Passenger journal:
Thursday, 21 May 1953.
- 1710: Left North Springfield in/with K.Bournes car & also the following
Hollingdale car. Doris & Ken Bourne, Albert & Margaret Hollingdale,John &
Ivornia Hollingdale.
- 2100: Checked into Hotel Taft, 50th at 7th Ave, NYC. Joined by Dorothy Lord Stanley
Ganz.
- 2200: To Brass Rail for Cocktails and supper

- 0000: Moved over to Jack Dempsey's for more cocktails and had picture taken of gang.
- 0130: Back to hotel & bed. Rm 752
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Friday, 22 May 1953
- 0830: Automat, 50th 6-7th Ave Breakfast.
- 0950: To Boat-Pier 86, NR.foot 46th ST. Cabin S47- First class. Sun Deck. Joined on board by others, with our gang.
John & Gladys Eaton, Bruce Eaton, Neil V Johns.
- 1130: All ashore for those not sailing.
- 1201: Tugs "Carol Moran" and Barbara Moran" pulled ship from dock and
into N.R.
- Bridge free of Pier 86. Harbor foggy. Opposite Statue of Liberty ran into Edmond Stanley
Herbert Staples, owners & operators #9 Knox st Boston. Also aboard, but not seen as
yet Duke & Duchess
of Windsor.
- 1300: To Asst Chief Steward Mumsey for table setting- late Table 36.
- 1330: Time to eat.
- 1400: Passed Ambrose Lightship. Spent afternoon getting acquainted with layout of ship.
- 1600 Life boat drill with jackets, out at sea now. Foggy- the usual 5 sec blast every 2
minutes.
- 20.30: Supper.
- 2200: Movies.
- 2300: lounge for
smoke before retiring around midnight. Advanced clocks 75 minutes during nite. Fog
lifted during night.
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Saturday 23, May 1953
- 0900: Up out for walk
- 0930: Breakfast
- 1045: Another walk. Still little fog no 5/2 b;. Saw porpoises. Rather damp out. No sun.
- 1130: writing lounge to start daily log of doings.
- 1200: 639 miles, sailing time 20h33min average speed31.13k
- 1345: lunch
- 1545: Walk around Sun deck, still fog. Medium sea running a following sea. Ran Into
Commodore John Anderson (Captain), Commodore Wm Kaiser( Chief Engineer), Lt Harold Trask (
Surgeon). Quite a Reunion of old times.
- 1730: Nap before supper.
- 1900: Was offered table in private
dining room for rest of voyage. The Duke & Duchess eat all meals there.
- 1930: Short walk to supper. Saw Duke & Duchess.
- 2000: To Indian Cocktail lounge.
- 2045: Supper. Formal.
- 2200: Writing room lounge after short walk around prom deck to settle supper.
- 2300: Dancing
- 0015: To bed. Advanced clocks 75 minutes.
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Sunday 24 May 1953
- 0315: Awakened by fog horn. Looked out. Very foggy & damp. Strong wind.
Beaufort 4. Storming --- ? flying out over waves today.
- 1100: Breakfast.
- 1130: Walk on sun deck and prom deck. Little golf but gave up as ship rolled &
pitched too much. Fog lifted a bit as compared to type at 0315. Still heavy enough for 5/2
blast.
- 1140: Writing lounge to get up to date.
- 1200: 739 miles, sail time 22h45min, avg speed 32.48k.
- 1215: Shirley feeling roll.
- 1330: Lunch.
- 1500: Stroll around deck- Sun deck as well as Prom deck. Watch sea kick up.Spray coming
over Sun Deck. Put up safety lines.
- 1600: Nap.
- 1700: Went to writing lounge to see new pictures.
- 1900: Cocktail in Indian lounge.
- 2045: Supper.
- 2200: Movies:
- 2330: Dancing- inspite of heavy roll.
- 0100: Capt (Commodore) Anderson came over to table. Another round of drinks.
- 0200 Bed. Advanced clocks 75 minutes. Sea calmed a bit, not enough to remove safety
lines.
Monday 25, May 1953
TOP
- 1200: Up. No breakfast. Just plain tired, so slept late. After all have lost 3 hrs 45min
since sailing. Trying to do 25 hour thing in 22 hr 45min day.
- 1200: 738 miles, sail time 22h45m average 32.44k
- 1330: lunch
- 1500: writing room- few post cards sent.
- 1600: movies
- 1730: Walk around Prom deck. Saw Duchess playing cards.

- 1800: Writing lounge to continue notes.
- 2030: Cocktail lounge.
- 2100: Gala dinner. Hats & favors.
- 2300: Library lounge, smoke & sit. Dance floor very full.
- 0030: bed, advance clocks 75 min. No sun today. Heavy sea running. Windy rain / wet.
Tuesday, 26 May 1953
TOP
- 0915: Up. Sea moderated considerably, visibility much improved. Cloudy mist.
- 0945: Breakfast.
- 1015: Walk prom deck & Sun deck. Overtook American Shipper.
- 1030: Writing lounge. Got all cards out (26)
- 1200: Day run 739 miles, 22 hrs 45 min average 32.48k. 409 miles from LeHavre. The sun
at last
- 1330: Lunch
- 1530: Short tour of ship
- 1600: Ran plum into Duke of Windsor. Both of us coming around corner and met-bang-
- 1700 Off Bishops light. Now in channel
- 1725 Passed " Italia" out bound
- 1800: Passed couple of British Destroyers who sent over by light code " Give our
regards to the Duke". Got little-most packing done.
- 2030: Supper
- 2200; Movies Another rank picture - walked out.
- 2300: Smoking lounge, short walk on P deck- Met Staples & Stanley. Talked for while
before retiring at
- 0015: Bed. However kept packing as nearing LeHavre. ( the girl with boyish haircut is
Mrs Peter Fuller Boston).
Wednesday May 27 1953
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- 0200: Picked up pilot.
- 0240: Docked at LeHavre
- 0245: Now to sleep
- 0645: Up
- 0800: Breakfast
- 0900: On Deck. Watched Duke & Duchess of Windsor leave boat 5 cars about 915 when
they got off.
- 1000: Pulling out of LeHavre.
- 1130: In Commodore Anderson's bridge room for cocktails. Tour of bridge 1215. Watch
LeHavre harbor pilot- " out of Dry dock".
- 1230: Finished packing.
- 1315: Lunch
- 1430: Immigration officials.
- 1500: On deck watch coming up river to Southampton.
- 1710 Tie up to docks after 6 tugs turned ship around.
- 1730: Custom thru in no time flat
- 1800: Picked up car- " Little closet"
- 1915: Winchester- " Royal Hotel Rm 38".
- 2015: Supper.
- 2100: Walk around town.
- 2300: Bed, found 2 pots in room with pink bows on them. Shirley never stopped laughing
about them.
Copyright L Driscoll 1998.
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