QE2 40th, A Few Highlights

[stowaway2k]

Dinner menu for QE2, Tuesday 18 September 2007

 

"The Pride of Scotland"

As QE2 makes her first call to Scotland on her 40th Anniversary Cruise, the menu's cover art features the RMS Queen Elizabeth

 

The first two pages are devoted to the Queen Elizabeth.

The last two pages offer a chronological list of all Cunard ships built in Scotland.

 

On the back cover:

"Si Monumentum Requiris, Circumspice"

 

Words on the epitaph to Sir Christopher Wren in St. Paul's Cathedral; words which apply equally well to those who built the Scottish Cunarders.

 

Have fun translating it.

[stowaway2k]

Dinner menu for QE2, Wednesday 19 September 2007

 

"The Falklands Remembered"

On QE2's first full day at sea on her 40th Anniversary Cruise;

The cover art features a photograph of QE2 returning to Southampton upon completing her duties in the South Atlantic, accompanied by the Royal Yacht Britannia

 

The first two and last two pages are devoted entirely to this subject.

 

On the back cover:

 

"I am pleased to welcome you back as QE2 returns to home waters after your tour of duty in the South Atlantic. The exploits of your own ship's company and the deeds of valour of those who served in Antelope, Coventry, and Ardent have been acclaimed throughout the land and I am proud to add my personal tribute"

 

Message to Captain Peter Jackson from HM Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother

[travel-to-go]

Dinner menu for QE2, Monday 17 September 2007

 

"A Tribute to the Tyneside Cunarders"

An image familiar to most of us on the cover, the great Mauretania.

The first two pages and the fifth feature the history of the Mauretania, and the last page repeats the list of Tyneside Cunarders.

 

On the back cover:

"For 28 years, I have striven to be a credit to you, and now my day is done.

Though I pass on, may Tyneside ever reach out to further and greater triumphs.

With pride and affection, I great you.

Farewell.

Mauretania"

 

Message sent from Mauretania to the Lord Mayor of Newcastle, as Mauretania pauses offshore on her way to the breakers yard.

 

this one sent tears streaming down my cheeks. Thanks, Kyle

 

I don't think I could stand to read that of QE2 on her way to the breakers. Maybe Dubai is not such a bad thing.

[stowaway2k]

Dinner menu for QE2, Thursday 20 September 2007

 

"Forty Years Famous"

 

On the day of her launch 40 years prior, QE2 calls at Greenock, Scotland

The cover art features a ready for launching QE2 on the blocks at the John Brown Yard, Clydebank, Scotland

 

The first two and last two pages are devoted entirely to events surrounding QE2 on 20 September, 1967

 

On the back cover:

 

"But from Glasgow to Greenock,

in towns on each side

The hammer's ding-dong

in the song of the Clyde"

 

The Song of the Clyde

[stowaway2k]

Dinner menu for QE2, Friday 21 September 2007

 

"The Leaving of Liverpool"

 

The day of QE2's call at Liverpool on her 40th Anniversary Cruise, the cover art features a reproduction of a painting by E.D. Walker, showing QE2 making a prior triumphant call to Liverpool, with a tug's water canon giving salute at her bow and one at her stern.

 

The first two pages and the fifth give an account of Cunard Line's history in Liverpool. The sixth page shows a beautiful color photograph of QE2 in the Mersey in front of the Royal Liver Building, and a chronological listing of QE2's calls at Liverpool.

 

On the back cover:

 

"So fare thee well, my own true love

When I return, united we will be

It's not the leaving of Liverpool that grieves me

But my darling, when I think of thee"

 

The Leaving of Liverpool

[stowaway2k]

Dinner menu for QE2, Saturday 22 September 2007

 

"Gone but not forgotten"

 

On this, the final night of QE2's now legendary 40th Anniversary Cruise, the cover art features a photograph of the Queen Mary making her final departure from New York, exactly forty years earlier.

Later this evening, Queen Elizabeth 2 and Queen Mary 2 were to pass each other, QM2 heading for New York, QE2 heading home to Southampton.

Three days later, 25 September, was forty years exactly since Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth made their final pass at sea, not to see each other again.

 

On the back cover:

 

Number 534

...this, a rampart of a ship,

Long as a street and lofty as a tower

Ready to glide in thunder from the slip

And shear the sea with majesty and power

 

I long to see you leaping to the urge

Of the great engines, rolling as you go,

Parting the seas in sunder in a surge,

Shredding a trackway like a mile of snow

 

With all the wester streaming from your hull

And all gear twanging shrilly as you race,

And effortless upon your stern a gull

Leaning upon the blast and keeping place

 

Poet Laureate John Masefield

in tribute to the Queen Mary, "534" being her job number at John Brown's and as she was known before being named and launched by HM Queen Mary.

[SSNORWAY]

He is a very minor "celebrity" who (admittedly) does a lot of charity work without much self glorification. Well, he loves being the centre of attention but also will do things without public praise.

 

I have met him. He really gave me the creeps. Very few people do that. From what I gathered, women have a similar, but stronger reaction. In the circumstances I met him he was a necessary evil to get publicity.

 

I'm probably going to get flamed for this, but in essence I think he is a lecherous cadaver.

 

Matthew

 

Jimmy Saville (whom I would have had a very similar opinion of before the cruise) was a wonderful, if eccentric character, he talked to EVERYONE onboard and recognised my dad on every occassion we passed him, I thought he was lovely and went out of his way to be nice to everyone, he would have upset some of the more serious Cunarders wearing his famous tracksuits for the duration of the cruise (with an added bow tie on formal nights!!)

 

There has been no mention of Carol Thatcher yet, her mum was on board for dinner as we all boarded and stopped for photos (I will post one when I get chance).

On Tuesday night we were all given a beautiful hard back book which has just been published by Carol Thatcher (I had intended to buy it anyway so it came as lovely surprise, and to the credit of the staff in the bookshop they warned any potential purchasers that we would be given a copy)

 

Carol was an absolute star, people queued for two hours the length of the ship to get her signature, she then sat for the next two days signing again which I believe was above and beyond what had originally been planned. On her last morning in Liverpool I was at the pursers desk when a lady (I felt, unreasonably) asked her again to sign her book, Carol's reaction was extraordinary, no sign of annoyance at all she ran back to HER cabin and got some signed stickers which she gave to the lady and then requested a stack of stickers from the pursers desk to sign for anyone else asking there or at the book shop, there's not many celeb's who would go to those lengths especially when the people had not directly purchased her book.

 

In addition to all the other mentioned special items, we got a fabulous 200 page book about the QE2 in her 40th year, local newspapers with special supplements in Newcastle, Greenock and Liverpool.... AND on the last night a special 40th anniversary badge on everyone's pillow when they returned after dinner.

 

Finally something else which has not been mentioned, was the absolutely astonishing service from ALL the crew on board, I have always found them pleasant and attentive but I have never been humbled almost to tears by everone going much more than "the extra mile". Every trip down any of the cabin gangways brought smiles and hello's from every single member of crew we passed, some of them even if we had only just passed them a few minutes earlier.

A lot of the time I was pushing my father in his wheel chair, on several occassions crew who were not even in the stairwell but just passing the doorway to the stairwell would double back to see if we needed help going into the lifts, it really was amazing, had they continued to walk past I wouldn't have given it a second thought.

When we were going ashore in Liverpool for the concert, the ramp was extremely steep as the tide had gone out, I was struggling a little bit and suddenly without any prompting three members of the crew (who were off duty and their way off the ship) had grabbed a corner each of the chair and my dad was whisked effortlessly up the 45 degree slope (something I think they will need to look into at the new terminal when lesser lines start using it)

 

Sorry to all CC'rs that we never made any of the meetings, I forgot the listing at the last minute and my pops needed my help more than usual to get around the ship... maybe next time!!

 

If any of the final journeys are anything to compare, everyone who missed out on this one are in for a really big treat.... I'm apparently about 30 in line for the Dubai farewell (fingers and toes crossed)

 

Mark

[SSNORWAY]

Hi Stowaway

 

You must be a very quick typer!! you posted about five of those menus and text while I did my little bit!! you've done a wonderful job there, it would have taken me all week!

 

looking at your photo's earlier we must have been stood next to you several times as I have many of the same shots!

[stowaway2k]

Celebration Concert at the Cathedral

 

The program for QE2's Celebration Concert at Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral

 

The inside cover features the program alongside a color photograph of QE2's hull racing across the sea.

 

The first page features a QE2 tribute, with the well known aerial photograph of QE2's launch.

 

The second and third pages features the usual artist's bios, including vocalists Lesley Garrett CBE and Nicky Spence, conductor Anthony Inglis, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir, and the Liverpool Cathedral Choir.

 

Fourth page features Organist and Master of the Choiristers Professor Dr. Ian Tracey, The Band of the Scots Guards, and a nod to the new City of Liverpool Cruise Terminal.

 

Fifth page begins the program in detail.

 

PRELUDE

Orb and Sceptre

Knightsbridge March

Pomp and Circumstance March No. 4

Zadok and the Priest

Nimrod

Hallelujah Chorus

 

THE CONCERT

 

The National Anthem

(all)

 

Sixth Page:

 

The Rt. Worshipful The Lord Mayor of Liverpool

Councillor Paul Clark

 

Amazing Grace

Lesley Garrett, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir

 

The Bishop of Liverpool

The Rt. Revd James Jones

 

Abide with Me

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir, audience

 

Seventh Page:

 

Evening Hymn

the Cathedral Choir

 

The President and Managing Director of Cunard Line

Carol Marlow

 

Flower of Scotland

Nicky Spence, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir

 

Sir Jimmy Saville OBE, O St J

 

You'll Never Walk Alone

Lesley Garrett, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir

 

Carol Thatcher

 

Sailing

The Band of the Scots Guards

 

Eighth page:

 

Rule Britannia

Lesley Garrett, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir

All for chorus

 

Jerusalem

All

 

Ninth page:

 

Pomp and Circumstance Number 1

All

 

The Master of QE2

Captain Ian McNaught

 

Scottish Close of the Day

The Band of the Scots Guards

 

Back cover:

A color photograph of QE2 sailing into the sunset

[stowaway2k]

QE2 passengers invitation to the concert

 

Passengers queued in the Queen's Room on the prior sea day from 9am to 2pm

All passengers were invited.

The Liverpool Echo reported that all but a small number of passenger attended.

I assume that seating was assinged by order in which tickets were distributed, the better seats going to passenger earlier in the queue.

 

The queue was massive early on. I, and a few others, opted to wait after lunch, when there was no queue at all.

As you saw in earlier photos of the concert, my seat wasn't bad.

 

All of Liverpools' Great and Mighty were also invited.

A couple of hundred tickets were awarded by lottery, for which there were thousands of entries.

Cathedral volunteers were also invited.

 

Chartered coaches were available to transport QE2 passengers to the concert, but we were welcome to make our own way if desired. The day's shore excursions were timed to allow those on excursions to be back at QE2 in time for departure to the concert.

Passengers were called off the ship to the coaches by color of ticket, which, theoretically also determined seating at the concert.

[stowaway2k]

Hi Stowaway

 

You must be a very quick typer!! you posted about five of those menus and text while I did my little bit!! you've done a wonderful job there, it would have taken me all week!

 

looking at your photo's earlier we must have been stood next to you several times as I have many of the same shots!

 

Hi Mark,

 

I just 'got into it' if you know what I mean... ;)

 

I second your thoughts on the cruise and on Saville and Thatcher.

Carol Thatcher did indeed go beyond anything expected of her in regards to signing her book. I understand that on the first day of signing, a member of the cruise staff told her that it was time to stop, Carol replied that as long as people were in line, she'll continue signing.

 

Unfortunately, the bookstore/library staff were quite harried by it all, and one replied that if the day before hadn't been a sea day, QE2 would be short two librarians. Apparently, certain QG passengers felt that their books should have been signed without them standing in line, and insisted that this be the case. To their credit, the staff didn't waiver from all passengers being equal, when it came to book signings.

 

As for Jimmy Saville, everyone is intitled to an opinion, and again I second yours. I saw nothing at all offensive in the the man, only friendliness and charm, always.

So he can be a bit eccentric, good for him!

On our Greenock sailaway, we stood next to each other for the better part of an hour. Jimmy was friendly and open and willing to chat with everyone and anyone who approached him. He posed for photos and signed autographs without complaint or any sign of impatience. He smiled and laughed and enjoyed himself and very much helped to make this special cruise even more special for the many fans he had on board.

[Coolgran]

Kyle you are a star. I agree with your comments about Jimmy Saville and Carol Thatcher both added their own bit of magic to the cruise. I can't beleive how quickly you have got all the information on to the Boards. It was

a pleasure to meet you-even if you were not sure which was your cabin.

[Beachmad]

This has got to be the best thread ever, absolutely superb. Thanks everyone for all the information and photographs not to mention the stories.

 

A real historical record of a thread, is there anywhere we could keep it for future posterity.

 

:)

 

Mag

 

(PS Before any more messages just let me get another box of tissues)

[Captaintandem]

So beautiful! So emotional! I know you had an unforgettably wonderful time, Kyle. But for what you are providing us here, we should be refunding your ticket price!!

 

As for trying to get into the wrong cabin on the Cavalcade of Cabins, not to worry. It must be an easy error. 30+ of us lined up to enter some poor unsuspecting soul's cabin in April.

[stowaway2k]

this one sent tears streaming down my cheeks. Thanks, Kyle

 

 

Karie, you certainly wouldn't have made it through the concert dry-eyed.

 

Our menu box cover, though, was more a 'farewell to QE2' rather than a celebration.

 

One thing that was clear on this cruise, that for people such as myself, brimming with affection for QE2, that Captain McNaught is a soul-mate when it comes to our ship.

Earlier in this thread I have quoted in entirety his works spoken at the concert. I have always liked the captain, now my respect for him is tremendous.

 

You had to be there, to feel the atmosphere and know the context.

 

Something like this will likely never happen again, for any other ship.

 

On Youtube there is a huge amount of video taken of QE2 on this cruise, not from passengers, but from people who showed up just for a look at her.

 

Thank you to everyone for the complements. :)

[Tricyrtis]

Kyle--you did a fantastic service for all of us! We all had a uniquely memorable time on the ship, in port, at special gatherings, and your notes (almost BOOK-size!!) are really appreciated. It was a real pleasure to meet you...and be among the many fans on the 40th Anniversary Cruise! Thanks, Kyle, for such a splendid posting!

 

Brent (Tricyrtis)

[Cruiser765]

Many Thanks Stowaway for a brilliant picture show of your trip.

 

Matthew!!! Sir James is a lovely guy ;) l hope you know that he is a great friend of HRH, think you can say bye bye now to your OBE!! :rolleyes:

 

Jackie

[Cruiser765]

Kyle! What an incredible show you have put on for us here, l have tears in my eyes too. The first time l sailed on QE2 was out of Liverpool in 1995,then of course she was anchored out in the Mersey so we had to be transported to her on the Mersey Ferries which as l recall was a bit hairy at the time!

It must have been a wonderful sight seeing her berthed there.

 

Jackie

[Kindlychap]

Many Thanks Stowaway for a brilliant picture show of your trip.

 

Matthew!!! Sir James is a lovely guy ;) l hope you know that he is a great friend of HRH, think you can say bye bye now to your OBE!! :rolleyes:

 

Jackie

 

I can only speak as I have found. Clearly I am in the minority. I will rest my case.

 

Matthew

[jgsmuzzy]

Quite right Matthew, you are completely entitled to your opinion. Personally, I found him to be pleasant, he always had time to sit with Leo, and chat with is. He is though, without a doubt, a sandwich short of a picnic!

[TBirdFrank]

Kindlychap - you had better change your screen name because you don't live up to it!

 

I made a point of thanking Jimmy for the Scarborough stop for all sorts of personal reasons, but not intruding on him, because he is a celeb - and no doubt gets nuisance limpets all the time.

 

Thereafter if I failed to speak for whatever reason the question "You not speaking today boss?" floated over

 

A lovely generous gentleman who worked in ordinary life in ordinary trades before he fell in the money and fame pit -and with a very personal touch - if you don't recognise that quality then I pity your cynicysm.

 

A stuffed shirt he isn't - are you?

 

Anyone else on the final round UK??? - and Kyle - super job mate - it appears I am back on the Clyde in two weeks on the Waverley - the outlook will be at a somewhat lower elevation

[arizonagcs]

Dinner menu for QE2, Thursday 20 September 2007

 

 

 

"But from Glasgow to Greenock,

in towns on each side

The hammer's ding-dong

in the song of the Clyde"

 

The Song of the Clyde

:( :confused: How sad this has all gone, never mind more room for more appartments!!!!!!!:mad: :mad:

 

Kyle

 

Your hard work has been unbelievable. This now means that we can point friends to cc who genuinely interested in the QE2 and they can have a really indepth feel to the whole event. We had so many friends watching our progress on the web cam, phoning us at each port and texting to find out the ships progress. It's great to have a pride in something in this throw away society.

So thanks again Kyle.

 

Kindly Chap

I kind of feel you would be happier in the company of the minor royal we had on the ship in Liverpool. Jimmy would be far easier recognised as part of the insitution of GB. He didn't need the protection of the police and special branch in a City that has far more need of the expertise of the police than protecting one person.

So many things are disappearing from our everyday life - indiviuality and exentricity.

Lets celebrate people like JS who have brought us fun and new inivations but still have their own ways of doing things.

Jimmy isn't a minor celebrity just doing what so many of us would hope we can do enjoy our retirement meeting people and sailing.

It is quite fitting that we are talking about JS this weekend as is is also this weekend that Radio station's 1 2 3 4 are celibrating their 40th birthday. DJ's like Jimmy really did change the face of music and broadcasting and the world moved on to listening to music on discs at dance venues and brought the music of the younger generation, yes, that was you and me, Kindly Chap, off the pirate ships and Luxenberg into everyones home at any time of the day or night. Without Jimmy & his fellow travelers we would have no Radio 2 today.

He had time for everyone on the ship and for no other reason that enjoying company.

I am sorry you wern't able to travel on the cruise and then you would have had a better chance to judge someone at first hand.

[Kindlychap]

Withdrawn.

[Kindlychap]

Going back to the main subject, I would also like to thank Kyle for his efforts in posting so much to this thread.

 

Matthew

[arizonagcs]

You may have already seen this video but it is a fun way to look around thhttp://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=8683172893205404908e ship . :o :D