My good friend Christopher Green emailed me tonight. He is reading a book by a Mr WF Rae published in 1871. Mr Rae was intending to travel by train from New York to San Francisco. To get from Liverpool to New York, Mr Rae sailed on Cunard’s SS China.
Chris only sent me a copy of Page 3 of the book but Mr Rae’s thoughts about deckchairs, seating in the saloon for dinner and the costs of Cunard’s Atlantic voyages are intriguing!
Very interesting, Richard. Presumably, passengers were not required to have their deckchairs in their cabins – and were allowed to leave them on deck? Must have led to the occasional ‘do you mind, old chap, but your wife is sitting in my chair?! 🤣 Leaving one’s calling card on the best available table in the saloon is neat. However, it takes no account of the sort of people prone to moving others’ place names to suit their needs. I don’t think I know any such rogues – do you??
I just know one such rogue, Nick.
Fascinating that passengers had to take their own chairs for relaxing on deck !