Big U Passenger journal

Passenger journal:

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 TOP

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. TOP

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. TOP

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 TOP

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. TOP