A great liner RMS Aquitania.

[Jim Brady]

I think this is worth a look.
Regards.
Jim.B.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/...liners-7233961

[Richard Quartermaine]

Jim, On the Port Line ship MV Lowlander we spent three weeks in Halifax, NS in April May 1947. Whilst we were there the SS Aquitania docked and sailed. She was still in her war time grey and our crew said that this was her final voyage to Halifax. As summer was coming maybe she had other trips but not to Halifax. There is a photo I took of her at the time on my old Brownie box camera and it is on this site in my 'Gallery'. Incidentally, I see that she carried war brides and in fact we on the Lowlander carried a full compliment of passengers, 24 Aussie war brides to New York from Newcastle, NSW.
Richard

[Captain Kong]

The Bell off the AQUITANIA is in the Officers Wardroom on QE2 with the Bell off the old Franconia of 1920. I used to polish that Bell when I was QM on the old Franconia in 1956.
When QE2 was sold to the arabs in Dubai, it all went with the ship. and are still there on board as she Rots in Port Rashid, she will eventually go to China and be scrapped along with the Bells.
The New CUNARD have no sense of history, a ship is only money, when finished dispose of.
It is a tragedy.
.
Here are the Bells, the last time anyone will see them.
Cheers
Brian

[Jim Brady]

Brian if the QE2 is scrapped I imagine the bells will be scrapped along with it as nobody in China will have an interest in them.As Liverpool council are moving into Cunard Bldgs and it is also to be used as the cruise terminal I wonder would the council be interested in acquiring the bells.I wonder would it be worth sending Joe Anderson Liverpool Mayor an e.mail and photo's of the bells and telling him of their fate.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[John Albert Evans]

Jim,

What a good idea.

My late mother (Bless her) always said, "If you dont ask you dont get".

Its worth an email to try.

John.

[vic mcclymont]

In the wake of the Titanic disaster, Aquitania was one of the first ships to carry enough lifeboats for all passengers and crew. Two of these lifeboats were motorised launches with Marconi wireless equipment. As required by the British Admiralty, she was designed to be converted into an armed merchant cruiser, and was reinforced to mount guns for service in that role. Aquitania was launched on 21 April 1913 after being christened by Alice Stanley, the Countess of Derby, and fitted out over the next thirteen months. In May 1914 she was tested in her sea trials and steamed at one full knot over the expected speed.
Source Wikepidia.

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My understanding is that all the artifacts on board the QE2 are the property of Cunard and in the event of the ship being sold the artifacts will return to Cunard.

[Captain Kong]

Hi Jim and Vic,
I was told at the time of her sale whilst still on board QE2 by the CEO of Cunard that everything on board had to go with the ship,. not even a knife and fork was to be removed.
There was a Magnificent Memorial Wall with superb wood carvings of the war, on board for the Falklands war, I asked if that could be saved , I was told No, everything will belong to the Arab. The ship was Full of priceless artifacts, she was a floating Museum. I reckoned the value of what was on board was worth more than the ship itself.
She was sold for a miserable £50 million, she was a fantastic ship , on her last voyage on a passage from Japan to Honolulu we did 40 knots in the North Pacific.
I was talking to Mike Macartney, brother of Paul, Beatles, , I asked him why not get your kid to buy it for Liverpool, [ he is only worth over £800,000,000 so £50Milion would be nothing to him ] it would look fantastic, moored in a lagoon, like the old Queen Mary, at the Pier Head and it would bring in millions of tourists and provide hundreds of jobs. He said he didnt think he would do it.
So the deal was done with the Arab.
Carnival Corporation just wanted to get rid of her, no sentiment involved, sold as is. The Arab ran out of money and she has been laid up at Port Rashid Dubai for near Six years now. rusting and covered in desert dust.
It was a crime, The most famous ship in the world lies forgotten with all on board.
Again an email to Joe cannot do any harm, he is an ex seafarer and probably would appreciate the idea, bring back the three Bells, Aquitania , Franconia and QE2s. He may have a bit of influence with the Arab.

Cheers
Brian.