A manuscript from the 1930s, recently unearthed by the author’s son, provides a fascinating insight into the detailed decoration of one of the world’s first ‘express’ transatlantic passenger ships.
IN 1936, the Queen Mary was the largest ocean liner of the time, measuring 310 metres long (1,020ft).
With space for 2,000 passengers to be accommodated in style, the ship was the jewel in shipping company Cunard’s crown, taking the Blue Riband for fastest Atlantic sea crossing on only her sixth trip across the pond. The hype around the ship was immense, with magazine articles showing the sumptuous Art Deco interiors and lavish living quarters.
But how many would know that it was a Scottish painting and decorating firm, Guthrie & Wells of Glasgow, headed up by a National Federation of Master Painters and Decorators in Scotland (NFMPDS) President, John A Christie, that took on the work to decorate the ship while it lay at Clydebank between 1935 and 1936?
John A Christie was born in Paisley in 1879, the son of a self-employed house painter. John left school at 13 to serve a seven-year apprenticeship in his father’s business, moving to London when he was 21 to continue with another decorating firm. His big break came when he was appointed General Manager of Guthrie & Wells, a well-established decorative firm which included joinery and stained glass, as well as painting, in its skillset.
John’s son, Peter, recently found the transcript to a talk given by his father just after the Queen Mary had completed her maiden voyage. John was a passenger on the first part of the voyage, sailing from Southampton to Cherbourg and then on to Cobh in the Republic of Ireland, where he disembarked. This talk was given in 1936 to members of the Institute of British Decorators and covered the decoration of the Queen Mary, which he personally oversaw.
Here are some extracts from John Christie’s lecture:
“I am told that 70,000 gallons of paint were used on board. How much of this is represented by what
may be considered industrial or protective painting as distinct from work of a decorative character I am not in a position to say, but one of my first impressions after wandering over the ship from stem to stern was that relatively less paint has been used on the decoration of the Queen Mary than any other great passenger liner that has gone before.
“Paint, in the form of at least in which it is used by the house and ship painter as a decorative finishing material, has been replaced in a variety of different ways.
“Someone said in my presence, “Why it’s all plywood”!
“You will observe as I proceed to a description of some of the public rooms that there is much truth in this comment and, as decorators, we may pause to give this matter thought, for it is not unconnected with other questions which have been the subject of deliberations at these meetings.”
Christie then went on to explain:
“In many of the private suites one has to look specially for any evidence of the use of paint.
“The wall surfaces of many of those special apartments are finished completely in inlaid and veneered woods of contrasting colours. In others, the wall panels, surrounded with hard wood siles, are stretched with fabrics.”
The lecture included John’s thoughts on specific rooms on the ship:
“Now we pass into the dance salon for decoration of which Miss Anna Zinkeisen is largely responsible.
“I have not been privileged to meet the lady and so I am quite unbiased in giving her full marks as a decorator.
“The colour scheme of the walls in tones of beige, French grey, blue grey and silver find a sympathetic echo in the carpet and beautifully appliquéed curtains.
“The individual work of Miss Zinkeisen consists of four mural paintings representing the seasons, carried out in a style at once classic and modern.
“Those black and white horses in Greek-like silhouette with extended mane: the graceful outline of the nymph-like figures: the playfulness of the themes and the simple technique command unstinted praise.”
“In the delectable atmosphere of this observation lounge, one may dine as a change from the restaurant on a platform behind its 21 windows below the Captain’s bridge which look directly over the bow of the ship and out to sea. You may, on the other hand, have refreshment with dignity on a chair at a table, or if you prefer, dangle your legs on a stool at the semi-circular 30’ counter.
“Above this counter on a long frieze-like panel over the bar fitting AR Thomson has painted a brilliant caricature of types one may have seen in London celebrating Jubilee night 1935. It is indeed a brilliant piece of work, beautifully drawn and exquisitely coloured.
“It is the sort of theme that crushes criticism, so happily and without effort does it hit off the spirit and atmosphere of a cocktail bar.
“The walls are of a strongly figured burr maple with bands of contrasting mottled timber known as cedarmah.
“The counter front is in macassar ebony broken into bands with gold and black.
“The grills and the railing of the dais are in silver bronze designed openly with appropriate motifs – all the paraphernalia and equipment of that which is said to be conducive to good fellowship.
John had even brought along prepared samples to pass among the audience:
“Here are some samples which I have prepared on similar lines which can be examined later.
“After preparing the wood, the top section was gold sized and dusted over with gold bronze powder. When dry it was carefully glasspapered to do away with the possibility of thickened edges. The background was then gold sized and dusted over with silver leaf bronze powder.
“Section number two was gold sized and dusted overall with silver leaf bronze powder and, when dry, the incision cut in with gold bronze.
“Number three was treated in the same way as no two but in a cellulose medium and sprayed.
“Number four was executed as the other numbers, but gold leaf in two tones was substituted for bronze powder.
“It has occurred to me that such a piece of work would not be without interest to those of our number who are responsible for the training of students in trade classes. To exhibit such a sample as I have before me and to invite a written specification of how to do the job would, I feel sure, produce a wide variety of answers. Helpful information could be imparted by the teacher in pointing out wherein such answers were faulty from the practical viewpoint and arising there from a sample board might
be executed.”
Peter was only four years old when the ship was launched in 1936, so was oblivious to the stress and hard work his father must have endured overseeing the painting and decoration of the vast ship. Subcontracted to do the work by London firm Heals, Guthrie & Wells had dozens of men in all parts of the vessel working to the highest standards.
“We had about a hundred men on the books,” remembers Peter, “but as you know, the painting trade is fluid and we brought men in as and when they were needed. I remember, even in the 1950s, men queuing at seven o’clock in the morning outside the office, looking for work. There would have been 400-500 men working on the Queen Mary. We did the decoration of Gleneagles Hotel when it was built in 1924 and there were more than 100 men on that job.”
Peter followed his father into the decorating trade, serving his time as an apprentice and working his way up through the ranks to become a Director of Guthrie & Wells. “The old man didn’t suffer fools gladly,” says Peter. “He had no time for direct promotions. If you couldn’t do the job you wouldn’t be there.”
Peter was also involved in the NFMPDS and was on the National Council, when the name was changed to the Scottish Decorators’ Federation (SDF). Peter went on to become President of the SDF in 1976.
“I actually oversaw the refit of the Queen Mary after the Second World War, when she was in a terrible state. She had been used as a troopship, there were cracks an inch wide in her hull and, although many of the fixtures and fittings had been removed and stored for safekeeping, the interior was in quite a state too. But we took her back to her original splendour and she continued to work as a cruise ship right up until 1967.”
The ship was sold by Cunard in 1967 and is now berthed in Long Beach, California, serving as a floating hotel and museum.
Read the full transcript of John Christie’s lecture here.
Main photograph: The Mary Evans Picture Library.