Mauretania & Lusitania's Paintwork

[greg robertson]

When the Lusitania was completed her paintwork was different when she left her birthplace to when she sailed on her maiden voyage (and there after)? At the time she left the Clyde, her bow was pained similar to WSL ships with a white hull below the forecastle - why was this repainted?

When Mauretania sailed on her trials and Left the Tyne, her paintwork looked scruffy and hadnt been repained in Cunard Colors - Why was this?

 

[Walter Cuoghi]

Lusitania was painted with the white stripe under the forcastle only during her trials...but there are many photos taken during this time. Cunard ordered her repainted because with the all-black hull she presented a "sleeker longer and more compact profile" (Philip Dawson "The Liner")

However, in my modest opinion she was prettier in her original paintscheme

 

[Michael Cundiff]

Yes I should agree, in my collection I have an over-size real photo postcard of Lusitania at a full head of steam, taken on her trial run(s), and she appeared with a stout much more defiant attitude...not to mention the beautiful ornate markings which adorned her after stern.

Michael Cundiff
NV, USA

 

[Eric Longo]

"When Mauretania sailed on her trials and Left the Tyne, her paintwork looked scruffy and hadnt been repained in Cunard Colors - Why was this?"

Hi Greg,

I"ll try to answer your question. When the Mauretania left the Tyne on September 17 she was headed for her first set of informal trials. She then returned to Swan to be painted and departed for Liverpool on October 22. She reached Liverpool on the morning of the 24th; she was in the Canada drydock by 9:30 that evening and remained there for some 6 days while her hull was cleaned. She received a general grooming and further repainting in preparation for her MV. After her formal trials in early November she returned to Liverpool, was provisioned and shortly thereafter departed for her first westbound crossing. This all allowed her paintwork to be as fresh as possible for her MV on the 16th. Great care regarding her appearance is obvious - for example, look at her cowl vents on the September 17 and the October 22. You will find images of both events and more in my article linked below. I wrote is last year but perhaps you have not seen it. It covers this area of her life specifically and in detail. Most all of the images are from my personal collections, restored by me and previously unseen. I hope you enjoy it.

One thing I see I neglected to mention was her course to Liverpool on October 22-24 - it was "up and over."

<font color="ff6000">Farewell to the Tyne: Photographs and Memories of the Mauretania Leaving North Shields

Best wishes,
Eric

 

[Michael Cundiff]

Eric: Precisely what was the design that both Maury & Lucy sported two plates down just under her poop/stern and homeport names, was it a raised gilted feature? In my collection I have a real-photo card of Lusitania, stern looking fore at
dockside, very similar to the view of your rp card featured on the aforementioned site. BTW,
that angle (stern looking fore) of imaging the Cunarders has always been a favorite of mine...just love the "live" footage encircling Lusitania's stern in Ballard's Nat'l Geo. documentary.

Michael Cundiff
NV, USA

 

[Michael Cundiff]

POSTSCRIPT: Eric L., would you be so kind to share an image of your MAURY card, of previous mentioning, bearing message, regarding her eastbound MV crossing? I'd like to put, at least a decent image of the card, alongside my MAURY (hand) log abstract of the same voyage.

Thanking you in advance,

Michael Cundiff
NV, USA

 

[Eric Longo]

Hi Michael,

That was her intricate scroll work. It was raised and its color has been discussed on other boards. I believe it was a "dark gold" or bronze sort of color. I can't speak to the details of this feature on the Lusitania, although I'd venture to say it was the same color.

When the Mauretania was painted into white cruise livery in May of 1933 for her return to service in June, this scroll work appeared much darker, but that could just be the contrast against the white of the hull and shadows from its relief.

Unless I am misunderstanding you, the MV image you mentioned in my collection, for which I paid a small fortune (a unique photograph, not a postcard), does not appear in that article. Other than the July 2nd, 1935 photograph of her stopping at the Tyne on her final voyage to Rosyth, the latest image in my article dates to the evening of November 6th while she was completing the measured mile off Gourock near the Cloch lighthouse. While I have shown a small scan of this very rare private photograph which was exposed, developed, written and posted on the morning of her eastbound MV departure in some thread or other, I am not keen on posting a printable scan of it. Among other reasons, it is slated to appear in a book in the future. I hope you understand. It is a remarkably sharp book cover quality image - apart from the high quality of the photograph it both shows and describes the fog which initially hampered her departure, yet does not show the damage sustained and recorded on her very rough westbound MV. To which Figure(s) are you referring?

I also have another card, a low production photocard by W&Co, which shows her entering the Canada drydock and bears a message mentioning the eastbound MV departure and posted within an hour of the event on November 16th.

Best,
Eric

 

[Michael Cundiff]

Pardon me Eric, my lack of paying attn., it is figure #20 of which I have a similar image of Lusitania, however the portside dock is of a differing nature. I'll look at the rp card this evening and give you a furthur description. It is the only time I have seen the image and was so fortunate
in having obtained it from a gentleman in Canada for next to pennies. BTW, for your future reference I will be happy to loan images of my Mauretania 1 holdings so as to share in your book. Just earlier, before your previous post I said to myself..."I sure hope Eric Longo options to do a MAURY book". Honest to GOD...;-)

Michael Cundiff
NV, USA

 

[Michael Cundiff]

Eric, WOW! Upon closer inspection, my Lusitania card is nearly a twin of your figure #20 Mauretania real-photo. Different only in that a tugboat is aft of her stern, smoke is exhausting her first stack, and steam exhausting her fourth funnel pipe. The clarity is surreal...I see stern name (Lusitania) and the propellor warning, as well two towering cranes. Hand print afront reads...S.S. LUSITANIA IN DOCK. It is a C. & W. Mahood, Liscard. Alas, I now know where she is moored, thanks to your page!

Michael Cundiff
NV, USA

 

[Eric Longo]

Hi Michael,

Glad you were able to ID the location. There are several varieties of that Mauretania card - only very slight differences such as those you described.

Best,
Eric

 

[Eric Longo]

"...I sure hope Eric Longo options to do a MAURY book". Honest to GOD...;-)..."

Hi Michael,

I just noticed the above. Many thanks for the kind words. To clarify, the book I mentioned is not "my" book. The book project I had originally planned, and started work on, I actually opted out of in 2005/early 2006 after problems and delays with the publisher, who actually managed to get my name wrong in the Amazon listings and so on. This was, for whatever unfortunate reason, rather typical and another reason I did not wish to continue. As I have chosen to do before (and thankfully NOT to do in at least one instance), I will be providing restored images (in this case as many as desired, hopefully color as well as stereo) and assistance for what promises be a truly superb book.

Best,
Eric