RMS AQUITANIA: THE SHIP BEAUTIFUL

[Tyler J Frederick]

Dear Sir Mark Chirnside,
I am reading your book on the Aquitania for the second time. I must say I'm hook on the Aquitania. How did Cunard produce such a wonderful ship? Aquitania was indeed the Ship Beautiful. My only question is why didn't the Aquitania use the wilen davits? Other then that if you more to talk about the Aquitania, I would love to know more, ok? Take care.
Sincerely,
Tyler J Frederick

[Mark Chirnside]

Tyler,

It's Mark, please - I haven't been knighted.

Thanks for reading the book. I am glad you enjoyed it the first time and are now reading it again. I don't remember running across any documentation as to why a particular type of davit was used - if memory serves, some of them were changed during World War II. Unlike White Star, Cunard had their own in house naval architectural staff, so they designed the ship and asked the shipbuilder to built it, whereas White Star relied on Harland & Wolff.

Best wishes,

Mark.

[Tyler J Frederick]

Thank you for the answer on the davits. I love both Cunard & White Star Line, but I think I need to remember they were two different companies before 1934. Say, I notice at the stern on the 3rd Class enclose promenade. there was like 30 feet of ship on the spot below the 2nd Class superstructure. but after World War II, that same opening was cut in half. Did Cunard enclose the 3rd Class promenade farther? Sorry, if I not specific enough. I enjoy many other books that talk about the Aquitania, like the books on Cunard. Aquitania is such a romantic name. . I hope I'm being impertinate, but what other books have you written? I would love to read more of your work. Forgive me for using "sir", I thought it was proper.
All the best,
Tyler Joshua Frederick

[Mark Chirnside]

Tyler,

I'm not quite sure I understand what you're asking. However, all my books are listed on my website. Thanks for your interest.

Best wishes,

Mark.

[Tyler J Frederick]

I knew I wasn't be specific enough. I was talking about the 3rd Class promenade at the stern, below the superstructure. I think it was D deck. There was a 30 foot opening on both sides. However, I'm looking at the picture or Aquitania taken in 1948 in a book on Cunard. I'm looking at the same area, & it looks like the 3rd class stern promenade has been enclose some. I only suggestion is to look at the 3rd Class Promenade on D deck as it looked in 1914, & the same area, same deck in 1948. If I'm still not specific enough, Then I don't know what else to say, except my apologize. Hold on. I just look at the area. Actually the 3rd Class promenade had originally opening of 100 feet. But near the end of her life, that same area was enclose by 70 to 80 feet. I hope this is good enough. I would like to know why the 3rd Class Open Promenade went from 100 feet, to 20 to 30 feet
Tyler Joshua Frederick

[Mark Chirnside]

Thanks Tyler. You may find this page on my website interesting, because it covers some changes and compares the 1938 configuration with the 1914 one.

http://www.markchirnside.co.uk/rms_aqui ... erior.html

There was a 30 foot opening on both sides. However, I'm looking at the picture or Aquitania taken in 1948 in a book on Cunard. I'm looking at the same area, & it looks like the 3rd class stern promenade has been enclose some. I only suggestion is to look at the 3rd Class Promenade on D deck as it looked in 1914, & the same area, same deck in 1948.

I don't remember offhand what that particular area was being used for at that time, why part of it was further enclosed or when it was. After the war, Aquitania's passenger accommodation was never fully restored to its 1939 standard and arrangement. I do have a number of documents related to her post-war configuration, some of which were used in the book, but I don't have easy access to them at present. Apologies, but maybe someone else can weigh in and refresh my memory.

Best wishes,

Mark.

[Tyler J Frederick]

Thank you very much for all those blueprints. I went to your website earlier for your books. You got a number of them. I am happy to say that RMS Aquitania is the first book I got from you, but it won't be my last. When I'm ready, I order other from you as well. I got Aquitania from Barnes & Noble, my favorite book store.
Wish you all the best,
Tyler Frederick

[Tyler J Frederick]

excuse my error. I meant to say When I'm ready, I order other BOOKS from you as well.
Tyler

[Mark Chirnside]

Thanks for your custom and well wishes, Tyler.

Best wishes,

Mark.

[Tyler J Frederick]

Hi Mark,
I read again on The Picture History of Cunard that the paino on the Aquitania almost fell though the floor when the piece of flooring fell . What deck was the paino on when it almost fell though.
Tyler Frederick

[Mark Chirnside]

I read again on The Picture History of Cunard that the paino on the Aquitania almost fell though the floor when the piece of flooring fell . What deck was the paino on when it almost fell though.

I don't believe this incident occurred, Tyler, and it isn't in my book for that reason.

See http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/di ... POST255514 and specfically my post dated Monday, April 6, 2009 - 3:11 pm.

Best wishes,

Mark.

[Tyler J Frederick]

Ok. Thank you.
Tyler

[David Haisman]

My fourth eldest brother, Leo, joined the R.M.S. Aquitania as a Bell Boy in the early 1930's. This was to be his first trip to sea and a bit of a nightmare for my mother. Remembering the Bell Boys on the Titanic, she stressed on him that before he unpacked his sea bag, he should make quite sure that he knew where his lifeboat station was. Years later she could never understand why 5 of her sons, Fredrick, Kenneth, Geofrey,(R.N.) and Leo and myself (M.N.) could choose the sea life after what she had endured herself. After Titanic and then a possible U.Boat encounter with six of her children on board the Empire Grace whilst steaming in the South Atlantic for St. Helena with 500 British troops on Board. We had been on Action Stations for several nights, spending many hours by the lifeboats with the ship in black-out routine. She had shown complete calm throughout until on arrival in Cape Town, a ship's officer had told her that there hadn't been anything to worry about. He told her that she, and each child, had been allocated to a soldier in case of shipwreck. Her reply apparently was '' Why the hell didn't you tell me that at the start of the voyage !! It was so unlike her.
I remember cycling down to Southampton docks to see the Aquitania, this great old Cunarder, leave port for the last time for the breakers yard. A bugler sounded the last post high up on the funnel deck as the Cunard White Star flags were lowered for the last time before she left for Gareloch.
David Haisman, Author, TITANIC, The Edith Brown Story

[Timothy Trower]

David -- what a priceless memory and anecdote! I laughed out loud.