R.M.S. MAURETANIA

and John Sutcliffes 1957 New York Trip..

A Wee Tale to Tell

A short while ago I was wandering around an Antique/Bric-a-Brac Fair in the Perth City Hall with only a tenner (£10) in my pouch, unfortunately I spied many desirable items but due to lack of funds was unable to purchase any of them. Disgruntled, I started for the exit where just before the door I noticed a stall selling bits of china and crockery. I had a wee browse at the stall and was about to leave when I noticed a couple of tatty old photograph albums on the floor under the stall. I asked the stall holder if they were his and he replied that they were and they were "old junk". On examination of the albums I realised they were all collected by one man over the course of many years of travels, the majority being holiday snaps and postcards from the seventies and not very interesting. One album though set my heart beating faster. I asked the stall holder how much he wanted for the albums expecting him to say £10, £20, £50 or more, £2 each was his answer,,,,,,, I must admit to removing cash from my pocket faster than ever done before and quickly left the building with my prize.

The album I chose and bought (some might argue 'stole') contained 62 black and white photos plus about 60 postcards charting 'John Sutcliffe's' travels as a sailor aboard the 'RMS Mauretania' on passage from Southampton, England to New York City in 1957...

The photo's plot a chronological journey from Southampton to Le Havre then to Cobh (near Cork, Ireland). Then across the Atlantic passing the 'Nantucket Lightship', 'Statue of Liberty' and the Manhatten skyline into New York harbour. Sutcliffe then goes by 'Shanks's Pony' around New York's attractions snapping them along the way.

Please browse through the pics and if by any strange quirk of coincidence you know or know of Mr Sutcliffe, or served aboard 'Mauretania' in 1957 then please drop me a line.

Visit the Cunard Fleet Website..

Another Mauretania Page

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