in search of the name of the ship that crossed Canada to FRANCE in November 1952

[chelmi]

Hello
I registered on your forum under the nickname of Chelm,

Also, I have traveled the forum looking for information as I find them, I post this message in hopes of finding a trace of this trip, if someone can help:
Here is my story:
On October 30 or October 31, 1952, I left Canada for a transatlantic crossing to Le Havre port FRANCE, I was a child 5 years old then, but the person who accompanied me said this :

during the voyage, a storm raged over the Atlantic, we should have boarded the Queen Mary, but this one had a breakdown, then it was on another ship that we made the crossing,
The vessel arrived at Havre FRANCE November 11, 1952.

Also, I would appreciate help me find the name of the boat, know its characteristics, and possibly pictures.
Thank you in advance
Have a good day

[Stowaway2k]

Hello Chelmi

You've handed us a difficult one.
First, a couple of questions...
Did you sail from a Canadian port, or did you embark in New York?  If your original plans were to sail on the Queen Mary, then you would have done so from New York.
But, to my mind the Queen Mary never suffered a "break-down".

Your voyage to Le Havre may have been most likely on a Cunard ship, I'm assuming that's why you came to a forum focused on the Cunard Line, and if you were booked on an aborted QM crossing, you most likely would have been transfered to another Cunard ship.  But not necessarily, it could have been on the French Line.  You probably would remember if you had been on a French ship though.

So, the most important question is... where did you embark?  Knowing this would be most helpful.  

Cunard's Canadian ships generally were bound to/from Liverpool, so I'm thinking you embarked in New York as you disembarked in Le Havre.

Given the slow crossing of 11 days, the ship probably was an "intermediate" cargo/passenger or a much older ship.  The crossing was much too slow for the ship to have been Queen Elizabeth or Mauretania, and it definately wasn't Caronia.

Do you have any more information at all, such as was it British or French? Any details at all?  There were dozens of passenger ships crossing the Atlantic in 1952, so giving you a definate answer would be very difficult.
If you could access the shipping directory of the New York Times for the departure dates you mention (if you departed New York), that would set you on the right track. 

cheers

[chelmi]

Hello Chelmi

You've handed us a difficult one.
First, a couple of questions...
Did you sail from a Canadian port, or did you embark in New York?  If your original plans were to sail on the Queen Mary, then you would have done so from New York.
But, to my mind the Queen Mary never suffered a "break-down".

Your voyage to Le Havre may have been most likely on a Cunard ship, I'm assuming that's why you came to a forum focused on the Cunard Line, and if you were booked on an aborted QM crossing, you most likely would have been transfered to another Cunard ship.  But not necessarily, it could have been on the French Line.  You probably would remember if you had been on a French ship though.

So, the most important question is... where did you embark?  Knowing this would be most helpful.  

Cunard's Canadian ships generally were bound to/from Liverpool, so I'm thinking you embarked in New York as you disembarked in Le Havre.

Given the slow crossing of 11 days, the ship probably was an "intermediate" cargo/passenger or a much older ship.  The crossing was much too slow for the ship to have been Queen Elizabeth or Mauretania, and it definately wasn't Caronia.

Do you have any more information at all, such as was it British or French? Any details at all?  There were dozens of passenger ships crossing the Atlantic in 1952, so giving you a definate answer would be very difficult.
If you could access the shipping directory of the New York Times for the departure dates you mention (if you departed New York), that would set you on the right track. 

cheers

Hello Stowaway2k,

Thank you very much for devoting time to answer me, but the state of things, now I have very little information, except to say that the actual departure of the vessel has made Quebec a stopover either in Cobh, Ireland or Liverpool, and the transportation ticket was purchased at the CUNARD LINES
Otherwise I'll try to search, but it will be very difficult because my parents are unable to find out.
But one question:
There can I find information on the shipping directory of the New York Times

Pending thank you again
Chelmi

[Peter Mugridge]

LLoyds might have the details in their archives somewhere; are these accessible?

After all, Lloyds do keep a close record of every movement don't they?

[Twynkle]

Hello Chelmi
You could also have a look at The Ships List
Here's the Link:
http://www.theshipslist.com/

[chelmi]

Good evening,

Someone I could learn:
During the week preceding October 30, 1952, which of the two ships of the Cunard had damage from the port of Quebec, Canada and bound for Le Havre in France.

The RMS Queen Elizabeth or the RMS QUEEN MARY

For what, the ship has been replaced?

In advance thank you for your answers

Chelmi

[luzparis]

it's possible ? Queen mary or Queen elizabeth ? quebec to le Havre? i an very surprised?

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Est-ce que cela vous aiderait de correspondre en français? Je suis tout à fait prête à traduire pour vous si vous préférez vous exprimer dans votre propre langue.   

[Twynkle]

Et - avez-vous visité ce site:
http://www.maritimematters.com

[chelmi]

Est-ce que cela vous aiderait de correspondre en français? Je suis tout à fait prête à traduire pour vous si vous préférez vous exprimer dans votre propre langue.   

Je vous remercie de votre aide, il est vrai qu'il m'est difficile de correspondre en anglais,et j'utilise le traducteur de google .

Dès que j'aurais de nouvelles informations,je ferai appel à vous,
c'est très aimable de votre part, et merci encore .

Chelmi

NB: sur les conseils de Peter Mugridge,j'ai écris à la LLOYDS, à voir ?

[Twynkle]

translatedThank you for your help, it is true that it's hard to match in English, and I use the google translator.

When I reflect new information, I'll call you
it's very kind of you, and thank you again.

Chelmi

NB: on the advice of Peter Mugridge, I am writing to Lloyd to see?

Good Luck, Chelmi!

[Stowaway2k]

Answers could be found here:

Note: Dusty old stuff web page inactive

This Cunard advert in a October 1952 magazine states that ships sailing from Canada are Samaria, Scythia, Ascania, and Franconia
http://tinyurl.com/yhdcxr4


though sailing schedules do change...
http://tinyurl.com/yhmfffl
apparently the 22 Oct. sailing of Scythia from Quebec was cancelled

and according to this blog, the Samaria at that time was on a Westbound sailing to Quebec
http://tinyurl.com/yfpppql

So that leaves us with Ascania and Franconia...

The folks at the Cunard Steamship Society may be of further help as well...
http://cunardsteamshipsociety.com/

[chelmi]

Est-ce que cela vous aiderait de correspondre en français? Je suis tout à fait prête à traduire pour vous si vous préférez vous exprimer dans votre propre langue.  

Bonjour Isabelle,

Ayant eu ce jour des précisions concernant mon voyage en 1952, je me permet de soumettre ma demande en Français,comme vous me l'avez proposé si gentillement:
Les nouveaux éléments sont les suivants :

Le Bateau a quitté le port de Montréal le 30 Novembre 1952 pour arriver en France, au Havre le 11 Décembre 1952.Après 11 nuits et dix jours de traversée.(et pas du 30.10.1952 au 11.11.1952 comme indiqué précédemment )

Selon ,mes nouvelles sources,il s'agirait au conditionnel , du BRITANIA !! à vérifier !

Si quelqu'un sur le forum pouvait me le confirmer ,j'en serais très reconnaissant

Dans l'attente,
Je vous souhaite, Isabelle, de très bonnes Fêtes de fin d'année

Moderator's translation :

Since I received some details today concerning my voyage in 1952, I can let you have some new elements :

The ship left the port of Montreal on 30 November 1952 and arrived at Le Havre, France, on 11 December 1952, after a crossing of 11 nights and 10 days (and not from 30.10.1952 to 11.11.1952 as previously indicated).

According to my new sources, this could have been BRITANNIA (this will need to be checked)!

If anyone in the Forum could confirm this, I should be very grateful.

With best wishes for the festive season!

[luzparis]

bonjour chelmi je vous passe ce lien vers un site d'une association qui semble etre lié à la compagnie French line qui utilisait le Havre comme port d'attache , peut etre que eux avec leur archives pourrons vous renseigner?

 http://www.frenchlines.com/index.php

Moderator's summary :

The above link is to the web site of an association which seems to be linked to the French Lines, which used Le Havre as their home port -- perhaps their Archives might contain some helpful information?

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

I have added the translations / summaries directly into the contributions (above). Can we help chelmi to advance further in his quest?