RMS Caronia Timeline

Ephemera Folio
Caronia Passenger Lists 1

Cunard's 'Green Goddess'

Luxurious world ocean travel aboard a famous British cruise liner

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Caronia's Passenger Lists

One piece of ephemera that still has uses, even today, is the Passenger List. At the time the list would become part of the ship's manifest, briefly detailing who was aboard as a travelling passenger. A copy would be distributed to every cabin, usually within hours of the ship having left its departure port.

For the passengers the list was useful in knowing who fellow travellers were, and the lists would often become cherished keepsakes. To this end, there was usually a page for collecting autographs. Often the booklets themselves were really quite lavish for their size.

Because preparing the printing plates for these lists was literally done by hand, and as such was a time-consuming process, the main body of the booklet would probably be produced ashore. Then, following the embarkation, the on-board print shop would produce an addendum that would often be “tipped in”, i.e. affixed as an extra page usually within the back cover.

These days, the Passenger List is scrutinised closely as proof of travel for people who emigrated, confirming a date of arrival in a far off land. However, it should be noted that published lists without their addendum attached are not definitive for this purpose. Because the published lists were prepared in advance there was always the possibility that some listed passengers did not embark.

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Passenger List Transcripts

Passenger lists are a fascinating source of research, especially for genealogists attempting to trace family members' movements. Transcripts of every passenger list I hold are linked to below.

Lists that are marked with ¶ are rebuilt from partly transcribed Immigration Records and those marked ¶¶ are amalgamations of published Cunard Lists and US Immigration records.

Commissioning Run Passenger List

The Coastal Cruise 18 Dec 1948

1st Class Transatlantic Passenger Lists

Cabin Class Transatlantic Passenger Lists

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Passenger Lists rebuilt from Immigration Records differ from those issued on board in that they do not carry any personal titles or decorations. However, both embarkation port and US destination are recorded, where this is absent in the published lists.

Cruise Passenger Lists

On cruises, the Caronia Passenger List was also a small handbook for passengers. The handbook section text was standard from cruise to cruise and forms the start page of the Virtual 1951 Great World Cruise. To avoid repetition of this, the transcripts for Caronia's cruises only list personnel and passengers.

Most, but not all, of these cruise passenger lists differed from the transatlantic documents in that the home state of each passenger was also shown.

A Rare Find

One passenger list that has come to hand is Caronia's very first! This list was produced for the commissioning run from Gourock on the Firth of Clyde to Southampton, just days before Caronia's maiden voyage. On board were several dignitaries, most of the Cunard Board and their invitees.

Also travelling were most of the family of the late Sir Percy Bates, the former Chairman of Cunard who's brainchild Caronia was. Sadly, he'd unexpectedly died in 1946. The Guest of Honour was Lieut. H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh KG, RN. The entire document has been scanned and its pages will be found below.

Click on thumbnails below to view larger image...

The Commissioning Run Passenger List

1948 Passgr List - to Craig
Passenger List
...to Craig

1948 Passgr List - to Harris
Passenger List
...to Harris

1948 Passgr List - to Mealey
Passenger List
...to Mealey

1948 Passgr List - to Sleigh
Passenger List
...to Sleigh

1948 Passgr List - to Yarrow
Passenger List
...to Yarrow

[Images: The Tilling Collection]

The Coastal Cruise Passenger List transcript

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