Caronia Dining Tables
Finding a reasonably clear picture of the items that adorned the dining tables on the Caronia has been quite a difficult task. Of the few pictures that I do have, getting a decent scan for use here has been almost impossible, so the quality of the accompanying photograph is, sadly, no more than a compromise.
On the October 1961 page there is a dated photograph of the Cruise Staff seated in the Sandringham Restaurant only a few days into the 1961 Mediterranean and Black Sea Cruise. Part of the table setting from this photo has been used to illustrate this topic.
Dinner Table setting in Sandringham Restaurant
[Photo: Caronia - Courtesy of Bill Wolter]
[Click on thumbnail for larger picture in new window]
On this table there are 7 wine glasses. Their wavy pattern can best be seen on the 3 that are filled. They were used for wines of any hue or vintage. The flat-bottomed glasses would have been filled with iced water on the diners’ arrival at table.
On the left is one of the ubiquitous black and white Cunard bakelite ashtrays. All the silver, glassware and crockery on board was supplied through Stoniers who were Cunard's chandlers. The glass was made by Stuart Crystal to a pattern originally introduced for the launch of the RMS Queen Mary in the 1930s.
An erroneous claim often made is that their art-deco pattern was exclusive to that ship. Matching glassware was distributed for use across all Cunard passenger ships.
It appears that the gentlemen present at the table have ordered Irish Coffee, the saucers with patterned padded doily and spoon are in place, awaiting delivery to the table. Right in the centre is a tall silver sugar shaker, and just discernible in front of it is an oval silver bowl, filled either with soft brown or Demerara sugar. Another is placed just behind the cake.
Directly beside the sugar shaker is the smaller domed top of a white-pepper cellar. The presence of the black-pepper mill is unusual, as these were not as it were “standard accessories”.
They were dutifully cleaned and filled by the Commis Waiters and were kept on condiment trolleys. These were loaded with French dressing, mayonnaise and other required sauces and sited on both sides of the restaurant at the galley end.
To the right of the pepper mill is a silver salt cellar and in front of that is a gilded edge shell dish probably filled with peanuts, or sugar-dipped pieces of stem ginger; a useful aid to digesting a rich “Green Goddess” cruise dinner. They came in two sizes and were also used as condiment dishes in caviar service. The cake behind presumes that someone at the table was celebrating their birthday.
If you can contribute any information, do please get in touch…
