawing room, two writing rooms, bars, a barber shop, and a gymnasium were among the opulent amenities.
The golden era of travel in the 1930s was extremely fashionable for those who could afford it, especially as a First Class passenger on the Queen Mary ship.
Our collection can be found in the archives of the Museum of Leathercraft.
References
Aimee McLaughlin. (2018). V&A reimagines ” a golden age of travel” with Ocean Liners exhibition. [Online]. Victoria and Albert Museum. Last Updated: 31 January. Available at: https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/29-january-4-february-2018/va-reimagines-golden-age-travel-ocean [Accessed 28 September 2022].
Dan Grossman. (2015). Queen Mary and Hindenburg: A Detailed Comparison. [Online]. Airships.net. Last Updated: 10 December. Available at: https://www.airships.net/blog/hindenburg-queen-mary-choose/ [Accessed 28 September 2022].
The Candlelight Club. (2018). The Golden Age of Travel. [Online]. The Candlelight Club. Last Updated: 9th March. Available at: https://www.thecandlelightclub.com/events/2018/3/9/the-golden-age-of-travel [Accessed 28 September 2022].
Pearl Ann Reichwein. (2018). Canadian Pacific: The Golden Age of Travel. [Online]. American Review of Canadian Studies. Last Updated: 06 July. Available at: https://www-tandfonline-com.arts.idm.oclc.org/doi/pdf/10.1080/02722011.2018.1493800?needAccess=true [Accessed 28 September 2022].
