SHIPS – Transport

Listen to a Ship History Radio Episode about Leisure at Sea with Jane Lyons

Jane Lyons’ father, a young bachelor,  sitting on deck chair on the NYK liner Asama Maru, returning to Japan, c 1935.
Christmas card with Jane’s father, her mother, their baby daughter (my sister Margot) and dog on President Coolidge, en route to new post (having been in Cuba the previous year) in Mukden, Manchuria, via Japan, c 1937.
The whole family (Jane’s Dad, Margot, Jane, and her mother) at the Captain’s Farewell Dinner on President Wilson or President Cleveland en route to Japan, c 1954.
The family a year or so later beside PanAm clipper. The days of liner travel were ending!

Leisure Activities at Sea with Jim Shaw

Leisure at Sea Pt. 2 – Interviews with Alan Zamchick, Ted Scull, and Charles Zuckerman

In this episode of our program SHIPS (Ships, History, Influence, and Power Series), you will hear from interviewees Alan Zamchick, Ted Scull, and Charles Zuckerman about the ways they kept busy while at sea. Alan details what it was like as a child exploring the ship and having newfound freedom with his brother. Ted discusses two voyages and the infamous “Crossing the Line” ceremony. Charles talks about playing trivia, which many might not think of when discussing deck games and leisure at sea.

In this next episode of our program SHIPS (Ships, History, Influence, and Power Series), you will hear from interviewee Jim Shaw about how he and other passengers kept themselves busy on board during long voyages. Jim details the various deck games and provides historical context about how these games on ships have changed from the 1910s to the current offerings on cruise ships and everything in between. You can listen to this as a podcast episode as well on Ship History Radio.

On Board the Student Ship Aurelia with Cecilia Cassidy

Learn about Cecilia’s time studying abroad and her decision to take a student ship back from England in June of 1969. In this interview she speaks about the environment of spending time with other students who also had “eye opening experiences” in Europe. She took the SS Aurelia, and it was the last voyage for the ship. She speaks about the protests at Cornell University and the feeling of returning to an America in turmoil – another adventure.

Cecilia Cassidy and classmates at Wroxton College in England. Photo courtesy of Cecilia Cassidy
Braun Brothers Collection, SSHSA Archives.
Braun Brothers Collection, SSHSA Archives.
Edward O. Clark Collection, SSHSA Archives.

On Board the Student Ship the SS Groote Beer

Check out our next segment of Ships as Transport and hear from Paul Klee about his experiences traveling on the student ship the SS Groote Beer. Hear about what it was like for a 17 year old to travel to Europe for the first time without his parents. Learn about the academic and party atmosphere on board this budget travel liner in 1962. This video features primary sources like photos and video from the SSHSA Archives, images from Paul Klee’s personal collection and in the public domain. Click here to view the transcript of this interview.

Transatlantic Travel as a Teenager

Watch the latest episode on Ships as Transport that features an oral history with Theodore Scull. He discusses what it was like traveling via steamship to Europe at the age of 17 on board the SS Liberte of the French Line, traveling through Europe, and returning on the SS Flandre. Ted recalls what it was like on board, exploring other classes, and how he fell in love with this community at sea. He details his experiences traveling across Europe and how this trip influenced the rest of his life. Topics include travel, leisure on board, class differences, post-WWII Europe, and traveling through storms at sea. This video features primary sources like photos and video from the SSHSA Archives, images from Ted’s personal collection and in the public domain.