Can anyone ID these ships

[stevesherratt]

Can anyone help in identifying these two ships?

I snapped it on my mobile at my local Indian Restaurant and was intrigued to
know what ships they were.

The photograph is signed by Frank Bekan an eminent nineteenth century ship
photographer out of Cowes.

I am reasonably sure that the ship on the right of the photograph the
(Canadian Pacific) HMS/RMS Empress of Australia and is dressed overall probably
in Cowes Roads on the 1939 Royal Tour of Canada and the USA.
The ship on the left is a two funnel Liner and is also dressed overall but
also has an admirals pennant visible.

Steve Sherratt R770014 South Derbyshire in the snow and ice

[Doc Vernon]

Hi Steve
I am rather intrigued by this Picture!
I have been looking all over the Net for Picture,Paintins etc by Frank (Beken)
i think is the correct spelling,but have not as yet come up with anything like the Pic in yout post!
There are many Links to this Person,but nothing about these 2 Liners!
Woner if the people at that Restuarant would tell you where it was purchased!?
This may a clue to futher investigate!
Cheers

I wonder if that Pic would be in this Book !!

[stevesherratt]

Many thanks Vernon,

The Restaurant used to be one of the Coton village pubs and was last refurbished in the 70s (about like us lot) and the Restaurant has loads of Frank Beken Pictures amongst the Hunt Scenes and horse brasses.

Beken died in 70s and his two sons carry on the business, his work is copy right and if all else fails I will email their web site.

One other point, reading accounts of the 1939 Royal Tour of Canada and USA you realise how the world was to change and another little fact the Empress of Australia was German built as the “Liner Terpitz” and was handed over to us a First World War reparations.

Regards, and thanks again

Steve R770014
PS the cat and fiddle is still closed!! And think of us freezing as you throw another snag on the barbi
http://www.maccinfo.com/cat/

[Brian Farrell]

SteveSheratt Re your pic of two liners dressed overall in 1939 Iwonder if
they had just been fitted out as armed merchant cruisers, especially as one has a admirals flag flying

[stevesherratt]

Dear Brian

Many thanks for your interest and through posts here and further research I have established that early in the year of 1939 The late King George VI and Queen Elizabeth embarked to Tour Canada in the Empress of Australia and she is the ship on the right of the picture. It is still a mystery as to what the ship on the left is? And why she is flying a broad Admirals Pennant. It is also possible that this is a picture of their return.

Regards

Steve R770014

[Tom Kirby]

Hi Steve, As a maritime artiist myself I can assure you that the ship on the right is the Majestic (ex German ship Bismarck) 56,000 gross Tons , the other ship also ex German the Kaiserin August Victoria or its sister transferred to Canadian Pacific, as Empress of Scotland 24,580 Tons . See library book ,Ocean Liners ,Beken of Cowes, all of the old liners are there in colour. Tom

[stevesherratt]

Many thanks Tom and all who have helped.

Best regards,

Steve R770014 South Derbyshire