RMS Caronia Timeline

The Timeline Archive George Bigelow Collection

22 April 2008
It isn't often that I assign a collection name to ephemera gathered for addition to the Timeline Archive. Indeed, the attribution assigned to the Bigelow Collection is not because of its size, or indeed its importance or value in terms recording a special event associated with the “Green Goddess”.

In fact, it's for the complete opposite reason. Among the 20+ items that George Bigelow saved are what could be called “real ephemera”. Items of card or paper commonly distributed about the ship that we (particularly the Catering Crew) would never think of ever seeing again, let alone see it turn up nearly 50 years later. Probably the most notable of these is a signed laundry receipt.

George V. Bigelow, and his wife Helen, were passengers in Stateroom M20 on one of the Autumn West Indies Cruises in October 1958. What this collection demonstrates is that although they had a stateroom right up forward on Main Deck, they were probably people with uncomplicated tastes.

[Left:]
George & Helen Bigelow pose on Caronia's Boat Deck in October 1958

No doubt the items they saved brought back some simple and good memories of their cruise. Now, over 60 years later they will probably bring similar delight to many other former Caronia travellers.

The George Bigelow Collection

As items from this collection are added to the Timeline, so links to these will be placed below…

1. 2 photographs of disembarkation from Caronia's tenders appear on the October 1958 page
2. a signed laundry receipt is also on the October 1958 page
3. a photograph of one of Caronia's hanging pontoons illustrates this topic on the February 1962 page
4. a passenger contract ticket folder
5. passenger landing cards
6. a Purser's Office call invitation card
7. a “bathing/showering whilst in port” advisory card
8. a “valuables in port” caution card. Items 4 to 8 appear on page 1 of a new Passenger Ephemera pages as part of the Ephemera Folio
9. a deck games registration card
10. a deck games appointment card
11. a Gymkhana invitation
12. a Ladies’ Night dance card
13. a White Elephant Sale invitation card. Items 9 to 13 appear on page 2 of the new Passenger Ephemera pages
14. 3 editions of Cruise News for 17 October 1958 West Indies Cruise