1932 Handwritten Trip Diary SS Hamburg 32pg On Board GREAT Description Pittsburg
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| Reference Number: Avaluer:3789 |
WELCOMETO SALLY’S DIARIES: Ifyou ever wanted a great handwritten description, fully detailed, about life on board an ocean liner in the 1930’s then this is theperfect group for you. There are 49 handwritten pages to this “diary”which is written on the ships (SSHamburg) stationary.The letter was written by a father to his daughter, “Miss JaneC. Thompson” of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. The entire manuscript isabout his time on board the ship from when they first board in theNe...w York Harbor, all across the ocean until they finally reachSouthampton several days later. As you can see there are other piecesof ephemera that came with the manuscript pages. I’ve taken severalexcerpts to give you an idea of the contents…... 1932“February4th, My Dear June, Daddy promised to write you all about this trip.Perhaps I will not have time when I land and get very busy with mywork to write long letters but I will send you cards. So we willstart at the beginning and tell you all about it. I came down to theboat about 11:00 P.M. with Mr. Black. Two of our men had put my bagsaboard and were waiting to see me off. I went to mystateroom (that’s what they call your room) and found my bagsalready there and best of all three lovely letters from mother, Ruthand you…..” “ThenI went up on deck and said goodbye to Mr. Black and the other men andwatched the crowd on the dock. The little German band was playingmusic and the flags were flying in the breeze all lighted up with thesearch lights. When the boat pulled away from the pier the crowdcheered and everyone waved handkerchiefs even if they didn’t havefriends on the dock. The ship was on her long journey across the wideocean to land across the sea. The sailing of a ship is always astirring event. It was a clear night and Mr. Griffin and I stood ondeck as we steamed down the Hudson, past all the ships and thebrilliantly lighted buildings of the great city until long after wehad passed the Statue of Liberty……”(He went to the ships barber the next day. Say’s everything on theship is in German and English. Talks about the meals and times fordinner. Said he’s sending her a menu, which is included with thislot.)“ThenI put on my evening clothes and we went down to dinner. The diningroom is beautiful and all the people in evening dress looked prettyfine. After dinner everyone went to the Social Hall. It is a lovelyroom with easy chairs and tables and tables and all around the sidesand at one end a fine stairway leading to the balcony for you see theroom ishigh. At the other end is the orchestra and in the center a nicedance floor. Right then daddy needed mother or Ruth. There are onlyabout 8 or 10 ladies in the first class and only about 35 men, andonly two couples danced.” “February5th, (Roughseas)……While thedeck steward wasserving tea hestopped to light a match for M. Griffin’s cigarette and the teawagon got away. It rushed across the deck, and smashed into the deckchairs and the beautiful Bavarian China, the cakes, the tea andeverything were thrown around with a crash. Even the tea wagon wasbusted, and my tea cups went skidding to the floor and crashed……”“February6th, …..Lastnight there was some excitement in the dining room. All the movablethings, such as flowers and all unnecessary china were removed fromthe tables and several times the waiters had accidents at the servingtables. Right next to our table when one of the passengers wasn’tlooking, the ship rolled and his soup poured gently and smoothly intohis lap. There was no dancing last night. How could anyone dance on afloor that was tipping this way and that! I would be afraid!....It isa queer sensation when taking a bath when the sea is rough. You seethe water stays level while the boat tips and rocks so that the wateris almost overflowing at one end and shallow in the other and itchanges constantly from end to end and side to side. And the bathwater is salt! I like it. If you want it, there is a facet watershower over the tub. I am writing in a lovely little writing roomwith windows looking out on the promenade deck and all the publicrooms are on deck A…..” (He then goes on talking about the ladies room, the boat deck andtennis courts and bowling alley) S“Thepool is beautiful but so tiny. You could make it in about twostrokes. Today Tony the grill room steward gave us a Swedish“Smorgasbord” luncheon. I’ll send you the menu and you can readit in Swedish. We all sat around one big oval table beautifullydecorated with a large candelabra with the candles all lighted. Thetable was loaded down with……”(He goes on to describe everything that was on the table.)“February8th, Well! Little girl, I promised to tell you something about our trip ofinspection over the boat. We went first to see the quarters of thethird class passengers which are located “fore”. Everything isvery simple there but very clean and comfortable but I would imaginequite crowded in the summer because they can accommodate 600 people.They have their own dining room and kitchen and the meals are verywholesome. They serve tea or coffee and coffee cake in the afternoon.The second class is nicer than the third class. They call it TouristClass. Their quarters are at the stern or as they say at sea, “aft.” They have a pretty nice deck but not nearly so much room as firstclass. The boat can carry 400 of them.There is room for200 firstclass passengers…..”(He then describes the engine room in detail and the bridge. “February9th, ….Tonythe Grill room steward had a party last night. He called it a “WeeWinkey” dinner. I am sending you the menu. The ice cream which wasthe dessert was called, “frozen sweet logs.” It looked just likea slice cut from a log, book and everything and it was delicious.There were four smaller tables in the cozy little alcoves and a largeoval table in the large main room where your daddy sat right next toCaptain Koch dressed in his dark blue short dress jacket with goldlace on the sleeves. There were only two ladies and about 16 men atour table.” (Hegoes on to describe the German custom of the Wee Winkies.) “Thecaptain told us some of his experiences in Constantinople during thewar. He commanded the Turkish destroyers and Mine sweepers atGallipoli.”(Talks about having only one child in first class.)“February10th, …..Wemust have our letters ready at six o’clock to get them off atCherbourg so I must finish now before it is too late….” “February11th, I have had my breakfast, my bags are packed and I am all ready toland at Southampton. When we arrive in port the customs officer willcome on board and see our passports and examine our baggage and thena little tender will come along side and we will go on shore…..” He’sbeen writing about what he sees as they get closer to land and thefinal page is while he is on the train heading to London. Allthe items are in good shape except the cover (envelope) that housedthe ephemera. It’s a bit bent up and torn.
