Bahamas Philately: Cunard Line – RMS Queen Elizabeth

The RMS Queen Elizabeth was an ocean liner operated by Cunard Line. She was launched on 27 September 1938 and named in honour of Queen Elizabeth, who was later known as the Queen Mother. With a design that improved upon that of Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth was a slightly larger ship, the largest passenger liner ever built at that time and for 56 years thereafter. She also has the distinction of being the largest-ever riveted ship by gross tonnage. She first entered service in February 1940 as a troopship in the Second World War, and it was not until October 1946 that she served in her intended role as an ocean liner.

With the decline in popularity of the transatlantic route, both Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth were replaced by the smaller, more economical Queen Elizabeth 2 in 1969.

Queen Elizabeth was sold to Hong Kong businessman Tung Chao Yung, who intended to convert her into a floating university cruise ship called Seawise University. In 1972, whilst she was undergoing refurbishment in Hong Kong harbour, a fire broke out aboard under unexplained circumstances, and the ship was capsized by the water used to fight the fire. The following year the wreck was deemed an obstruction to shipping in the area, and in 1974 and 1975 was partially scrapped on site.

2 Replies to “Bahamas Philately: Cunard Line – RMS Queen Elizabeth”

I have my father’s Bahamian Stamp collection which was the third best in the world . I would love to get in touch with you about selling it or talking about it.
My fathers name B. Nevling Clune.
My name is Virginia Clune Schroer