DONALDSON DOMINION DUO: T.S.S. ATHENIA & T.S.S. LETITIA

A ship sails through history… What a wonderful, vibrant history there is, as told by our marine editor, in the old liner Captain Cook, better known as the Letitia, which is now on her way to the scrap heap.  

This was no mere luxury vessel made famous because of a kind of café society trade. Through the years she took part in the dramas of our time, tragedy and hopefulness, war and peace.

In her early days she brought settlers from Scotland to Canada. Then was fitted as a hospital ship and brought back those thousand Canadian prisoners of war from Hong Kong to Vancouver in 1945, just in time for Christmas.

Then she became the transport Empire Brent, bringing war brides and their children to Canada. Finally she became the Captain Cook, appropriately captain by a Vancouver celebrity named Captain James Cook, carrying 27,000 settlers to a new life in New Zealand.

We on the waterfront can flavor the full emotion of such a story. The Captain Cook played her part in the crises of countless lives.

The Province (Vancouver), 11 March 1960

Sister ships share the same basic construction details, usually come from the same builder and spend at least the first part of their lives in company, indeed of “of one company” as Sir Francis Drake would have it.  Yet, many wind up having divergent careers and different fortunes and fates as distinct as their own individual characters.  

No pair of sister ships bear this out more than Donaldson’s Athenia (1923) and Letitia (1925). Athenia is forever remembered for being torpedoed and sunk in the first hours of war between Britain and Germany in September 1939.  Indeed, the first British, Canadian and American casualties in the Second World War were Athenia passengers and crew.  Athenia’s sinking was the opening shot of the longest and most important battle in the whole of the war: that waged on and below the Atlantic Ocean from 1939-1943.  

 

Yet her sister managed to distinguish herself in more roles—North Atlantic liner, cruise ship, Armed Merchant Cruiser, troop transport, hospital ship, war bride ship and migrant vessel;  serve more British dominions—Canada, Australia and New Zealand;  and carry more varied passengers---  emigrants, tourists, pilgrims, students, university heads, scholars, authors,  generals, soldiers, POWs, wounded, displaced persons and assisted migrants than any other passenger vessel.   Letitia, and as Empire Brent and Captain Cook, too, has earned her place in the annals of the Merchant Navy and the history of immigration to Canada, Australia and New Zealand.   

Athenia and Letitia were products of  the most  epic passenger  liner newbuilding  programme in  history when in  1919 Cunard Line (which by  then also had  a controlling  interest  in  Anchor  and  Donaldson  Line and thus managed almost  effortlessly  to dominate the  North  Atlantic Ferry  in fashion  that J.P. Morgan's  moribund  IMM had  utterly  failed to  do)  announced  orders for 12 liners for Cunard, five for Anchor and two for Donaldson, totalling some 317,200 grt).

In size  and speed, these  ships fairly  redefined  the  character of  the  North  Atlantic liner immediately  after the War, eschewing  records for size  and speed for  more enduring qualities of economy  and  earning  capacity and indeed reflecting experienced  with progenitors of the type introduced in  the years leading up to 1914. 

The enduring  qualities  of  these  ships is  testament to  their specification,  design and build qualities. Some  like Lancastria, Laconia and Athenia would meet untimely, indeed notorious ends in the  Second World War whilst  others like Scythia,  Cameronia and  Letitia  would endure  for  the  ages  and prove among  the greatest British  liners  every built.   

Here,  both these  contrasting fates and  fortunes are represented by two  of  this epic fleet  often least  mentioned:  Donaldson's Athenia (1923)  and  Letitia (1925)  belonging  to  a line  that has  equally eluded the  attention of  contemporary chroniclers  of the  Atlantic  Ferry:  Donaldson Line.  

Early official line issue postcard for the new Athenia, possibly by Walter Thomas. Credit: Author's collection.

"Will Ye No Come Back Again"...R.M.S. Athenia, 1923-1939. Credit: Don Hazeldine

Cheer! boys, cheer! the steady breeze is blowing

To float us freely o’er the oceans breast

The world shall follow in the track we’re going

The star of Empire glitters in the west

Were we had toil and little to reward it

But there shall plenty smile upon our pain

And ours shall be the prairee and the forest

And boundless meadows ripe with golden grain

Cheer, Boys, Cheer,  Charles MacKay, 1850. 

If nothing else, Athenia and Letitia hold the distinction of being the last two newly built passenger ships for a line which whilst never rivalling Anchor Line in number of ships, was no less representative of its native Scotland on the North Atlantic Ferry.   It would be hard to conceive of the British Merchant Navy without the contribution of the genius of Scottish marine engineering, the craftsmanship of Scottish shipwrights, the business acumen of Scottish ship owners and the stalwart qualities of Scottish seamanship. Or indeed of the true “Hands Across the Sea” bonds that linked Scotland with Scots in North America that both Anchor and Donaldson Lines maintained.  At their heart, Athenia and Letitia were Scottish Ships of State throughout their careers.

Yet, it was initially the rich trade of South America's River Plate that prompted the founding, in 1855, of the Donaldson Brothers firm by John and William Donaldson.  Three years later they dispatched their first ship, the 299-ton barque Joan Taylor, to South America. By 1870, the first steamer was launched, the 1,350-ton Astarte.

After a few trial voyages, the greater prospects of the North America route beckoned, in particular that to the new Dominion of Canada then just entering a remarkable period of substantial Scottish immigration. In April 1878 the Donaldsons began a fortnightly Glasgow-St. Lawrence service to Quebec and Montreal and to Portland, Maine in winter. By the turn of the century this evolved into a weekly service to Montreal, St. John in winter and also to Baltimore.  These were cargo operations, but by the turn of the century, the demand for passenger space from Scotland to Canada was insatiable. In 1903 the line began to offer berths on their existing ships.

The figures for Scottish settlement in Canada do not tell the story of Donaldson Line's ensuing passenger service from the Clyde to the St. Lawrence, but they give every reason why it came to be and why it prospered:

          Period               No. of Scottish Immigrants

          1871-1901         80,000

          1901-1919         240,000

          1919-1930         200,000

By 1930, over one million Scots lived in Canada whose total population at the time was about 10 million.  As the expat population settled and prospered, it fostered a gradual increase in eastbound traffic as well to "the Old Country." 

The 7,835-grt Athenia entered service in May 1904 as a freighter, but the surging immigrant trade prompted her being rebuilt the following year with berths for 50 Second Class and 450 Third Class and followed in 1906 by a similar vessel the 7,396-grt Cassandra  with 200 Second Class and 1,000 Third class berths.  Before the First World War, Donaldson added two more liners, the 8,611-grt Saturnia (250 Second 950 Third Class) in 1910 and the 8,911-grt Letitia (300 Second Class 950 Third Class) in 1912 to maintain a weekly service. 

Athenia (1904) was the first of a quartet of liners for the Glasgow-Montreal run before the First World War.  Credit: Author's collection.

Altogether the Donaldson fleet totaled 14 vessels by 1914, but the First World War was devastating to the company, eight ships being lost and the flagship Letitia stranded off Halifax whilst serving as a hospital ship.  In  November 1916 Anchor Line (Henderson Bros. Ltd,) acquired a half interest in the four passenger steamers and henceforth the passenger service was operated as Anchor-Donaldson Ltd. With Anchor wholly owned by Cunard since 1912, this created the rather ponderously named Cunard-Anchor-Donaldson Lines as it was advertised from 1917 onwards.

The handsome pre-war Letitia was lost in the First World War whilst serving as a hospital ship... not by enemy action, but pilot error coming into Halifax in 1917.  Credit: Author's collection.

Cover of Donaldson Line brochure, c. 1926. Credit: Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives

In addition to the taking over of enemy passenger and freight vessels, there has recently been a large amount of shipping ordered for trans-Atlantic and other commerce, including vessels for the Canadian lines. It is announced that the Dominion Line has ordered six new steamers for the Atlantic trade, and that the Anchor-Donaldson Line is to build two new vessels for their Glasgow and Montreal route. Seven of the liners will be constructed in Clyde yards, while the remaining vessel will be built at Barrow-in-Furness.

During the war the Donaldson fleet suffered heavily from enemy action, the passenger steamers Athenia and Letitia being lost at sea, and four cargo vessels also being sunk. To make good these losses and in anticipation of the expansion of the trade the joint firms have ordered the new liners.

The  Gazette, 24  September 1919.

Two new passenger liners are on order for the Montreal -Glasgow service of the Anchor-Donaldson line, and it is hoped that delivery will be made by next summer.

Montreal  Star, 24 September 1919.

The Cunard, Anchor and Donaldson fleets had all been ravaged by war losses and embarked on a remarkable and unprecedented newbuilding programme in 1919.  This totalled 34 ships of a combined 389,000 grt for Cunard, Anchor, Donaldson and Brocklebank.

As a tribute to those vessels which had been lost in the war, their names would be carried on by their post-war replacements, breaking a long held belief among some sailors that it was unlucky to change or repeat a ship's name.  For Donaldson, it also saved them from searching out another pair of Greek goddess names to bestow on their share of the newbuildings.

The earliest rendering of the new Donaldson liners (by Odin Rosenvinge) gives them a far more imposing funnel than that actually fitted.  

On 9 September 1919 Anchor-Donaldson placed an order with Fairfield Co. Ltd. for two ships for their Glasgow-Montreal route. These were assigned Yard Nos. 596 and 601.  No. 596 was laid down at Govan almost immediately.  

Some people desire novelty and a sense of adventure when traveling at sea, while others look for that comfort they enjoy at home. Both these qualities are blended to a really remarkable degree on these two sister ships.

On these snug, cozy liners all your desires are met with effortless ease suggestive of home; yet there is an atmosphere of adventure abroad during the voyage to satisfy every spirit.

On each ship you experience time-honored Anchor-Donaldson Service, conforming to the most modern standards obtaining in the Americas, mellowed by traditional Scotch hospitality.

The "Letitia" and the "Athenia" are cabin ships carrying two classes only. For a very moderate fare passengers have at their disposal, elegant public rooms of luxury which is usually associated with saloon accommodation.

Donaldson Line brochure, 1926.

Briefly the Letitia, as a ship,  is  decidely  a ship  of today.  Specially  built  and design ffor  the Anchor-Donaldson  service  between  Glasgow  and Canada, no  effort  has been spared  to make  her  accommodation all that  the most  discerning passengers could  desire.

The  Montreal Star,  2  April  1925.

Athenia and Letitia managed to be notable and distinctive ships even if part of a remarkable and veritable flotilla of  14 newbuildings for Cunard, Anchor and Donaldson liners built between 1919-1925.

It was a record investment in new tonnage and a commitment to what Cunard expected to be the post-war environment for the North Atlantic passenger trade. With their German rivals hors de combat, it was deemed the expensive and excessive competition among giant record breakers was a thing of the past so the new fleet was exclusively composed of ships of moderate size (two groups of 20,000 and 14,000 grt ships) and speed (15-16 knots).  Their principal passenger trade, however, was presumed to be same as before the war i.e. predominately immigrants so they were given large capacity Third Classes (1,000-1,200) in basic cabins as well as substantial cargo capacity.  In some respects, they were developments of HAPAG's President Lincoln pair of 1907.

Of course, events proved quite different after the war with severe restrictions on immigration to the United States, a drop in cargo carryings owing to high post-war tariffs and an unanticipated demand for budget tourist space. Even so, the new intermediates proved remarkably adaptable vessels and some like Anchor's Cameronia, Cunard's Scythia and Donaldson's Letitia proved among the most successful and longest-lived of all their ships.

If anything, the Donaldson pair of ships were the most comparable to their pre-war Letitia and suited to actual post-war conditions on the Canadian run where immigrant traffic remained buoyant after U.S. restrictions were enacted.  Although neither were initially suited to the development of Tourist Third Cabin and had to be refitted to accommodated three classes.

Indicative of the greater co-ordination between the Atlantic lines of the group, the new ships for Cunard-Anchor-Donaldson North Atlantic services were rationalised to a large degree and designed by same architect, Leonard Peskett.  Assisting with the specifications of the Donaldson ships was Alexander Innes, Chief Engineer Superintendent of Anchor Donaldson.  So it was that Donaldson’s share of this programme would consist of two 14,000-grt turbine steamers which were, save for their cruiser sterns (shared with their Anchor Line cousins), very similar to six “A” class ships for Cunard also built for the St. Lawrence run.

An early photo of Athenia as completed with the Anchor Liner tender Paladin in attendance so in the Clyde, most likely off Greenock. Credit: Benjidog.co.uk

And for comparison, Letitia after the 1927-28 refit extending the aft superstructure and plating-in the forward part of the covered promenade deck.  She is shown in the Mersey with the tender Skirmisher in attendance. 

With principal dimensions of 538 ft. 2 ins. overall (520 ft. b.p.) in length, beams of 66 ft. 4 ins. and drawing 27 ft. 8 ins. with a deadweight tonnage of 9,940, Athenia and Letitia were all but identical to the Cunard "A's" in size. Athenia's gross registered tonnage was 13,465 and her sister 13,475 so they, too, were true sister ships.

A profile in proportion and purposefulness, R.M.S. Letitia.  Credit: Wikimedia Commons

J.H. Isherwood described Letitia as being "a fine, handsome and sturdy looking ship" and like all of Peskett's designs, had a perfect proportion of hull and superstructure and a modest rake to the twin masts and single (if slightly undersized) funnel imparting a purposeful and business like quality to what were quintessential modest, working passenger-cargo liners.  Like their Anchor Line cousins, they had nicely shaped cruiser sterns whereas, for some reason, Peskett determined that their Cunard variants should have the old-fashioned and less pleasing counter sterns.

Like their Anchor Line cousins, Athenia and Letitia had attractive, neat cruiser sterns, and handsome raised bronze letters in Gill sans spelling out their names, too.  Here Athenia gets a paint touch-up in Prince's Dock, Glasgow in May 1937.  Credit: Wikimedia Commons.

Each had six decks with three overall: Boat, Promenade, Bridge, Shelter, Upper and Main Decks. There were ten watertight bulkheads and seven holds with three forward worked by a pair of kingposts forward and foremast booms, one trunked through the superstructure aft of the bridge island and worked by a pair of kingposts forward of the funnel and three aft worked by mast booms and a pair of kingposts. There was insulated space in no. 5 hold and the three forward holds could carry grain (an important Canadian export).

Patent 'nested' lifeboats of the  Murray & Clemson type are installed under Welin  patent davits. In no case has  one of pair of  davits to serve more than two lifelboats. The seating accommodation in the lifeboats is  in excess of  the total  of  passengers and crew  combined.

Wishaw Press, 6 April 1923.

A wonderful photo of Athenia sailing from Glasgow and her departure being filmed from Fairfields where she was built.  This shows her split superstructure with the no. 4 hold and kingposts aft of the bridge island, the plating in of the forward end of her covered promenade from her 1927-28 refit and her double-nested lifeboats.  The stern of Anchor Line's Cameronia is in right background. Credit: https://www.benjidog.co.uk

ATHENIA Profile & General Arrangement Plans As Built 

credit: Shipbuilding & Shipping Record, courtesy of William T. Tilley. 

(LEFT CLICK on image to view full size scan)

House tops, Navigating Bridge and Compass platform.

Boat Deck and Captain's Bridge

Promenade Deck and Docking Bridge

Bridge Deck

Shelter Deck

Upper Deck

Main Deck

Hold

These were, like all the Cunard group intermediates, powered by geared turbines and oil-burners, and as such considered very up to date for the time.  Additionally, Athenia introduced the improved "Nodal" system of gearing, too, which solved some of the early gearing issues with the intermediates of the era or as one marine journal explained: "In new of the troubles which have been experienced on many vessels recently as a result of the failure of helical teeth in double reduction gearing, the 'nodal drive' has been incorporated in the main propelling to counteract the effects of the vibrations caused by torsional oscillations in the turbines' gearing shafting."

Two sets of triple-expansion, double reduction geared Brown Curtis turbines were fitted, supplied by three double-ended and two single-ended Scotch boilers working at 210 psi and in one boiler room. At 99 r.p.m, the twin-four bladed screws gave a service speed of 15 knots from 8,700 horsepower, but both were capable of 17 plus knots. In service, Athenia and Letitia were extremely reliable with not a single breakdown or mechanical failing recorded during their pre-war careers.

A marvelous vista of double-banked clinker-built lifeboats, quadrant davits, raised roof of the Smoking Room, a forest of ventilator cowls, funnel and foremast that Cabin Class passengers enjoyed whilst strolling on Athenia and Letitia's Boat Deck. Credit: Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives

The accommodation and passenger spaces of Athenia and Letitia were attractive, pleasant and straight forward. And, like most ships, better as originally conceived for just two classes, something that indeed Donaldson Line had helped to pioneer on the North Atlantic with Second (Cabin) and Third only on their early vessels.

As originally configured Athenia accommodated 516 Cabin and 1,132 Third Class passengers whereas her sister had 976 berths in Third Class.

Cabin Class was traditionally sited on the uppermost four decks amidships with 354 berths in cabins on Bridge Deck and 162 berths on Shelter Deck, mostly two-berth rooms.  Letitia, as built, was listed as having a total of 342 Cabin Class rooms. These were pleasant and comfortable for their time, broadly comparable with Second Class on the big express steamers, but even these had only cold running water.  There were additionally four suites on Bridge Deck with two rooms each and a private full bathroom.

The state rooms are lilted for two or four persons, and are finished with wardrobe.,settee, and small fixed locker seats. In the two-berth rooms, which are next to the ship's side, the upper bed hinges up against the wall, thus providing a number of special one-berth state rooms. Practically all the inner rooms on B deck have a ventilating root light. All the state rooms on both B and C decks are fitted with wash-basins with running water, and an even temperature is maintained by a natural supply of cold air with mechanical extraction. In conjunction with a small radiator under the personal control of the occupant. The walls are enamelled white, and the furniture is of polished mahogany: curtains are fitted to berths and side-lights. A Wilton carpet covers the floor. 

Wishaw Press, 6 April 1923

Designed along the same lines as the  Athenia,  the  Letitia  is distinct from her sister ship  in several particulars, the  smoke room being larger, as previous experience has proved the accommodation in the smoke rooms to be inadequate on well booked steamers.

Two  special baths had  been added to  the  cabin accommodation on both  sides  of  the  ship,  which  can be converted  to private baths  in  connection with  staterooms.

A well  equipped nursery for  the  benefit of  children travelling third  class  has also  been installed on  the  after end  of  the  steamer.  This  innovation will  mark  an important  advance  towards  better  conditions for  third  class  travellers.

The  Gazette, 16 October 1924.

The main public rooms were on Promenade Deck with an entrance hall, nursery, drawing room, lounge, smoking room and veranda café.  In Letitia, the smoking room and veranda café were combined.  The principal rooms all had domed or raised ceilings with skylights or clerestory natural light which added immeasurably to their sense of space as their actual dimensions were not large. One of the decorative challenges of these ships, with a hold aft of the bridge island as well as the funnel and engine room casings, was the inevitable "squeezing" of public rooms into the box-like voids and side passageways left. The dining saloon had 264 seats (Athenia) or 258 seats (Letitia) with a fully domed ceiling.

ATHENIA Deck Plans (c. 1939)  credit: William T. Tilley

(LEFT CLICK on image to view full size scan)

Showing the changes from her 1928 refit to three classes: Cabin (Yellow), Tourist Third (Green) and Third (Pink) and alterations from her 1939 refit.  

Boat Deck

Promenade Deck.

Bridge Deck

Shelter Deck

Upper Deck

Main Deck

The public rooms of Athenia were quite attractive, somewhat recalling those in the pre-war Franconia and Laconia and enthusiastically described in a contemporary newspaper account:

The dining saloon on the upper deck occupies the full width of the ship and has seating accommodation for 264 passengers. Situated at the foot of the main staircase. the dining saloon Is designed in the style of the Italian Renaissance. In the centre of the ceiling Is a domed portion supported by a column of Scagllola marble. The walls are richly ornamented by tapestry of old Venetian scenes. The room is finished in a warm cream colour, and the whole effect, is brightened with coloured curtains and mirrors between the windows. 

The lounge hall is entered by two vestibules from the deck and forms a gallery of 40 feet in length along the port side. The decoration is in the style of the later French Renaissance, and is ornamented with green Scagllola marble columns with gilded capitals. Large windows afford an excellent view forward. 

An excellent play-room for the children has been fitted on the Athenia. The walls are painted to resemble woodland scenery, with sketches illustrating nursery rhymes and stories dear to the hearts of children. An enamelled dado protects the walls and is brought out along one side to form a locker where the toys are stored. Over the mantlepiece is a copy of Sir Joshua Reynolds' famous picture--" The Age of Innocence." At one end is a little playground, separated from the rest of the room by a rail, where the youngest children may play in absolute safety. 

The drawing room is designed In the style of the Adam Brothers of the 18th century. Elliptical arches and tall pilasters give that appearance of dignity which is always associated with these architects. A handsome antique marble mantlepiece is a prominent feature of the room. The style is that of the early Georgian period which is associated with freedom and comfort. The floor area of the lounge is 40 feet by 20 feet and the room is not spoiled by the presence of pillars. Over the centre of the room is a wrought iron dome supported by richly ornamented pendentives. The walls are finished in a pleasing tone of old ivory which imparts a sense of warmth to the room. 

The smoking room is finished in dark polished oak, and, like the lounge, it follows the Georgian style. Comfort is the keynote of this room, and the mellow panelling is set off by bright coloured hangings. Opening from the smoke room and leading on to the deck is the verandah rate. This is a semi open-air room, the walls of which are treated to resemble stone and covered with teak trellis work.

Wishaw Press, 6 April 1923

Letitia's interiors were quite distinctive from those of her sister with more use of oak panelling and timbers.  The dining saloon being described as "strongly suggesting the best traditions of Old England in the many oak panelled inns, scattered throughout the country." Adding "the drawing room and lounge are furnished with comfortable cretonned covered chairs and the windows have attractive curtains. The galley leading to the public rooms is panelled in oak, as is the stairway leading to the pursers office and the dining room which is also panelled in oak and hung with armorial bearings. There are a number of good etchings and paintings in the gallery, giving it an added attractive appearance. Prominent among these are six etchings of the shipyards, by Muirhead Bone, which were originally done for the British War Memorials.  Others are works of Graham Petrie, R.I., these including a painting of Lago Maggiore, and one of the Rio Veneziano and a third of the market in Venice."

Cabin Class smoking room in Athenia. Credit: Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives

Cabin Class smoking room in Letitia. Credit: Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives

Cabin Class drawing room in Letitia. Credit: Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives

Cabin Class lounge in Athenia. Credit: Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives

Cabin Class dining saloon in Athenia. Credit: Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives

Bedroom (yes and upper and lowers, too!) of a suite with private bathroom attached. Credit: Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives

Cabin Class four-berth cabin. Credit: Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives

Third Class was, of course, utilitarian although much praised when new for representing considerable improvement on pre-war conditions.  Everyone was accommodated in cabins of two, four or six-berths with washstands and reservoir-tank fresh water laid on with polished wood berths and white enamelled walls and bare painted steel overheads.  The difference in capacity figures between Athenia (1,132) and Letitia (976) came from "convertible" cabins on Athenia which could be taken apart quickly and the space used instead for cargo. These lacked washbasins and were generally inferior to the permanent cabins and were removed by 1928. The permanent cabin were on Main and Upper Decks with Letitia having 355 berths in Upper Deck cabins and 658 on Main Deck.

Third Class four-berth cabin in Athenia. 

Third Class smoking room aboard Athenia.

There were two dining rooms on Upper Deck for Third with 318 and 182 seats. Although the seats were the traditional swivel ones and the tables were the usual long refrectory style, they were laid with cloths, proper cutlery and flowers. Each was provided with an upright piano so could be used for entertainment as well.  In addition, there was a smoking room, two lounges and a "lounge" hall.  Most of the furniture in these was of the fitted wood slat settee variety and the panelling was polished oak.

Aft view of Athenia showing her post 1928 extension to the Bridge Deck-- see the four square windows to the new Tourist Third lounge and aft openings for the new Tourist covered promenade deck.  Credit: Benjidog.co.uk

In 1928, both ships were refitted and rearranged to accommodate three classes, specifically providing separate public rooms for the new Tourist Third Class.  This was accomplished by extending the Bridge Deck aft just past no. 5 hold creating a large lounge with side windows for Tourist and an aft facing covered promenade while one deck above, this provided an expanse of open deck for Tourist around the raised hatch for no. 5 hold.  Additionally, the original Cabin smoking room was given to Tourist.  To compensate Cabin Class for this loss of a room,  the Cabin nursery was removed and the forward part of Promenade Deck re-arranged to give Cabin an additional corridor lounge.  The vestibule lounge forward of this was given large windows looking out to the forward Cabin open deck. The forward part of the covered promenade was plated in and provided with large windows. The former lounge was re-designated as the smoking room. Providing a separate Tourist Third dining space was rather unfortunately accomplished by the expedient of partitioning off the starboard side of the Cabin dining saloon to provide a 144-seat section while Cabin retaining the center domed portion and portside area.

Tourist Third Class accommodation almost entirely came from the lesser grades of former Cabin Class so that the ships capacity became: Athenia 314 Cabin, 310 Tourist Third and 928 Third (total 1,552) and Letitia 298 Cabin, 310 Tourist Third and 945 Third (total 1,582).

Letitia Cabin Class dining saloon, c. 1939. 

Athenia, Cabin Class lounge, c. 1939. 

An especially smart looking Athenia, possibly just after her 1928 refit and showing the plating in of the forward part of her covered promenade deck and the superstructure extension aft. Credit: Benjidog.co.uk

Athenia and Letitia proved to be thoroughly dependable, popular and well-found ships, the former proving her mettle staying afloat for some 14 hours after being torpedoed and the latter for a matchlessly varied of career of 35 years in every role and climate imaginable. They were certainly a credit to their builders and to Donaldson Line management and maintenance.

1920

It was reported on 8 June 1920 that the new ships would accommodate 520 Cabin and 1,200 Third and “will not be ready until next year.” Their names were revealed on 24 September: Athenia (after the Goddess of Athens) and Letitia (after the Greek Goddess of Joy) and carrying on the names of the former so-named liners lost in the war.   It was also reported that whilst the pre-war pair Letitia had cost £120,000 to build, the two new liners would cost £860,000. The actual invoiced price for Athenia was, in fact, £1,043,848 and for Letitia, £812,305.

Credit: Victoria Daily Times, 25 March 1922.

1922

… the liner left the building berth, and took the water gracefully in a favouring wind, amid great cheering from a large gathering of spectators.

The Scotsman 30 January 1922

Christened by Mrs. Alexander Gemmell, a daughter of the late Mr. A.F. Donaldson, Athenia was launched at 1:00 p.m. on 28 January 1922. Athenia was but one of eight steamers launched on the Clyde  that  month,  totalling 52,062  tons.

Credit: Daily Record, 30  January 1922.

At the  luncheon  which  followed the  naming ceremony Sir  Alexander  M. Kennedy  presided,  and on his right sat  Mrs. Alexander Gemmell. The  owners were  represented by Messrs.  Charles Donaldson, N.P.  Donaldson, W.B. Donaldson, and  D.  Hosie,  directors;  Mr. W. M'k.  Roden,  manager;  Mr.  Alexander Innes, superintendent  engineer;  and Captain Findlay,  marine  superintendent. The  builders  were  represented by  the  chairman and managing director; Sir E. Mackay  Edgar,  Bart., director; Mr. Robert Traill,  director  and engineering  manager; Mr. G. Strachan, director  and secretary; Mr.  A.J. Hendin, shipyard manager;  and Dr.  P.A. Hillhouse, naval  architect. The ladies present were Lady  Kennedy, Mrs. Charles Donaldson, Mrs. Hosie, Mrs.  Roden, Mrs  Innes, Mrs.  Findlay, Mrs.  Traill, Miss M.F. Donaldson. Among other guests were Mr. Alexander Gemmell, and Colonel Andrew O'Kelly, representative of  Canadian Government.

The Scotsman, 30  January  1922.

At the post launch luncheon, Sir Alexander M. Kennedy, Managing Director of Fairfields, addressed the myriad problems now plaguing British shipbuilding at the time: "The cost of the Athenia will make well-nigh impossible for them to get a return on the capital expended, but since prices have now fallen considerably, and with the prospect of further reductions taking place in materials and labour, the present might be a very suitable time to lay down a duplicate vessel and apply the law of average.  Needless to say we Fairfield would do all in our power to lighten their burden as much as possible."

Credit: The Gazette, 28 January 1922.

The same day, the initial dates for Athenia’s first voyages were announced with her maiden voyage commencing from Glasgow on 9 June 1922 and that from Montreal on the 23rd. She was to have successive sailings from Montreal on 21 July, 18 August, 18 September, 13 October and 10 November and run between Glasgow and Portland, Maine, in winter. 

At her christening, it was said Athenia would be put into service within six months and the keel of her sister ship was duly laid down. The epic post-war building programme of Cunard and associated lines should have continued to showcase British shipbuilding prowess and efficiency as just witnessed during the war. Instead, labour problems culminating in prolonged strikes by engineers and joiners, astonishing inflation in wages and materials exacerbated by "cost plus" contracts rather than fixed priced tenders as well as a downturn in both the cargo and passenger trade brought about by high tariffs and restrictions on immigration into the United States, all conspired to make these intermediate liners not only among the most expensive per ton ever built, but also among the longest to complete.

Another early Rosenvinge rendering of Athenia.

Such were conditions, that stop work orders went out in March 1922 on the second Donaldson ship and Anchor's Transylvania in the early stages of construction at Govan as well as other ships underway in other yards.  The fitting out, too, of Athenia ground to a near halt since the engineers strike precluded her planned completion in time for the 1922 St. Lawrence season and Donaldson were in no hurry take delivery in winter.

1923

Underway again, Donaldson ramped up the promotion of the delayed new ship's rescheduled maiden voyage for April 1923. This introduced the artwork, too, used for Athenia's first colour postcard. Credit: Victoria Daily Times, 23 January 1923

It was not until 22 January 1923 that Athenia's fitting out was resumed. It announced she would open the St. Lawrence Season with her maiden sailing from Glasgow on 19 April and would, like Saturnia and Cassandra, make westbound calls at Moville in Northern Ireland.  "This liner is now being rapidly pushed to completion in preparation for her maiden voyage from Glasgow on April 19 and eastbound from Montreal on May 4," reported the Gazette (Montreal).   On 3 March it was added that Athenia would run her sea trials "towards the later part of this month."

Athenia on trials, 3 April 1923.  

Athenia ran trials on the Skelmarlie measured mile in the Clyde on 3 April 1923 which were described as “being in every way satisfactory” with a mean speed of 16.77 knots obtained and topping 17 knots. Aboard were Sir Alexander Kennedy, Managing Director of Fairfields,  Prof. P.A. Hillhouse, Naval Architect, Leonard Peskett, Naval Architect, Mr. Charles Donaldson, Chairman of Anchor-Donaldson, Mr. W.B. Donaldson and Mr. N.P. Donaldson.  Following the trials, a reception and luncheon was arranged aboard hosted by Mr. Charles Donaldson and Sir Alexander Kennedy.

The trial trip of the T.S.S. “Athenia” of  the Anchor-Donaldson Line, Ltd., down the Clyde and round Alisa Craig proved to be highly successful. The proprietors of Line invited a large number of guests comprising railway representatives, Canadian Government officials, conspicuous among, whom were Dr W. J. Black, Deputy Minister of Immigration and Colonisation of the‘Dominion Government. Mr Reford of the Robert Reford Co., the Canadian Agents of the Line, was also present, and a large number  of influential booking agents, the writer (our representative) included. 

The mist on the Clyde and the dull atmospheric conditions prevailing on the water did not in the least affect the spirits of the guests on board. The hospitality of the A.-D., the genial company, and the interesting features of the new steamer absorbed the attention of all. 

Highland News, 7 April  1923.

Original caption: Shipping agents  at trial trip. A group  of the  agents of the Anchor  and Anchor-Donaldson Steamship lines photographed on board  the new Donaldson liner, Athenia, on the occasion of  her trial trip on the Clyde. Credit: Daily Record, 4 April 1923.

First advertisement for Athenia's maiden voyage, 

Original  caption: The Donaldson liner, Athenia, left the  Clyde  on her  maiden  trip to  Canada, yesterday,  with  a big  complement of  emigrants, among  whom were 180  passengers  who were conducted to the  Dominion under  the  auspices  of  the  Salvation Army.  Above  is  seen a typical group  of  voyagers.  Do  you  recognise any  of them? Credit: Daily  Record, 20 April 1923.

Finally, some four years after being ordered, Athenia (Captain David Taylor) was off on her maiden voyage, sailing from Glasgow at 1:00 p.m.  19 April 1923 with 210 Cabin and 937 Third Class. Among those  aboard was  a large party  of immigrants the Salvation Army  Emigration Scheme and they were afforded a  musical  send-off with the  Salvation Army Band aboard down the Clyde as far as  Greenock.  Unusually, she also called en route at Liverpool the  morning of the  20th. so that she had aboard a final list of 240 Cabin and 1,126 Third and was due at Quebec on the 30th. 

But  unpredictable spring weather played havoc with plans and strong east winds still holding masses of ice in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, blocked Cabot Strait, diverting  Athenia and Cunard's Ausonia to Halifax.  It  was  an expectedly busy  day  in the  port of Halifax on 2 May when three  liners--  Athenia, Canada and Ausonia--  docked there with  a total of  2,006  passengers landing at  Pier 2,  North  Terminals.  No fewer  than eight  special  trains  left that  evening  and the following  morning for  Montreal and points west. Three trains were  laid  for Athenia's passengers and in "a  triumph  of Canadian National Railway service," (Montreal Star, 3 May),  the  first (for cabin class  and some  Third)  left  Halifax for  Montreal  at 4:30 p.m. , the second at 5:50 p.m. and  a  third  at 8:00  p.m.). Canada would turnaround there  but Athenia  and  Ausonia  would proceed to  Montreal  to discharge  their  cargo  and  maintain  their  scheduled  eastbound  sailings from the  port  when ice  conditions  permitted. 

The new Athenia is  certainly  a fine  ship  and  was greatly  admired  up  the harbor.  Her builders claim  that  she marks  a great advance on anything  launched  by them till now and is equal to  anything afloat in her  own line of  trade. 

 

The Evening Mail, 2  May 1923.

Weather  conditions remained poor with ice  persisting  in Cabot Strait and on  3  May  1923 the Evening Mail (Halifax)  reported  that Athenia  would  turnaround  there and  sail  for  Glasgow on the 9th.   As for her 4,000-ton cargo, it was proposed  to  land only  the light  portion of  it  there and keep the  heavy  freight  aboard  for  the roundtrip  and  discharge  on  her next  Montreal arrival. Instead, with  the  hope  ice  conditions  would  ease,  Athenia was dispatched  from Halifax at 2:00 p.m.  for Montreal at 2:00 p.m. on the  4th. It proved  the wrong  decision and  on the  8th it was reported  that  Athenia and Ausonia were  both still icebound  in the lower Gulf.  The conditions persisted and on the 9th, she was still in ice off Cape Ray.  As it was, Athenia did not dock at Montreal until the 12th at 1:30 p.m.  It was one of the most delayed maiden arrivals of a passenger liner ever, the  ship  originally  to have  come in on 30  April!

Making a quick turnaround, Athenia sailed on her maiden eastbound crossing at 1:00 p.m. on 14 May 1923 with 171 Cabin and 91 Third Class passengers, including  a number originally  booked in Saturnia whose sailing was put back to the 17th. Passing  Father Point at 8:20 a.m. the following  day and averaging over 15 knots,  Athenia cleared Cape Race on the  22nd, and arrived Glasgow the morning of the 26th  

Another  short turnaround  ensued to  get her back on schedule, with  Athenia  leaving  Glasgow  on her second voyage on 30 May 1923. This was her  first "normal" westbound trip and, as per  custom, she  landed all her 725  Third Class  passengers (including 36 agricultural labours for  Ontario  farms and another Salvation Army  party of  117 settlers) on arrival at  Quebec at 7:00  a.m. on 7 June and proceeded to Montreal, docking there that  evening  at 8:00 p.m., landing her  230 cabin passengers  in  time  to catch  western-bound  trains.  

Athenia's next voyage  from Glasgow, on 22 June 1923, was  the  first under  the new  "quota" year  for immigrants to  America and she  went out  fairly  packed with 323 Cabin and 1,137 Third Class.  Among her Canadian immigrants was another Salvation Army  party of 300.   That summer she called additionally  at Liverpool westbound, arriving there the  day after Glasgow.  Making  Quebec at 1:00  p.m. on Dominion Day (1 July) and finally docked at Montreal at 8:00 p.m. the  following day.after being held up at Quebec by processing her arriving 1,138 Third Class of whom 400 were bound for the U.S. and delayed by U.S. authorities.  Homewards,  Athenia  went out on 6  July with 210 Cabin and 105  Third Class after  enjoying her first "normal"  turnaround in Montreal  during which  she  again hosted  visiting travel  agents  for  lunch on the  5th. She arrived at Glasgow  on the  14th and according to the  Greenock  Telegraph (17), "the steamer  exceeded  her guaranteed speed of  16 knots"  on the  trip  over.  

Even under  the Quota Act, the  exodus of Scots  for North  America continued unabated  into  the summer with  7,500  having left since  22 June 1923  alone, half to  the  U.S. and the  remainder  to  Canada.  When Athenia left Glasgow  on 23 July,  she had 494 Cabin and 884  Third Class and she went out with Anchor's  Columbia and  C.P.'s  Metagama, all packed with immigrants  and afforded quite a send off:

Last evening the big liners Columbia, Athenia, and Metagama loft Glasgow for the other side of the Atlantic. On board wore between thirty and forty people from the Port. From early in the evening the Mirren Shore and the harbours were black with friends anxious for give the emigrants hearty send-off in their venture in author land. It is estimated that the crowds numbers two thousand, who waved handkerchiefs, Union Jacks, and all sorts of articles, at the same time roaring themselves almost hoarse. From the vessels the farewells were returned with great gusto.

Greenock Telegraph, 24 July 1923.

Athenia called  at Quebec  at 2:00 a.m. on 1 August 1923 and reached Montreal at  8:00 p.m. that evening.  Special trains left Quebec  for New  York, via Montreal, for  her American-bound passengers and most of  her cabin passengers, landing at  Montreal, were immigrants as well and arriving at  the same time as Metagama, the Montreal Star  observed  that Shed 3 "looked at 8:30 a.m. today  (2 August)  like a busy  section of  Sauchiehall Street  Glasgow,"  thronged with Scots.  Athenia's return crossing was considerably less thronged or  newsworthy, departing on 5 August with  only 89 Cabin and 57 Third Class  passengers.  Passing Greenock at 6:00 p.m. on the  12th, she  docked at Glasgow  the following morning. 

That summer, Athenia and Metagama were a "matched pair"  on the Clyde-St. Lawrence route, both departing again together on 17 August 1923 with 750  returning American tourists and 1,200 immigrants between them, with 457 Cabin and 692 Third Class aboard  the  Donaldson flagship, including the famous Labour leader Frank Hodges. Athenia arrived Montreal on the  25th.  Eastbound, she  cleared on the  31st  with  110 Cabin and 63 Third Class, returning to Glasgow on 8 September. 

No fewer than  3,000 Scottish immigrants were aboard Athenia and Metagama from the Clyde on 14 September 1923 and on clearing the Mersey the  following day, Athenia went across with 455 Cabin and 631 Third Class.  Calling at Quebec on the 23rd, where  she  landed 629 passengers, Athenia  docked at Montreal at 12:10  p.m. the  next day.  For Glasgow on the  28th, Athenia had 77 Cabin and 60 Third Class, arriving on 12 October.  The day before  the  Gazette (Montreal) wrote that "after this voyage the  Athenia will make one more trip  to Montreal.  Decision will be given shortly  as to  the  employment of  this popular steamer during  the  winter season."  

On her final voyage of her maiden   St. Lawrence season, Athenia sailed from Glasgow on 12 October 1923 and Liverpool  the following day, with  273 Cabin and 608 Third Class. In all, 40,000 Scottish immigrants had sailed from the  Clyde in the four months  since 22 June, 21,110 for Canada and 19,385 for  the United States.  After disembarking 610 passengers at Quebec on the  evening of the 21st, Athenia berthed at Montreal at 7:15  a.m. the  following morning, the Gazette remarking that  her Third Class  list, "chiefly Scotch  settlers of  a good type," were almost all destined for the Dominion with only  a few for the  U.S..  Leaving Montreal for the last time that season on 26 October, Athenia went out  with 46  Cabin and 65 Third  Class and arrived at  Glasgow  on 3 November. 

Although the Shipbuilder noted that "It now seems evident that the Anchor-Cunard-Donaldson combine are not anxious to obtain delivery of any these four [Transylvania, Letitia, Caledonia and Alaunia] vessels for service at the beginning of the 1924 season, work was finally resumed in late November 1923 on Athenia’s long delayed sister which had languished for two and a half years on the stocks.  This would give the yard work for 15 months.

Her first year, Athenia completed 14 crossings and carried 9,757 passengers.

The advent of the new Athenia coincided with a major push as part of the Empire Settlement Plan to foster immigration to Canada by Britons with subsidised flat fares and pre-arranged employment.  As part of this were a wonderful series of posters promoting Canada, Donaldson and featuring the new flagship. That above, by Odin Rosenvinge, shows Athenia off Quebec.  

1924

Finding winter employment for St. Lawrence route vessels was always challenging, given that the river was closed to navigation usually from mid November to early April and traffic to Canada fell off substantially in winter.  Traditionally, Donaldson Line had maintained a winter service to Halifax and Portland, Maine, but now under the Cunard-Anchor umbrella, Athenia and her eventual running mate were shifted about on Cunard or Anchor's own winter services or, at times, simply laid up in winter.

Plans for the 1924 season were announced on 29 December 1923.  During the summer, Athenia would continue to call at Liverpool  westbound  as part of the joint service with Cunard which would add Caronia and Carmania to the route.  On 3 May 1924 it was announced that Athenia would call westbound at Moville as well.

For her first winter season, Athenia made two voyages on Cunard’s Liverpool-Halifax-New York run. On the first, departing Liverpool 16  February, Athenia docked at Halifax via Queenstown on 24 February 1924.  The Evening Mail had a wonderful  write-up of  this her second, and first  scheduled, call at Halifax:

On her first scheduled trip to Halifax, the Anchor-Donaldson liner Athenia, 13,500 tons, Captain David Taylor, entered Quarantine at 5 p.m. Saturday from Liverpool via Queenstown en route to New York, and docked shortly before 10 o'clock Sunday morning at the south side of Pier 2, where she disembarked 18 cabin and 59 third class passengers. The Athenia visited Halifax only once before. when she was diverted last April, while on her way to Montreal on account of the large quantity of ice in the St. Lawrence river.

An interesting arrival on the liner was  Harris Veinstein, only 14 the years liner of age, who is travelling unaccompanied from his home in Poviok in the county of Rodomsk, in Poland, to the home of his uncle, A. Heman, 57 Huron street, Toronto. The little lad seemed to. be enjoying the trip and during the voyage, he was well looked after by both the passengers and crew on the liner. At his arrival here he was looked after by the Jewish Aid Society and placed on special train which left Pier 2 early last night for Montreal.His father died several years ago, and he left his mother and other and sisters at home.

Evening Mail, 25 February  1924.

Conversely, the ship's maiden arrival at New York  on 26 February 1924 was entirely ignored and  Athenia   landed 42  Cabin and 40 Third Class passengers there.  Sailing on  1 March with 42 Cabin and 40 Third  Class,  Athenia  arrived Queenstown the  9th  and  Liverpool  the following day.

A second voyage on the New York winter run commenced from Liverpool on 15 March 1924, calling at Halifax on the  23rd where Athenia  landed 36 Cabin and  132  Third  Class  passengers and another 47 Cabin  and  45 Third  Class disembarking  at New York  on the  25th. A death was recorded during  the crossing to Halifax, Dr.  C. Whitehead of Michigan, aged 57, who died of heart failure after a double bou  of pneumonia and his body  landed at Halifax.  Athenia  left  New  York  on 5  April with 58 Cabin and 52 Third Class  passengers and arrived Liverpool the evening  of the  14th.

Credit: Daily  Record, 24 April 1924.

Credit: The Gazette,  6 May 1924.

Seen off  by Donaldson's Capt. H.  Findlay, Marine  Superintendent, Mr. William Donaldson and  Mr. Norman Donaldson,  managing directors, and beginning her second St. Lawrence season, Athenia sailed from Glasgow on 24 April 1924, calling at Liverpool the next day where among those embarking were 60 Welsh immigrants for  Canada,  a Salvation Army party  of 100 and  28 Scottish  "prospective  brides"  who would meet their future  husbands  on arrival, and travelling "under  the  special care  of the  ship's conductress, Miss A. Drummond." In all, she went out with 166 Cabin and 773 Third Class. Athenia berthed  at  Montreal  at 8:00 a.m. on 4  May, after  landing 773 at Quebec the  previous  evening and  had 166 disembarking there.  

The Athenia  will sail from Montreal on Thursday at 10 with 175 cabin passengers on board and 150 third-class. A full-stringed orchestra has been taken on by the Athenia to play for both cabin and third -class, and Mah-Jongg sets have been introduced into the otherwise peaceful atmosphere of the lounge and drawing rooms. 

Nearly one-fifth of the passengers coming over on this steamer were women travelling alone or in parties with the object of entering domestic service on this side. About sixty came over under the auspices of the Salvation Army. The majority of the male passengers come from the North and West of Scotland and intend to take up farm work in Ontario and Western Canada.

The Gazette, 6  May 1924.

Clearing Montreal at  10:00 a.m. on 8  May  1924 Athenia went out  with 170 Cabin and 123 Third Class and the  Montreal Star had fine write up of  her  departure:

The ship was under command of Captain David Taylor, O.B.E., and expects, with the present fine weather, to make a speedy and pleasant crossing. 

A large crowd of friends and relatives of passengers were on the dock at shed 3 when the big liner cast off her mooring ropes, and, guided by tugs, backed out into the harbor channel and started forward up the river past the harbor mouth and St. Helen's Island on her seaward trip. Well-known officers who sailed with the vessel are; James H. Reid, D.S.C., Chief Officer: R.S. Willoughby, O.B.E., R.D., R.N.R., purser: R. Chadwick, surgeon; James Gillespie, chief steward and Miss A. F. Drummond. conductress. 

Athenia arrived Glasgow on 16 May 1924.

Original caption: A merry  party of emigrants who are going out on the Athenia to the  Dominion under the auspices of  the Salvation Army. Credit: Daily  Record, 24 May 1924.

Original caption: A young Scot  off  to  Canada.  James Stewart Hope,  aged  three, on the  Anchor-Donaldson liner, Athenia, which  left  the  Clyde yesterday. Credit:  Daily  Record, 24 May 1924.

Athenia's  23 May 1924  sailing  from Glasgow, with 100 Cabin and 520 Third Class,  was the  first to  call at Moville, Northern Ireland,  introducing  a new  and important  immigrant  market  for  Donaldson.  Arriving there on  the  24th,  Athenia  was afforded considerable newspaper attention and Irish  agents and the press travelled aboard  her from Glasgow and  Liverpool to  Moville.  "The Athenia's last westbound voyage was notable for the genuine enthusiasm which her visit to the north Ireland port of Moville was greeted by the citizens of Londonderry." (Gazette, 12 June 1924). She embarked 50 there and went out with  157 Cabin and 541 Third Class,.  including another  17 brides, a Salvation Army  group of  150 and another 100  under  the auspices of  the British  Empire  Settlement Board, and 50  sponsored  by the Ontario Government.  

The Northern Irish papers were the best champions of the new Donaldson twins especially after Athenia's maiden call at Moville in May 1924.  A party of reporters and travel agents were invited for her first Glasgow-Liverpool to Moville run. Credit: Ballymena Observer, 30 May 1924.

Athenia arrived at Montreal at 7:00  a.m. on 2 June, coming in almost  simultaneously with Andania.  Departing for Glasgow  on the 6th, Athenia had 325 Cabin and 244 Third  Class passengers and arrived in the  Clyde on the  14th. Her list  was swelled  by attendees of  the  quadrennial World's  Sunday  School Convention being held in  Glasgow.

That year’s carryings were bolstered by substantial, sustained and subsidised Scottish emigration to the Dominion. If the United States had slammed the door on unrestricted immigration in 1922, Canada had a still largely unpopulated country to fill, a shortage of labour especially in agricultural work and determined that immigrants come mostly from the Mother Country as part of the Empire Settlement Plan in co-operation with the British Government as well as private sponsors.

One of the many posters Donaldson Line printed in the 1920s-30s promoting Canada in conjunction with the Empire Settlement Plan. This one dates from 1928. Credit: The Glasgow Story.com

Athenia left Glasgow on 23 June 1924 with over 450 settlers and more embarked at Moville, having  aboard a total of 73 Cabin and 301 Third Class. Most were domestic servants and farm workers, including boys aged 16-17 going to Canada sponsored by the Salvation Army.  She arrived at Montreal the morning of 1 July 1924,  in company with Montcalm, "both  liners told  of  having encountered some fog  in the  Gulf and lower St.  Lawrence,  but, in spite  of  this  made  a fast run to  Montreal and, during the last lap of  the  journey, carried on what  was almost  a neck-to-neck race for the Montreal docks. The Athenia  docked  at  shed 3, where there was considerable bustle and excitement  early  today  as  passengers  and their baggage poured out  of  the  big building. The Montcalm was  at  shed 10 almost at  the same time, and  the  bustle  of  the  harbor  between the two  ships." (Montreal  Star, 1  July), and both were dressed overall for Dominion Day, and reported "fine  weather throughout"  their respective  passages. Arriving on Dominion Day, Athenia  left on American Independence Day  for  home  with 369 Cabin and 269 Third Class passengers.   She made Glasgow on the 12th.

Original caption: Farmers of the future-- Dr.  Cossar (left)  bids another batch of  his  farewell  on board the Anchor  Donaldson liner Athenia  before their  departure  to  his  Canadian farm.  Credit:  Daily  Record, 19 July  1924.

Original caption: To Cheer Canadian Households-- a merry bunch  of  Scots lassies photographed  on board  the s.s.  Athenia. They  are  going  out to try  their fortune in the  Land of the  Golden West. Credit: Daily Record, 19 July 1924.

Clearing the Clyde for  the St. Lawrence on 18 July 1924,  Athenia called the next day  at Liverpool  but skipped Moville, and had 208 Cabin and 439 Third Class passengers for Canada, including 16 lads going  out  to the Cossar Farms, New  Brunswick, after  elementary training in farm work, a party  of 100  domestics going out to Ontario under  the auspices of  the Salvation Army and five brides in waiting.  Making a  fast trip over, Athenia called at Quebec  on  the  26th  at  noon and arrived at Montreal the  following morning  at 8:00 a.m., reporting "fine weather and very  speed  trip"  over.  Homewards on 1  August, Athenia left Montreal with 117 Cabin  and 101 Third  Class passengers,"a  good seasonable list  as  the eastbound  movement has  passed the peak  and the  heavy  travel is now  westbound. " (Montreal Star, 31 July). She arrived Glasgow on the  8th.

On 26 July 1924 Donaldson reported a 60% increase in Canadian passenger traffic and reminded that Letitia would augment the service the next year.

Credit: Daily  Record, 16 August 1924.

With 421 Cabin  and 393 Third Class, Athenia departed  Glasgow for  Canada  on 15 August 1924 and Liverpool  the following day, "among  them many  engaged in  building trades  and also miners.  There  is  a considerable number of returning tourists on aboard,  and  several  quota  passengers  are also  travelling by  the  vessel." (Daily  Record,  15 August). Calling at  Quebec  on  the  24rd where  she landed 400 passengers),  Athenia reached  Montreal late  that same day but  landed her  passengers the following  morning.  The Clydebound Athenia cleared Montreal  on the 29th with  88 Cabin and 137 Third  Class  passengers.

Original caption: a  view  of a  section of  the 1000  passengers who left  the  Clyde yesterday on the  Anchor Donaldson liner Athenia en route  to Canada.  A large party of domestic servants sailed  under the  auspices of  the  Salvation Army. Credit: Daily  Record,  13 September 1924.

With  the best list  she had carried  all season: 454 Cabin and 471 Third Class (all but  about 100  being women and children), of  whom over  100  embarked at Liverpool (13), Athenia sailed  from Glasgow on 12 September 1924.  There was  a party  of domestics  sponsored  by  the Salvation Army and three boys bound  for Dr. Cossar's  farm in New Brunswick  as well as 200 returning American tourists.  Pausing at Quebec on  the 20th,   Athenia berthed at  Montreal the evening of the 21st. Glasgow-bound, she departed on the 26th  with 79 Cabin and 131  Third Class passengers.

It was reported on 10 September 1924 that Letitia would finally be launched later in the month, it being noted there was now a heavy demand on the Clyde for ship joiners and iron workers and there was “considerable movement from Montreal to Glasgow for this class of labour.” (Gazette).  So at times, there was also eastbound emigrant travel to bolster the ships' carryings.  

Preliminary plans for the 1925 season were released on 12 September 1924 with Letitia, Athenia, Saturnia and Cassandra offering a weekly Glasgow-St. Lawrence service and Letitia and Athenia  calling westbound at Liverpool.  On the 24th Cunard announced the addition of new Ascania and Aurania plus Letitia would make a fleet of nine liners, totaling 119,000 grt on the Montreal run. Carmania and Caronia would go on Cunard’s new London service and replaced by Ascania and Aurania. Northern Ireland would have Letitia and Athenia fortnightly from Moville to Montreal and Ascania and Aurania fornightly from Belfast.

Original caption: One hundred young women from all over  Scotland sailed  on the  Anchor-Donaldson liner Athenia from the Clyde yesterday to  seek their fortunes in the Dominion. A happy batch of  the girls. Credit: Daily  Record,  11 October 1924.

From Glasgow on 10 October 1924 and Liverpool on the 11th, Athenia went out with 257 Cabin and 395 Third  Class,  including 100  young women bound for domestic work  in Canada.  She arrived at Montreal at 7:00 p.m. on the 19th.

A farewell dance will be given by the officers and crew of the Anchor- Donaldson liner Athenia, at the Auditorium this evening, commencing at 8.30 o'clock. The Athenia's pipe band, the only band its kind afloat, will give a selection of Scottish airs, while the dance music will be supplied by the Athenia's regular orchestra, which has featured many times this season in radio concerts given by the Canadian National Railways. The instruments used by the pipers were donated by the directors of the Anchor Donaldson Line. 

The Athenia, which leaves daybreak Friday for Glasgow, in scheduled to make one more trip to Montreal before navigation closes on the St. Lawrence.

Montreal Star, 22 October 1924.

Clearing Montreal at daybreak on 24  October 1924, Athenia  embarked  her passengers (79 Cabin and 131 Third Class) the  previous  evening  and arrived Glasgow on 1 November.

Most likely to the relief of owners and builders alike, Fairfield No. 601 finally cleared the slipway she had occupied for two years and nine months when Mrs. Charles Donaldson christened her Letitia on 14 October 1924. At the same her  first  voyages  were announced: departing Glasgow  and Moville on 24  April  on her  maiden voyage  to Montreal and from Montreal  to Glasgow on 3 May.

Original  Caption: Mrs. Charles Donaldson performing the launching ceremony of the Anchor-Donaldson liner Letitia  from the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company's yard. With her is Sir  Alex.  M.  Kennedy, chairman of the Company. Credit: Daily Record, 15 October 1924.

The launch took place in good weather, and was witnessed by large crowds of spectators in the yard. Mrs. Charles Donaldson performed the naming ceremony, and the time the liner was only forty seconds elapsed till she was safely water-borne; she afterwards berthed in she builders' fitting-out basin. As soon as the Letitia was safely afloat, and as is the Clyde custom not before, the spectators raised hearty cheers. 

Liverpool Journal of  Commerce, 16 October  1924.

Original caption: A dense fog hung  over  the  Clyde as the  Letitia left  the  slipway. The  vessel  is  similar in  type  to  the  Athenia, and will make  a notable addition to  the  Company's service between the  Clyde  and Canadian ports. Credit: Daily  Record, 15 October 1924.

After the  launch, the builders entertained a large party of guests at luncheon in the Board Room. Sir Alex. M. Kennedy, chairman of the Fairfield Company, occupied the chair, and among those  present were Mr. Charles Donaldson, chairman of the Anchor-Donaldson Line, and Mrs. Donaldson, Mr. A. C. F. Henderson, Mr. Robert Clark, and Mr. David Hose., directors, Mr W. K. M'Rodan, Mr. John Binnie, secretary, and Captain Hugh Findlay, marine superintendent.

Representing the builders were Sir Douglas Browrigg, Bart., director, Mr. Robert Traill,; director and engineering manager, Mr J. Hendin, director and shipyard manager, Mr. George Strachan, director, Mr. Thomas A. Greer, secretary, and Prof. P.A. Hillhouse, naval architect.

Other guests, besides ladies, included Sir William H. Raeburn, chairman of the Clyde Trust; Mr. D. J. Gavin, Mr. C. G. Donaldson, Mr. N. F. Graham Donaldson, Mr. William Phillips, Canadian National Rlys.; Major-Gen. H. C. Reed, Mr. A. Tarrant, Board of Trade; Mr. J. F. Foster King, British Corporation of Shipping; Mr. L. Race, Anchor Line; Mr. R. Lake, warship products superintendent, Glasgow; Captain T. R. Morris, harbourmaster; the Dr. George Duncan, Mr. James Mc'Cracken, Mr. A. H.Buchanan, and Mr. Andrew Scott.

Mr. Charles Donaldson... said they had witnessed a very fine launch under the very best weather conditions, and he hoped it would be a happy augury for the career of the vessel Letitia.

They had had two seasons' trading  in the Canadian trade with the Athenia. In that period she had carried 18,000 people in and out of Glasgow, and she had proved a very fine advertisement. She was a popular vessel in the service of the public, that was increasing all the time, and he thought when this sister ship joined her it would be a great help, as the one would assist the other. Their worthy chairman suggested during the building of the first boat that she might feel lonely on the Atlantic—(laughter)—and from entirely unselfish motives be advocated that she should have a sister. He fully expected that Sir Alexander might suggest that four Letitias might be better than two, but in their walk round the yard after the he took the opportunity of suggesting that a third would not be out of place.

Liverpool Journal of Commerce, 16  October 1924.

Letitia (right) in the fitting out basin at Fairfields, Govan, October 1924. Aorangi is to the left.  Credit: Shipbuilding & Shipping Record. 

Making  her last voyage to  the St. Lawrence  for  the season, Athenia departed  Glasgow  on 7 November 1924 and Liverpool  the following  day  with 161 Cabin and  444 Third Class passengers.  Calling at Quebec at 1:00 p.m. on 16th, Athenia  sailed right into an early  season blizzard "of hurricane-like velocity and heavy squally gales," (Montreal Star) and could not leave until 8:00 a.m. on the  17th and arrived  Montreal  7:00 p.m. that evening.   The Montreal Star had an excellent feature  on the  voyage  over:

With the largest passenger list of any steamer arriving in the St. Lawrence this week, the Anchor-Donaldson Liner Athenia arrived at Quebec early yesterday morning and docked at Shed 3 this port last night. The Athenia experienced wintry weather most of the way across, but made excellent time until she was held up for some hours by a severe blizzard below Quebec, Besides her cabin passengers, most whom disembarked last night the Athenia, brings a general cargo to Montreal including 100 bags of mail. A party of 120 under the auspices the Salvation Army disembarked Quebec and are destined for different agricultural centres throughout Canada.

A special service was held on board the steamer on Armistice Day and the colors were hoisted half-mast at o'clock in the morning and run up the mast head at 2 minutes past 11. The Athenia pipe band, which is the only one of its kind afloat, played suitable selections, including "The Flowers of the' Forest' and the Last Post and a short address was given. Flanders popples were sold on board on behalf of Earl Haig's Fund for Disabled Soldiers.

The Montreal Star, 18 November 1924.

Athenia left Montreal on the last trip of the season on 21 November 1924 with 72 Cabin and 172  Third Class passengers.  At the time, it was announced that Donaldson would offer a special “college tour” out in Athenia on 19 June 1925 and back in Letitia on 3 July which would be the precursor of  Tourist Third Cabin.  

In 1924, Athenia completed 16 crossings on the Montreal run carrying 8,264 passengers and four crossings Liverpool-Halifax-NY-Liverpool carrying 612 passengers.

Odin Rosenvinge poster for the new Letitia. Credit: The Mariners' Museum

1925

Upon return to Glasgow from Montreal in early December, Athenia was laid up and after her annual overhaul, was detailed to Anchor Line’s New York service for two voyages. Undergoing a refit at her builders, Fairfields, in January 1925, abnormal  high tides on the Clyde postponed Athenia  being shifted from the yard to  drydock on 10  February to  the next  day:

The Anchor-Donaldson liner Athenia, after undergoing a comprehensive overhaul at Fairfield  Shipyard, was docked at Govan yesterday for cleaning and repainting, after which she will shift to Yorkhill to prepare for her first sailing for the season on Saturday, February 21, for Canada and the United States. The Athenia will combine her own sailing with that of the Anchor Line, and will call at Halifax and New York. The bookings 80 far have been good, and the vessel is likely to have fair number of passengers.

The Herald, 12 February 1925.

Athenia  would  start  the year, too, with  a new master  Capt. James Black, following Capt. David Taylor’s appointment to Letitia. In addition  to Capt. David Taylor, O.B.E., Letitia's senior  officers included Chief Engineer A.  Thomson and Purser R.S. Willoughby, O.B.E., R.N.R., both  of whom served in the first  Letitia. 

With what  the Clydebank  papers  referred to as  a "fair  number" of  passengers-- 127  Cabin and 252 Third Class-- Athenia departed Glasgow on 21 February 1925 on her first  crossing of  the year and first of  two  on the  Anchor  Line New York  service.  Arriving at Halifax the  morning of 3 March, after encountering rough  weather  across, Athenia landed 27  Cabin and 123 Third Class passengers there and resumed passage  that after for  New York  where  she  docked on the 5th, disembarking her remaining 100 Cabin and 129  Third Class passengers.  Homewards, Athenia  cleared New York on the 7th with a predictably  light load  of  32  Cabin and 60  Third Class passengers and made  the  Clyde  on the  16th.

Credit: Montreal Star, 10 April 1925.

Her second  and last voyage  on the  Anchor Line  New York  berth,  saw Athenia  departing Glasgow on 27 March 1925 with  a good list  of passengers, landing 48 Cabin and 378 Third Class at Halifax on 4 April. Among the immigrants were three parties  of boys, one under the  auspices of  Quarrier Homes, another by  the  Salvation Army and a third by the British  Immigration Aid  Society in Canada as well  as a  party of  domestics sponsored by the Salvation Army. Three Canadian National special  trains met the  boat, most  of  the settlers being bound for  the west.  Athenia docked at New York on the 6th,  disembarking her remaining 85 Cabin and 140 Third Class  passengers.  Sailing for  Glasgow on the 11th, she went out  with 44  Cabin and 72  Third  Class and arrived on the 20th.

Credit: Daily Record,  1 April  1925.

Credit: Wishaw Press & Advertiser, 10 April 1925

Letitia was to have to run her trials on 31 March 1925, but this had to be postponed when a blinding snowstorm hit the Firth of Clyde obscuring the land marker posts.  A planned on board luncheon hosted by the yard still went ahead.  "A large and distinguished company were aboard the steamer, including the Lord Provost of Glasgow, Sir Alexander Kennedy, Alderman Douglas Brown-Rigg, other directors a of the Fairfield Shipbuilding Company, at whose yards the Letitia was built. There were many other notable persons aboard, including the directors of the Anchor-Donaldson and Anchor Lines."  (Montreal  Star, 2  April).  Her trials were successfully run on 2 April, recording a top speed of 17.522 knots and a mean speed of 17.2 knots. 

Original caption: The new twin-screw geared turbine steamer, Letitia,  built for  the Anchor-Donald Line by  Fairfield Shipbuilding Company, Govan, yesterday  underwent  a trial trip  on the Clyde. Owing  to  the severe snowstorm,  the  vessel  was unable to do the necessary tests  on the  measured  mile; the  landmarks being rendered invisible by  the snow. Photograph taken of  the vessel at the Tail of  the  Bank. Credit: Daily  Record, 1 April 1925.

Original caption: A prominent group on board  the Letitia, comprising Sir A.M. Kennedy, Sir Douglas Brownrigg, Sir Thomas Dunlop, Sir Robert Bruce, Mr. Charles Donaldson, Mr. George Strachan and Captain Taylor, O.B.E.. Credit: Daily  Record, 1 April 1925.

The new Anchor-Donaldson liner Letitia which has been running trials on the Clyde last week, made a further trip last Friday, when the Scottish agents of the line were the guests of the company, and enjoyed a sail round the Cumbraes. In contrast with the experience at the opening trial, the weather was delightful, and the party, which numbered about 200, not only had the opportunity of viewing the scenic beauties of the Firth from the open decks but were able to make a minute inspection of the vessel under the most favourable conditions.

The speed trial, which had to be postponed on Tuesday owing to the snowstorm obscuring the land posts was carried out over the measured mile on Thursday. The best speed registered was 17.522 knots, and the mean speed 17.2. which Is slightly better than that of the sister ship Athenia. At the luncheon Mr A. J. P. Henderson, one of the directors, who presided, In welcoming the guests, pointed out that the  Letitia was built, owned, and manned in Scotland, and would be regularly stored from Glasgow. 

Wishsaw Press, 10  April 1925.

Credit: Montreal Star,  2 April  1925.

On 3 April 1925  Letitia sailed from Greenock on a day cruise for invited travel agents to Ailsa Craig and return.  “According to the cable advice, everyone was most enthusiastic regarding the layout, accommodation, speed and fitness of the Letitia for the Glasgow-Canadian service, where she will take a prominent place."

The Letitia will leave the Clyde about noon on Friday, and as is usual, in the case of a Clyde built liner making her first sailing, there are certain to be thousands of people, many of whom were in one way or another connected with the work of construction, crowding every vantage point of the river side to wish the vessel good luck as she goes.

West Lothian Courier, 24 April 1925

LETITIA SEND-OFF. Some busy scenes were witnessed at the Anchor-Donaldson berth in Princes Dock on Friday morning  24th inst. preparatory to the departure of the Company’s new liner, Letitia, for Canada. Passengers began to arrive at the vessel's berth soon after 8 a.m., and, as might be expected with a ship about to make  her maiden voyage, there was some speculation as to who would be the first to set foot aboard. This distinction fell to Mrs Jeanie Main. of Rroxburn, who, with her seven children, was going out to British Columbia to join her husband, and to commemorate the occasion,'Capt. Taylor, O.B.E., the commander of the vessel, presented her with a framed photograph of the Letitia. In less than three hours about 1000 passengers were embarked, and a little before noon the vessel, bedecked with streamers, moved slowly out of the dock, to the accompaniment of hearty cheers and wishes of void hick from many people who had lined the quayside. A Salvation Army band was accompanying a party of 90 of their own emigrants as far as Greenock, and added to the excitement could be heard the strains of Auld Lang Syne.

Leven Advertiser & Wemyss Gazette, 28 April 1925

Letitia's maiden voyage got under way at noon from Glasgow on 24 April 1925, called at Liverpool on the 25th and with 166 Cabin Class and 708 Third Class passengers, arrived at Quebec on 3 May 1925. British settlers numbered 644 and disembarked there to board special trains to Ontario and Western Canada.  The next morning she docked at Montreal, prompting the Gazette to enthuse:  "The Letitia had a magnificent trip, according to her officers who were extremely pleased with her performance, and she showed very few deficiencies on her first transatlantic voyage."

The Gazette (Montreal) 30 April 1925

Having finally commissioned their new twin sisters, Donaldson could at last fulfill their investment and ambitions in a revived trans-Atlantic trade by the mid 1920s.  This was aided by the Empire Settlement Plan helping to fill Third Class berths westbound and a greatly increased tourist traffic which stemmed both from the naturally maturing ethnic Scottish community in Canada visiting the "Old Country," Scots visiting relatives in Canada and the beginnings of a tourist boom to Britain and Europe in general that service there during the war years had engendered among North Americans.

The passenger carryings by Athenia and Letitia for this period were certainly encouraging:
         1925            11,813
         1926            16,130
         1927            19,722
         1928            19,695
         1929            19,433

Original caption: Mr. John Macpherson, of Newtonmore, the  famous champion piper, who left  yesterday on the  Anchor-Donaldson liner, Athenia, for Canada, is seen playing a Strathspey before a number of the  passengers. The company  include Mr. W. Bette  Donaldson, Mr. and  Mrs. Norman P. Donaldson and daughters, Major A.A. Stuart Black, Mr. W.J. Thompson, and Mr. John John Clavering.  Credit: Daily  Record, 9 May 1925.

Original caption: Maud Walsh, aged 9, belonging to Motherwell,  who  sailed unaccompanied on the  s.s. Athenia.  She is  going to  join  her  mother in Toronto. Credit: Daily  Record, 9 May 1925.

Making  her first voyage  to  the St. Lawrence for the  season  and her first  as now "the second sister"  now  that  her  long  delayed  sibling was  in service  and usurped her  as  flagship, Athenia left Glasgow  at 11:00 a.m. and  Moville at 8:00 p.m.  on 8 May 1925  and Liverpool  the next day.  By calling at Moville before Liverpool, "a slight saving in saving in time was accomplished for  she was  this able to catch  the tide  in the  Mersey,  as other she  would have  had  to wait and  afterwards made  her  call at Moville." (Gazette,  19 May).  Embarking 315 passengers at Glasgow, 68 at  Moville and 143 at Liverpool, Athenia went out  with 116 Cabin and 410 Third Class,  including  Scotland  champion piper  John Macpherson of  Newtonmore,  Inverness.  Also aboard  was Maud Walsh,  aged 9,  travelling  unaccompanied  and joining her mother  in Toronto. Her cargo  included 4,000  cases  of Scotch  whiskey,  4,000 tons  of India rice" transhipped  at Glasgow from  the  Anchor  Line  Indian boats,  firebricks and "a two ton lift  of  best Aberdeen  granite for  tombstones. For  the  second  season, Athenia  was "paired" with  CPR's Metagama on the  St. Lawrence  route.  She  arrived  at Montreal  the morning of  the 18th.  

There was no doubt that  Athenia  was a "Scotch  Boat"  heading  for  home on departure  from  Montreal at 11:00 a.m.  on  the  22nd:

There was one liner departure today, namely the Anchor-Donaldson liner Athenia which left here at 11 a.m., local time, with a fair list of passengers, 90 in the cabin and 135 third class. The pipe band and drums of the Athenia were playing for an hour prior to the departure of the ship, to the evident delight of the third-class passengers on whose deck the marine highlanders discoursed such soulful music. The Athena's first pipe band, with kilts and all, went to the new Letitia, but since then the Glasgow liner has picked up two more pipers, who, although dressed in the uniform of able-bodied seamen, played none the worse for it.

Montreal Star, 22 May 1925.

Athenia arrived at  Glasgow  on 30 May  1925.

Clearing Glasgow and Moville on 5 June 1925 and Liverpool the following day, Athenia  coursed westwards with 110 Cabin and 369 Third Class passengers, among them a large  party sponsored by  the  Salvation Army, a few boys for Dr. Cossar's  farm and four families under  the Empire Settlement Scheme. One  young man "missed the  boat" at Greenock but  for not lack of trying:

A young man, who had intended embarking on the Anchor-Donaldson liner Athenia, which sailed yesterday afternoon from the Tail of the Bank for Montreal and Quebec, had exciting and exasperating experiences. At Princes Pier, mistaking one of the river steamers for the tender attending the Athenia. he stepped aboard. and not until the steamer was approaching Dunoon did he realise that he was on the wrong boat.

He hurriedly questioned the passengers, and then began to realise the difficulty of his position. He scrambled ashore as hurriedly as possible, and on the advice of some of the passengers proceeded to the boat  slip of Mr John Sands. where he embarked on a motor launch. By this time the Athenia was proceeding down the river. The motor launch had no difficulty in overtaking the liner, but she declined to stop and take on the passenger.

It is understood that the young man intends to make an attempt to catch the Athenia at Liverpool.

The Herald, 6 June 1925.

Calling  at Quebec on  the  afternoon of 15 June  1925, Athenia docked at Montreal the  morning  of  the  16th,  a full day off  her  schedule after encountering  the  worst  weather yet  faced by  the  liner:

After a voyage in which every kind of bad weather was experienced the Anchor Donaldson liner Athenia, Capt. James Black in command, docked here at 7 o'clock this morning. Continuous unfavorable conditions across the Atlantic, including several days of dense fog, was responsible for the one day delay in the ship's schedule. 

Among the passengers was one of the first parties of Europeans making the newly instituted tour of Canada under the auspices of the Canadian National Railways. There are 32 tourists in the group, and they will cross Canada from coast  to coast.The tours are run on same lines as the European tours established by several agencies on this side of the water. and are reported to be growing in popularity among people in Great Britain. 

The Athenia left Glasgow on June 5, and Liverpool one day later. She carried 110 cabin passengers and 369 third-class passengers including 70 children. A novel entertainment was provided for the little ones during the voyage as a Punch and Judy show' was on board and proved to be a great favorite.

Montreal  Star,  16 June  1925.

The  Donaldson liners and their crews  figured in the  social  and sporting  life  of  Montreal during their layovers.  On 18  June  1925 the  footballs teams of  Athenia  and the Cunarder  Antonia played  a match at Vickers grounds and the  night before there was a dance in the  Auditorium attended by  350  persons, including officers  and men from Athenia, Ausonia,  Metagama, Doric  and Gracia,  with  the  Athenia's pipe  and drum  band  playing four reels.

In brilliant  sunshine and "streamers  flying from  the  ship, and piper John  Macpherson on the quayside "celebrating  her departure tomorrow morning  in true holiday  spirit," (Gazette, 18 June), Athenia sailed  from  Montreal on  19 June  1925, her passenger list  of  255 Cabin  and  283 Third  swelled  by  a large  of  "third  cabin  tourists"  for  a  tour  of  Europe  organized by Guy Tombs of Montreal and Pickfords  of  London, encompassing 36 days  and visiting Scotland,  England, Holland, Belgium and  France, returning  in Ausonia from Southampton on 17 July. These tours, whose clientete included recent  college graduates and professionals,  were the progenitors of the  "Tourist Third Cabin"  mania that  developed in the later  part  of  the 'twenties. W.  Betts Donaldson  and  Norman P. Donaldson were also among the passengers. Athenia arrived Glasgow  on the  26th.

Original caption: The  Farewell to Canadian Emigrants. Animated  scenes  were witnessed at Princes Pier,  Greenock, yesterday  where a  big contingent of  emigrants  sailed from the  Clyde  for  Canada  on board the  Anchor-Donaldson  liner  Athenia. Photograph  shows the farewell  scenes at embarkation.  Credit: Daily  Record, 4 July  1925.

Outbound  for Canada on 3  July  1925,  Athenia, after calling at  Moville and  Liverpool,  went out  with 97 Cabin and 347 Third Class passengers, including  a party  of 100 domestics sponsored by  the Salvation Army, 60 children from the Liverpool Sheltering Home for  homes in Belleville, Ont.,  and Toronto;  and more  boys  going  out  to Dr. Cossar's  farm training  school.   She embarked  her  Glasgow  passengers off the  Tail  of  the  Bank, coming  down  by  special train from St. Enoch Station. Pausing at Quebec  on the  evening of the  11th. Athenia  berthed at Montreal  the following morning, after a good voyage  "with the  maximum of fine weather."  (Gazette,  13 July).  Clearing Montreal at daybreak  the  17th, Athenia had 76 Cabin and 112 Third Class  passengers for  "Glasgow  direct"  where she  docked on the 25th.

With 194 Cabin and 457 Third Class passengers on clearing Glasgow, Moville (1 August 1925)and Liverpool (2), Athenia  coursed  once again for  the  St.  Lawrence.   Calling at Quebec  on the  8th,  landing 457 there, Athenia  berthed at  Montreal  the next day after a foggy passage in the river.  The  emigrant  season  having run its course  for  the  year, there  was a small  party  of  40  sponsored by  the Salvation Army  aboard.  She  was but one of  14 ocean going vessels  arrived at Montreal  that  one weekend, making  for  a total  of  36  vessels  of all  descriptions berthed  in the harbour.  Athenia cleared  Shed 3 at 11:00 a.m.  on  the 14th for home with 54 Cabin and 126  Third Class  passengers and made the  Clyde on the 22nd.

Fully crewed despite  a seamen's strike, Athenia  sailed from Glasgow  and Moville  on 28  August 1925  and Liverpool the following day  for Canada with 351 Cabin and 378  Third Class passengers and,  once  again,  embarked her  Glasgow  passengers at the Tail of  the Bank  and  coming  down by special train leaving St.  Enoch Station  at  10:10 a.m.  for  the  noon sailing. "With  the  exception of  a large  contingent  going out  under the  scheme for  the  overseas  settlement  of  British women there no  organised  groups, and the passenger list  is composed  mainly  of  individuals and small families  drawn from all  parts of Scotland." (Greenock Telegraph, 28  August).    Arriving at  Montreal  within two  hours  of one another, Athenia and Doric,  landed  some  850 cabin passengers there the  evening of 6 September.     She  left  there at 11:00 a.m.  on the  11th  for  her  return crossing, going out  with  58 Cabin and 100  Third Class passengers, arriving Glasgow the 20th.

Original caption: For  distant shores. Hundreds of  spectators crowded Princes Dock to  wave  farewell  to  their friends when the  Anchor-Donaldson liner, Athenia, left  on her  voyage  to Canada with  a big  complement  of  passengers fully  two-thirds of  whom are young women emigrants. The scene  as the vessel was about  to sail.  Credit; Daily Record, 26 September  1925.

Of  her 180 Cabin and 312 Third  Class passengers  on her 25 September  1925 crossing  to Canada, fully two-thirds were  young  women passengers, "for  the most part  wives of  men  who  sailed  earlier  in the  year. There are also  a number  of  typists, nurses and  domestics who  have been guaranteed employment  at  good wages immediately  on landing."  (Daily  Record, 25  September).  The youngest immigrant, travelling  alone, was  five-year-old Leslie  Purvis Bell, who would be reunited with  his  father on arrival  at Quebec, and  would be  looked after during  the  voyage by the  ship's conductress. Athenia docked at Montreal first  thing on 5 October.  

Homewards at 10:00  a.m. on 9 October 1925,   Athenia went out with just  36  Cabin and 65 Third Class passengers with eight-year-old Bertie L. Hill, aged 8,  from Winnipeg  and travelling alone  to  visit  relatives in Scotland, and an 80-year-old lady  bound  for  Glasgow, representing the age "bookends"  of  the passenger  list.   She also had a good 6,000-ton cargo.  Getting past Quebec on this trip  proved the  hardest  part of  it and  very high  east winds delayed Megantic, Montcalm, Aurania and Athenia in getting away and the Donaldson liner, which arrived  there the morning of the  10th,  was not  able  to proceed out  until  that evening followed by Aurania.  Athenia  arrived  at Glasgow  on the  18th.

Credit: Daily Record, 24  October  1925.

Making  her  last voyage  to  the  St.  Lawrence  for the  season, Athenia  cleared Glasgow 24  October 1925 and Liverpool the  following day  with  70  Cabin and 215 Third Class passengers, and as she had  done all  season,  left  the  Clyde  in company  with Metagama.  Aboard  the Donaldson liner  were a  Salvation Army  party  of nurses, a  group of  women sponsored  by  the  Catholic Women's League  and domestics and a number  of families destined for  farms  in Ontario.  After  experiencing  a "fairly rough passage" over, Athenia reached Montreal on 1  November. Bidding  farewell until the  following  spring,  Athenia  left Montreal on the  morning of  the 6th with 16 Cabin and  76 Third  Class passengers and arrived Glasgow on the 15th.

On 10  November 1925 the scheduled  sailing from Halifax   on  14 December for Glasgow,  an advertised Christmas sailing,  was cancelled,  and there would be  no Donaldson presence  on the  winter Clyde-Halifax-New York run  in 1925-26. On the 17th, in a change of  plans, it  was announced  that  Athenia would make a single Glasgow-Halifax-New York voyage 5 December

Embarking  her  passengers off the Tail  of  the Bank on 5  December 1925, Athenia was off  on her  last  voyage of  the year to Halifax and New York with  the  second largest list  of passengers  she  carried in 1925.  At  Halifax on the 13th,  she  landed 26 Cabin  and 89 Third Class passengers and 226 Cabin and 362 Third Class at New York  on the 16th.  Homewards  on the 13th, Athenia sailed with 80  Cabin and 248  Third Class.  

The new ship was chosen to take Field Marshall Earl Haig and Lady Haig and the British delegates to the British Empire Service League conference in Canada.  Letitia and her passengers received an enthusiastic reception upon arrival at Montreal on 27 June 1925 and they sailed for home on 30 July, also in Letitia, which was dressed overall and was given an escort of tugs and small boats on departure. 

In 1925, Athenia completed 14 crossings to Montreal carrying 4,978 passengers and four to Halifax/New York carrying 662 and Letitia made 16 crossings to Montreal carrying 6,773 passengers.

That winter, both ships were laid up and underwent their annual  overhauls.

The first of a series of Scottish themed advertisements for Donaldson Line for 1926. Credit: The Province,  17 April 1926.

1926

Plans for the 1926 season were announced on 4 February 1926. Cassandra and Saturnia made her final voyages in December 1925 being replaced by Letitia and the new Cunarders so that for 1926 there would be reduction from 30 to 24 sailings or a thrice monthly frequency between  Liverpool, Belfast and Montreal by Aurania, Letitia and Athenia. Instead of Moville, Athenia and Letitia would now stop at Belfast westbound as would Cunard’s  Aurania, giving it three sailings a month.  Athenia and Letitia would also offer six eastbound calls at the Northern Ireland capital May-August.  Athenia’s 25 June departure from Montreal  was to be a special Tourist Third Cabin sailing.  

Another of the Scottish themed advertisements for Donaldson Line for the 1926 season. Credit: The Vancouver Sun, 7 May 1926.

Athenia’s 1926 began with her taking the place of Anchor Line’s Tuscania which had been seconded by Cunard starting that spring for its new London-New York service.  Athenia sailed from Glasgow on 5 April for Halifax via Londonderry where she docked on the 11th and reached New York two days later.  Her eastbound crossing began on the 17th.

Back when the Scots said "Scotch", too!  Credit: The Gazette, 22 June 1926

OPENING OF THE ST. LAWRENCE. 
" LETITIA " FIRST OUT FROM GLASGOW 
Through a spell of mild weather in Canada the ice in the St. Lawrence River is fast disappearing, and the eagerly awaited opening of its waters to navigation will take place next week. This means that the Canadian emigration season will now commence to operate in real earnest. and it's a good start off several big liners are due to leave Great Britain this weekend with large complements of settlers. There will he the usual keen competition to be " first up the River" which always provides something of a thrill for passengers as well as the vessel's officers. From Scotland the first vessel to leave, for the St. Lawrence will the the Anchor— Donaldson liner Letitia and. by way of added interest, it is the Letitia's  first voyage this year. She has been laying up through the winter for a general overhaul in preparation for what is expected to he a heavy emigration season. Her complement on Friday when she sails from Glasgow will be close to 800 passengers, which will include a party of 80 domestic servants, the largest group which has yet sailed from the Clyde under the auspices of the Salvation Army. Their passages were booked under the new fare scheme. 

Wishaw Press, 16 April 1926

The highlight of the 1926 summer season were Donaldson’s two special Tourist Third Cabin sailings from Montreal, the first of which had Letitia departing on 25 June with 254 Cabin and 439 Tourist Third with no Third Class carried.  Athenia followed on 9 July with 131 Cabin and 439 Tourist Third and the local Montreal orchestra, The Gaboliers, was engaged to play aboard.

CANADIAN EMIGRATION STILL PROCEEDING APACE. 
Leaving the Clyde for Canada today, the Anchor-Donaldson liner Letitia will make her last calls at Quebec and Montreal for the summer season. Contrary to the usual falling off in the number of settlers sailing at this period of the year, the Letitia's complement promises to be a very good one; some 400 passengers from all parts of Scotland already having been booked up to the moment of writing. By far the biggest proportion of them are industrial workers; a large number of both men and women hailing from Hamilton and Motherwell. Over 40 young women sailing by the vessel are going out to Western Canada and the prairie provinces for household work, in some of the bigger homesteads. Their wages will be anything from £6 to 4 9 per month, and they are fortunate enough to have qualified for a passage out to Quebec under the Empire Settlement Act. 

Forfar Herald, 29 October 1926

Unusual, too, that year was experimenting with sailings to/from St. John, New Brunswick, which were announced for Letitia on 23 September 1926.  She left Glasgow on 26 November for St. John and sailed eastbound from the port on 11 December, calling at Halifax the next day.  This was the first Donaldson direct crossing from New Brunswick  since April 1919.  

That winter, Letitia was again laid up, but Athenia would be busy on Anchor Line’s Glasgow-Belfast-Halifax-New York run, filling in for California, Caledonia and Transylvania chartered for winter cruises from America.  Her first such crossing arrived at Halifax on Christmas Day and concluded at New York on the 27th.

In 1926, Athenia completed 16 crossings to Montreal carrying 7,596 passengers and one crossing to Halifax/New York carrying 294 and Letitia made 16 crossings to Montreal carrying 7,674 passengers and 2 crossings to Halifax carrying 566 passengers.

Another Donaldson Line poster (1927) promoting the direct service to Canada not just from Glasgow but from Northern Ireland (Moville at first and then Belfast). Credit: The Glasgow Story.com

1927

Letitia would open the 1927 St. Lawrence season with her 22 April sailing from Glasgow following by Athenia on 6 May, calling that crossing only at Moville instead of Belfast.

On 22 January 1927 it was reported that Letita’s sailing from St. John, N.B. was sufficiently popular that Athenia would also call there eastbound, leaving 9 April and a day later from Halifax and then to Belfast and Glasgow.

In the 1920s, Athenia and Letitia were promoted along with the greater combined Cunard-Anchor organisation and these early season 1927 adverts highlight Athenia's special spring sailing from Saint John, N.B. "You'll reach the Firth of Clyde all too quickly-- such will be the comfort, attention and entertainment during the trip on this popular, hospitable Scotch liner."

Letitia’s winter lay up was brief and on her first voyage of the year, she docked at Halifax on 20 February 1927 from Glasgow via Moville with 21 cabin 9 tourist third and 140 third. This was the first Donaldson westbound crossing with three classes and henceforth she and Athenia would accommodate Cabin, Tourist Third and Third Class.  In all, Cunard-Anchor-Donaldson would have offer 60 sailings in 1927 with the new Tourist Third Class and of those, seven would offered only that class in addition to Cabin. 

Making her first Manhattan arrival, Letitia docked at New York on 22 March 1927 from Glasgow and Halifax and sailed on the 26th. Another maiden call was that of Athenia on 5 April which arrived at St. John, commanded by Capt. James Black who was master of her predecessor.

When a deportee jumped overboard from Montcalm soon after she sailed from Montreal on 4 July 1927, Letitia which was following the CP liner, rescued the man, who continued his unwanted return to Britain in the Donaldson ship instead.

Tourist Third Cabin was, in 1920s parlance, the "it" development in trans-Atlantic travel in 1927 and Cunard-Anchor-Donaldson were on top of the Tourist Third game on the Canadian run.  Credit: Calgary Herald, 2 April 1927.

Tourist Third Cabin, "The New Way to the Old World", was proving popular with a new generation of traveller from Canadian ports… Scottish-Canadians visiting their relations back in the Old Country… in addition to tourists and college students.  However, built for two classes, Athenia and Letitia would have to be modified to accommodate three classes on a permanent basis.  With this in mind, among those disembarking from Athenia on 14 July 1927 was Alexander Innes, Chief Engineer Superintendent of Anchor Donaldson, to confer with local agents regarding improvements planned for both ships. Mr. Innes had laid out the original specifications and supervised the construction of both ships.  He sailed home in the same vessel on 9 September and the refit could proceed based on the input of Canadian agents.  

The St. Lawrence closed quite late that year with Letitia was the last ship to sail from Montreal on 26 November.  It was initially announced that she would sail from Glasgow to Halifax in the winter.  

Cunard-Anchor-Donaldson announced on 3 December 1927 that Athenia, Letitia, Andania and Antonia would carry Tourist Third Class and Third Class only throughout the coming season.  This was an extraordinary decision and aroused much objection from other lines of the Trans-Atlantic  Passenger Ship Conference still offering First or Cabin Class.

In 1927, Athenia made 14 crossings to Montreal carrying 6,190 passengers and six to Halifax/New York carrying 1,654 passengers and  Letitia made 16 crossings to Montreal carrying 9,470 passengers and six to Halifax/New York carrying 2,408.

Anchor-Donaldson poster from 1927 promoting the subsidised Empire Settlement Plan fares for authorised immigrants to Canada. Credit: The Glasgow Story.com

1928

In a change of plans, it was announced on 20 December 1927 that Letitia would replace Anchor Line’s Assyria for one round voyage on their India service, sailing from Liverpool on 31 January 1928 for Bombay via Gibraltar, Marseilles and the Suez Canal with her home passage beginning on 8 March.  It was traditional for Anchor to send one of their trans-Atlantic liners on a round voyage to India during the Atlantic off season and the previous year California had been so employed, but when she joined other Anchor liners cruising from America that winter, Letitia was substituted. 

In addition to First and Second Class passengers (including Donaldson’s Chairman and his wife making the round voyage), Letitia would also carry British troops in her Third Class accommodation to India.  The sailing attracted 600 passengers and "The passenger list was interesting by reason of the large number of wives and children of regimental officers and others concerned with various public services returning to India after a sojourn in the homeland"  (Exeter & Plymouth Gazette, 8 February 1928). Anchor offered an unusual cruise option to Egypt entailing sailing to Port Said in Letitia, touring Egypt by land and Nile steamer and home in the new Britannia leaving Port Said on 17 February and returning to Liverpool on the 27th.

In the face of objections from other Conference line, Cunard announced on 18 January 1928 they would not operate their ships only with Tourist Third Cabin and Third.  Instead, this would only offered on certain summer sailings:  Letitia from Montreal on 1, 29 June and from Glasgow on 10 August and  7 September.

Details of Athenia and Letitia's refits to better accommodate Tourist Third Cabin were released on 31 March 1928.  The Cabin dining saloon on D Deck was partitioned with the starboard side for Tourist Third, seating 144 per sitting and the portside much larger section for Cabin. A separate staircase gave access to the Tourist Third dining saloon from C Deck.  In addition, the Bridge Deck superstructure was extended aft to increase public room and deck space for Tourist Third. Film projectors were now fitted for all classes as well.  The Gazette commented "Although these changes are not radical, they definitely change for the better the accommodation of tourist third cabin passengers as distinguished from third class passengers."

Letitia and Athenia brought more than Scottish settlers to the Dominion... Credit: The Gazette (Montreal) 28 May 1928.

Over 2,000 unemployed men bound for harvest fields of Canada left Liverpool and Southampton on Saturday in the Cunard liners Letitia, Franconia and Aurania.

Inspiring scenes were witness at Liverpool when the Cunarders Letitia and Franconia left with over 1,400 harvesters. The arrivals were twenty miners from South Wales who were so anxious not to miss the ship that they arrived at the Cunard offices at midnight. Accommodation was found for them by shipping officials.

Special trains from all parts of the country converged on Liverpool during the morning. A large party of men from Newcastle-on-Tyne arrived at Liverpool in the early hours, and were given breakfast before proceeding to the landing stage. From Birmingham a special came direct to Riverside Station at noon, whilst harvesters from Oldham, Wigan, Sheffield and Salford contingent carried a letter of good wishes from the Mayor of Salford.

When the Letitia which came round from Glasgow and had over 400 Scottish harvesters on board, appeared in the river there was a storm of cheering from the harvesters.

Embarkation was speedily carried out by tender, and as the men left the landing stage the cheers and counter cheers broke out again from the tender to the shore where there still nearly 900 men waiting to embark Franconia later in the afternoon.

Belfast News-Letter, 13 August 1928

After departing Montreal on 19 October 1928, Letitia collided with the freighter Brookton near Three Rivers while attempting to pass the slower vessel. The Donaldson liner sustained minor damage to her forward starboard superstructure, but was able to continue on her voyage. 

Athenia sailed from Montreal on 2 November 1928 on the last crossing of the season.  She would join the  Glasgow-Liverpool-Halifax-New York that winter.

In 1928, Athenia made 14 crossings to Montreal carrying 7,272 passengers and 7 crossings to New York/Halifax/St. John carrying 3,021 and Letitia made 16 crossings to Montreal  carrying 8,677 passengers and two crossings to Halifax/St. John carrying 725.

Newspaper advertisement for a "first" (and last as it turned out): a Donaldson Line cruise to the Mediterranean direct from the Clyde.

Letitia got another unusual assignment that winter when it was announced on 19 December 1928 she would undertake Donaldson’s first Mediterranean cruise and the first to originate directly from the Clyde.  This sailed from Glasgow on 7 March 1929 and called at Southampton two days later before continuing to  Lisbon, Algiers, Palma, Palermo, Nauplia, Athens, Candia, Rhodes, Larnaca, Haifa, Port Said, Naples, Monaco, Gibraltar and back to Southampton and Glasgow.  Fare for the 45-day, 8,000-mile voyage started at £65.

Typical for the era, even a one-off cruise like that of Letitia to the Mediterranean in March 1929 was afforded its own delightful poster. 

1929

That winter found Athenia oddly shared by Anchor and Cunard Line.  She arrived at New York on 2 January 1929 from Glasgow on Anchor Line’s account but her eastbound crossing on the 5th was for Cunard and the remainder of her voyages that winter season were on their account. Prior to departing on her Mediterranean cruise, Letitia instead plied the Anchor Line Glasgow-Halifax-New York run with her first Halifax arrival on 19 January and New York three days later.  Sadly, the schedules did not permit a New York reunion of the two Donaldson twins.

In thick fog early on 19 March 1929 in the Mersey, Athenia inbound from New York,  collided with the 530-grt coasting steamer Corteen. The coaster was struck near the foremast, and suffered damage to her upper structure and lost her anchor.  She was able proceed to Liverpool for repairs. Athenia, too, was slightly damaged and arrived several hours late.

Athenia at Boston in April 1929 (a first for a Donaldson liner) en route to Liverpool on her final crossing that season on the Cunard service. Credit: The Mariners' Museum

Athenia made her final New York arrival for Cunard on 3 April and sailed for Liverpool on the 5th and this called at Boston the next day, the first time a Donaldson liner had called at the Massachusetts port. Meantime, advance bookings for her first St. Lawrence sailings assumed record proportions with a huge response to the new flat £10 rate for settlers to the Dominion.  Indeed, her first sailing from Glasgow and the first to open St. Lawrence route for the season was completely sold-out a fortnight in advance.

On 28 April 1929 Athenia arrived at Quebec with a record 1,400 passengers, the largest list from Glasgow in many years and the largest ever for the first crossing of the season.  Adding to her list were five shipwrecked seamen from the French barquentine Chevalier Baynard which sank on the 17th off Newfoundland Banks and rescued by a Nova Scotian schooner which transferred them to Athenia.  Of the emigrants, 250 travelled by special Canadian National train to Winnipeg. "More than ordinary interest attached to the arrival of the Athenia here this week-end, inasmuch as she had recently undergone extensive and original improvement to her cabin and tourist third cabin accommodation" (Gazette).  Aboard was N.F. Graham Donaldson, Donaldson Line Director, to show off the improvements to the vessel.  Athenia reached Montreal at 8:30 p.m. on the 29th.

HOLIDAY TRAFFIC TO CANADA

Improved Accommodation in Clyde Vessels 

The Anchor-Donaldson Lino is preparing to meet the anticipated large increase of holiday traffic from the Clyde to Canada this summer by extending and completely refurnishing and decorating the accommodation in two of their most popular vessels, the Letitia and the Athenia. To tourists and holidaymakers who are seeking fresh fields of interest and pleasure, the Anchor-Donaldson Line's enterprise will make a strong appeal. The new and improved tourist third cabin accommodation in the two ships mentioned may be enjoyed at the same fare as formerly, £38 10s return to Canada, Tho first consideration in the tourist third cabin accommodation was the enlargement of open and covered deck space. To achieve this, the after-end of " A " deck in each ship has been extended to give increased Promenade area of 1440 feet, which gives a broad expanse of open deck free of obstacles, and therefore ideal for games and dancing.

The weather not always suitable for open-air pursuits, however, and travellers will find in the public rooms on these vessels the accommodation and comfort which are essential on cross-Atlantic trip.  In the Athenia,  the splendid smoking-room, once the sanctum of cabin passengers, will be at the disposal of the tourist third cabin passengers. It is furnished to ensure case and comfort, and has decided advantage over the verandah cafe, which has hitherto served a double purpose, but which will now be used specifically as a cafe, opening on to the deck. The Letitia has always had smoking room for tourist third cabin passengers. This has now been considerably enlarged. Its oak beams and panelling give it a restful atmosphere. 

A fine new dining saloon is another feature of the tourist third cabin accommodation. It is situated within easy reach of the other public rooms, and is well appointed in the modern arrangement of small tables. 

Needless to say, the public rooms and state-rooms are all entirely separated from the ordinary third class accommodation, also are tho promenade and decks. On "A" deck in the Athenia, in that section reserved for cabin passengers, tho ship's side plating has been extended and fitted with windows which can opened or closed to the weather, so that what was originally merely a shelter is now deck cafe artistically furnished with wicker chairs and tables set off by palms and fowering shrubs. Those who are familiar with the layout of the Letitia and Athenia accommodation will notice another change on stepping into the cabin entrance hall lounge. What was once the cabin nursery is now a delightful room redesigned and decorated as a corridor lounge and cosily furnished with easychairs, settees, and a writing-table here and there. The lounge proper, newly arranged, and entirely new smoking-room are excellent examples of interior planning. In fact, the arrangement of the cabin public rooms is far more interesting than formerly, and the standard of comfort in both classes undoubtedly very high.

Dundee Courier, 4 June 1929 

Back on the Canada run after her winter in the Med, Letitia departed Glasgow on 3 May 1929 with over 1,000 passengers and docked at Quebec on the 12th.

Advertisement for Letitia's planned world cruise in December 1929 which did not take place.  Credit: The Vancouver Sun, 12 October 1929.

Even broader horizons briefly beckoned for Letitia when on 13 June 1929 it was announced that the University Travel Association had chartered the vessel for their third around the world cruise.  This epic voyage was to take 111 days and depart  from New York on 28 December 1929 and also from Naples 12 January 1930, returning to New York  17 April, calling at Mediterranean ports,  Egypt, Bombay, Ceylon, Sumatra, Java, Philippines, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Japan, Hawaii, San Francisco,  Panama and Cuba. Fares started at 286 guineas from Naples.  But this was last mention of it and it was quietly cancelled, most likely an early victim of the economic upheaval in the wake of the stock market crash in October.

Athenia sailing from Glasgow.  Credit: The Evening Telegraph, 4 July 1929

Rather more humdrum, Athenia and Letitia undertook crossings from Glasgow to Halifax and New York from November through the end of the year.  

In 1929 Athenia completed 16 crossings to Montreal carrying 8,712 passengers and eight crossings to New York/Halifax carrying 1,241 and Letitia made  14 crossings to Montreal carrying 8,732 passenger and five crossings to Halifax/New York carrying 748.

With no world cruise for Letitia and Anchor Line’s own fleet more than capable of catering to their off season business, both Donaldson liners were idle for the winter.

Yorkhill, Glasgow and Prince's Dock was still Scotland's Gateway to the World in the 1930s... here Athenia departs with Anchor Line's Cameronia (left) and Transylvania (right) alongside. Credit: https://www.benjidog.co.uk/

Of course, much of the 'thirties were defined by the severe and lingering economic Depression that started in America and spread as widely and deeply as the increasingly dominate American economy already  impacted much of the world.  And obviously keenly felt on the trans-Atlantic shipping routes.  Whilst the Depression instantly ended America's "Roaring 'Twenties' unparalleled prosperity, there had been no such comparable good times in Britain so the effect was less dramatic.

Overall, traffic and trade, both emigrant and tourist, passenger and cargo, east and westbound, declined dramatically.  With the election of a new Conservative Government in Canada under Prime Minister R.B. Bennett, the 1922 Empire Settlement Act lapsed in 1930 with resulting reduction of British immigration to the Dominion.

The effects of the Depression were striking: in 1929, Athenia and Letitia between them carried 19,433 passengers.  By 1933 that had dropped 51 per cent to just 9,427.  For the associated Anchor Line, it was even worse with total carryings going from 26,913 in 1930 to 9,593 in 1933.  Anchor had, in fact, always had one more ship than they knew what to do with after U.S. immigration restrictions killed off its Mediterranean-New York route.  Out of necessity, they had developed their cruise business out of America very early on, a trade that the two-ship Donaldson operation had hitherto ignored.

As the slump set it, Donaldson prospected more for alternate employment, especially in the long winter off-season, for Athenia and Letitia so that tough times were also interesting ones.  Moveover, the Depression had "flipped" the balance of Donaldson's trans-Atlantic passenger traffic so that by 1933, their eastbound carryings were far greater than westbound and assumed a more tourist orientation which, at least, was ideal for its already well developed Cabin and Tourist Third Cabin product.

1930

Athenia opened Donaldson’s 1930 season with her sailing from Glasgow on 18 April, calling at Liverpool and Belfast and arriving at Montreal on the 28th.

Hard times meant more advertising and marketing. For 1930, Donaldson commissioned a delightful series of advertisements for the Canadian market highlighting the "Scottish country house" charms, Scottish hospitality and "ocean den" qualities of Athenia and Letitia.

“British Ship Struck By Iceberg on Maiden Voyage…” was the headline on 19 July 1930 reporting on Athenia coming to the aid of Dalryan which on her first voyage from Swansea to Montreal with 7,300 tons of Welsh anthracite, struck a berg  in fog at 1:25 a.m. on the 19th 11 miles northwest of Belle Isle.  She remained impaled on the berg for many hours and two holds were flooded.  Athenia arrived and stood by the ship for 24 hours until she floated off the berg, and then escorted her into Montreal.

Scottish Boy Scouts, scholarship winners and off to a training trip on Canadian farms in Letitia are welcomed aboard by Capt. Taylor. Credit: The Scotsman, 3 May 1930. 

For 1930, Athenia completed 16 crossings to Montreal carrying 7,264 passengers and Letitia completed 14 crossings to Montreal carrying 6,896 passengers and 4 crossings to Halifax carrying 833.

1931

Both ships were again idle in the winter and laid up in Shieldhall Basin, Glasgow, as business slacked off considerably for the 1931 season.

The only notable crossing of the year was that of Athenia which docked at Montreal on 20th  with a menagerie of  kangaroos, leopards, marmozettes, chimpanzees, flamingoes, owls, snakes, zebras and other animals for the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto 28 August-12 September.  Letitia sailed from Saint John on 11 December with the first grain shipment of the year, totaling 17,000 bushels.

Tourist Third Cabin continued to be focus of Donaldson's advertising in 1931 and certainly Athenia's club-like Smoking Room, once the preserve of Cabin Class passengers, was enticing. Credit: The Gazette, 8 April 1931.

In 1931, Athenia completed 16 crossings to Montreal carrying 5,375 passengers and Letitia completed 14 crossings to Montreal carrying 3,951 passengers and two to Halifax carrying 320 passengers.

1932

That winter, Athenia was occupied with sailings to Halifax and New York for Anchor Line beginning in mid January 1932 through the end of March.

On 10 February 1932 a unique role for Letitia was announced: that of an official Scottish trade mission ship on a voyage to Canada from Glasgow on 5 May with a party of Scottish industrialists, business men and manufacturers in addition to her regular passengers. The ship would showcase Scottish goods during the week she was in Montreal 16-20 May.

Letitia in the Mersey in Anchor Line livery, rather easily accomplished by painting over the white band on her funnel in black.  This was done for her voyages on the Anchor Line Bombay Mail.  Credit: Author's collection. 

Of more immediate interest was Letitia reprising her Bombay mail ship role, sailing from Liverpool on 23 February 1932 for Bombay via Port Sudan.  On this she carried First and Tourist Class and was said to have to “embarked a large party of military passengers, including women and children… as well as civilian passengers.”  She called at Marseilles on the 29th and arrived at Bombay on 15 March.  Her homeward voyage commenced on 24 March and she returned to Liverpool on 14. There she landed 165 boxes of gold bars, seven tons in all, worth £1 mn.

Letitia at Princes Dock, Glasgow, loading for her Scottish Trade Mission voyage.  Credit: The Scotsman 4 May 1932

Hands Across the Sea: Letitia's Scottish Trade Mission voyage was one of the highlights of her career. Credit: Calgary Herald 25 May 1932.

Letitia’s Scottish Trade Mission voyage was the big story for 1932 and on 26 March it was announced that 78 exhibits had already been arranged and 41 firms were sending representatives. She sailed from Glasgow on 5 May, numbering among those aboard “four or five of the best bagpipers in Scotland to provide entertainment.” Letitia came into Quebec the morning of the 13th dressed with the Royal Standard of Scotland from the jack staff and “presented a fine appearance as she rounded the Levis Point and warped to the quay, beneath the frowning cliffs of the citadel. The weather was warm, and the cloudless skies supplied a happy background for the warm reception and welcome to Canada.” (Gazette).  She proceeded to Montreal where she docked that evening.

This was the crowd queuing to get aboard Letitia at Montreal during her trade ship visit to the post. Credit: The Scotsman, 31 May 1932

With 87 displays erected over four of the ship’s decks, there was much on offer for the considerable crowds trying to get aboard and 5,000 were turned away the second day owing to the popularity of the exhibition. In all, some 35,000-45,000 visited the ship and the displays and it was reckoned a great success by  all concerned, netting an estimated $500,000 in orders for Scottish goods and services. 

From the Gazette (Montreal) 18 May 1932

Letitia proved just as useful for Canadian exports when on 7 October 1932 she left Montreal with 48,260 boxes and 5,068 barrels of apples for Scotland, the largest single consignment  in two years.

Plans for the 1933 season were finalised on 26 October 1932 with 62 crossings to the St. Lawrence by Athenia, Letitia, Andania and Antonia amid rumors that they would offer only Tourist and Third Class accommodation pending approval from the Conference.  Letitia and Athenia with Antonia and Andania maintain a weekly service from Montreal and Quebec to Belfast, Liverpool and Glasgow (the Cunarders calling at Greenock).

In 1932 Athenia completed 16 crossings to Montreal carrying 5,856 passengers and six to New York and Halifax carrying 212 passenger.  Letitia completed 14 crossings to Montreal carrying 5,548 passengers and two crossings to Halifax carrying 285 passengers.

Splendid poster for Athenia and Letitia in the St. Lawrence, c. 1933 by Walter Thomas. Credit: The Mariners' Museum.

1933

It was announced on 13 February 1933 that Athenia and Letitia were to be “entirely renovated and overhauled” with small tables installed in the Cabin Class dining saloon.  Third Class was considerably improved, too, when the aft covered promenade deck space in both ships was converted into a spacious new lounge with the refurbished smoking room aft. To facilitate this, Letitia’s 17 March sailing to Saint John and Halifax was cancelled and passengers transferred to Ausonia while on 12 April it was reported that Athenia was at Fairfield for her reconditioning. 

During her first Montreal turnaround, 60 travel agents had an inspection and dinner aboard Letitia on 25 May 1933.  

Athenia sailing from Montreal in 1933.  Credit: Clifford M. Johnston / Library and Archives Canada / PA-056818

Finding gainful winter employment for the two ships had always been a challenge, but given the economic circumstances, became even more important.  On 21 October 1933 it was stated that “Athenia will be laid up after the St. Lawrence season” but that the Hellenic Travel Club of London had chartered Letitia for its winter cruise season and make four Mediterranean and Aegean trips.  

Then on 31 October 1933 it was reported that Athenia, too, had found a winter charter and would sail from Glasgow on 14 February 1934 and from Liverpool the next day on a Jewish Community Cruise to Palestine.  This featured a 10-day stay in Haifa for the celebration of the Purim Festival and several Jewish organisations were sponsoring the cruise with the ship providing complete kosher kitchens. Athenia would depart Haifa on 7 March and return to Glasgow on the 18th.  In the event, there is no record that this cruise ever took place and like Letitia's world cruise plans, it seems to have been quietly shelved amid the prevailing hard times.

Letitia outbound in the St. Lawrence, 1932. Credit: Clifford M. Johnston / Library and Archives Canada / PA-056566

The two sister ships were briefly commanded by brothers when Letitia arrived Montreal  on 5 November 1933 commanded by Capt. William Black of Glasgow, the brother of Capt. James Black of Athenia.  Normally on the South American cargo run, this was his  first visit to  the St. Lawrence in years.

Winter came early that season and with ice already in the river below Quebec, Athenia did not proceed down to Montreal when she docked at Quebec on 22 November 1933 and sail direct from there to Belfast, Liverpool and Glasgow on the 30th. 

In 1933, Athenia completed 16 crossings to Montreal carrying 4,687 passengers and Letitia completed 16 crossings to Montreal carrying 4,507 and two crossings to Halifax carrying 233 passengers.

1934

Letitia's annual charter to the Hellenic Travellers Club starting in winter 1934 was her most celebrated and the passenger list including some of Britain's most respected academics, scholars and war leaders as well as the creme of society had the cruises featured as above in such magazines as The Tatler (18 April 1934).  

The programme for Letitia’s Hellenic Traveller’s Club season was announced on 20 January 1934. There would be four cruises in all with the first departing Glasgow on 10 February, calling at Plymouth and then Gibraltar, Algiers, Palma and Villefranche.  From the French port, she would then make two cruises, the first departing 20 February to Haifa, Alexandria, Piraeus and Istanbul and the second departing 20 March to Syracuse, Nauplia, Crete, Delos and Naples.  Her homeward cruise ended at Glasgow on 1 May.  The programme and all shore arrangements were arranged by Sir Henry Lunn, one of the pioneers of British cruising. With capacity limited to just 300, Letitia was ideal for the role and upon return it was said that “the cruises were highly successful, and the Letitia, the first Clyde to be employed by the Hellenic Travellers’ Club, proved extremely popular as a cruise ship.”

On one of Hellenic Travellers' Club cruises, passengers aboard Letitia watch the Orient liner Orontes pulling free after grounding on a sandbar off Gallipoli, 18 April 1934. Credit: Daily Mirror, 24 April 1934. 

On 12 April 1934, Donaldson announced that Tony Hamilton, “well known radio singer and entertainer” would be aboard for several sailings Montreal to Glasgow and back and “'will provide entertainment in Scottish character" for all classes and that that both ships would  carry a pipe band in summer, retained since Letitia came over as exhibition ship.  "Both liners have been overhauled and extra rooms with private bath installed."

On the Athenia the major alteration has been in the addition of two more rooms with bath. These are of course provided with beds and they are furnished in the modern manner with tubular lighting, finished in chrome nickel on the walls. The furniture and mirrors are in the latest style of decoration, set off by a carpet of geometric design. The private bathrooms are completely equipped with a regular porcelain bath of full length and depth.

Besides this, all the cabin class staterooms of the Athenia have been redecorated, and partly re-equipped."

The most striking innovation is replacement of the usual type of ship's fixture of mirror and sundry appurtenances by a plain mirror above the wash basin, attached directly to the wall, and the carafe generally used to contain water has been replaced by a neat chrome nickel thermos bottle.

By these changes, the general appearance of the cabins on the Athenia has been very much brightened, and the look of modern comfort was very much commented on by passengers embarking.

Montreal Gazette, 7 May 1934

Athenia made the first trip of the St. Lawrence season from Glasgow on 20 April 1934 followed by Letitia on 4 May.

Letitia numbered among her passengers sailing from Montreal on 5 August 1934,  Field Marshall Lord Allenby, famous for his commanding British forces in the Palestine Campaign.  He and Lady Allenby were returning to Britain after attending the reunion of the Canadian Corps  held in Toronto on the 20th anniversary of the start of the Great War. 

After surviving what was called “the storm of the century”, a battered and many hours late Letitia reached Montreal late on 30 October 1934.  She had bad weather all the way across, even in the river, damaging her portside bridge wing and carrying away a lifeboat.  The crew said it was one of the worst storms they had ever seen.  So bad that the schooner Marie Lydia foundered in it, losing three of her crew.  

Captain David Taylor, who had commanded Donaldson ships since 1917, made his last voyage before retirement, taking Letitia out from Quebec on 29 November 1934.  

In 1934, Athenia completed 16 crossings to Montreal carrying 4,884 passengers and Letitia completed 16 crossings to Montreal carrying 5,134 passengers.

A busy scene in Malta's Grand Harbour, most likely in February 1935 when Letitia first called there on one of her cruises for the Hellenic Travellers Club.  She join an unidentified yacht, the Blue Star cruising liner Arandora Star and in the distance a Glorious-class aircraft carrier. 

1935

Hellenic Travellers’ Club again chartered Letitia for winter 1935 and on 16 December 1934 published their cruise program.  It began with a 5-15 February positioning voyage from Glasgow and Plymouth to Gibraltar, Malaga, Algiers and Marseilles. On the 16th she was off to Palermo, Malta, Palestine, Egypt, Cyprus, Rhodes, Constantinople, Athens and Marseilles.  Her second cruise from Marseilles left on 19 March to Sicily, Greece, Constantinople, Rhodes, Naples and Marseilles and then 6 April from Marseilles to Palermo. Greece, Santorini, Delos, Rhodes and Naples. She sailed for home on 24 April.

Letitia's third cruise was her most eventful, leaving Marseilles on 6 April 1935 with 356 passengers with many notables aboard including Sir Henry Lunn,  Dr. Cyril Norwood, Sir Richard Livingston, Sir John Marriott, Mr. & Mrs. Harold Nicholson, Miss Sackville-West, Sir Percy Sykes, Lord Conway and Baroness Ravensdale. On the 11th, approaching Athens, she went aground on a sandbank off Cape Pappas.  The Danish salvage tug Viking was dispatched and had her free at 2:30 p.m. on the 13th without damage.  

Whilst Letitia was cruising, the corporate connections that bound Donaldson, Anchor and Cunard were torn asunder amid the continued pressure of economic conditions and the shipping slump.  In March 1935, Runciman Group acquired control of Anchor Line which had gone into receivership. Anchor still owned 50 per cent of Donaldson Line and the Donaldsons made immediate steps to buy their shares to regain sole control of the company. In the meantime, operations would continue as before.

The 1935 season brought many changes.  Making her first voyage of the season, Athenia docked at Montreal on 30 April commanded by Capt. William Rennie.  This was his first liner command, having been master of the line’s Canada run freighters for some years.  But owing to a strike by 2,000 Montreal dockers, Athenia was obliged to sail on the 4th without unloading her cargo.

On 11 May 1935 Donaldson Line announced it had severed all connections with Anchor Line and also after the 24th, Cunard-White Star would no longer represent Anchor Line in the U.S. or Canada.  Athenia and Letitia would, however, still operate a joint weekly service to/from Montreal with Cunard’s Andania and Antonia.  Then on the 20th Donaldson announced it had secured control of the Anchor-Donaldson Line, ending the connection with Anchor that began in 1916 and had bought back its shares to have sole control once more.  It pledged "Similar policies and standards to those which have proved successful in building up the popularity and prestige of this Scottish service will be maintained."

For Athenia, there was a change in her summer routine not arising from corporate changes, but rather a profitable charter conveying pilgrims to the shrine of Lourdes in France.  On 25 June 1935 it was announced that after her sailing from Montreal on the 29th, she would be off the run until August. Instead, she would make two special voyages to Le Verdun, the closest port to Lourdes, one from Glasgow and another from Liverpool and Dublin.

The newly created and now independent Donaldson Atlantic Line assumed a new corporate image, advertising and houseflag in summer 1935.

On 9 July 1935 it was announced that the new independent company would be called the Donaldson Atlantic line. That day Letitia arrived at Montreal, commanded by Capt. J. Black, formerly of Athenia, for the last time an Anchor-Donaldson liner.  She sailed on the 12th as a Donaldson Atlantic liner.

But the real introduction of Donaldson Atlantic Line was, appropriately, the first sailing from Glasgow by Letitia the evening of 26 July 1935.  Before her departure, the Company hosted a luncheon for agents and shipping industry reporters.  Mr. Graham Donaldson outlined the initial plans of the company and his thoughts on the state of shipping business:   ''Before the war," he said, "there were eight passenger ships in service. At present we have two, the Athenia and the Letitia. It is our intention to try and bring back the old days of prosperity. We feel that there is necessity for Scots people to go south embark for Canada. " There is another point," he said, "We feel that cruising is getting too strong a hold on the public. We are going to try and encourage Scots people to spend a holiday in Canada rather than go cruising. It has always been a complaint of Canadians that Scots people never go to Canada. One of the best means of bringing people to this country is for Scots to go to Canada. If we had as much traffic going from Scotland to Canada as we have from Canada would be very comfortable indeed."

The guests were shown over the vessel with a stress on the improvements recently made for all three classes.  The new revised fare started at £29 third class, £38 tourist, and £45 cabin. 

When Letitia sailed she was flying the pennant of the new company, a white flag with a Scottish thistle in the centre, flown above the traditional Donaldson tri-color.

SCOTS PILGRIMS SAIL FOR FRANCE 

1100 Seek Health at Lourdes 

Eleven hundred Roman Catholic pilgrims opened a new highway to Lourdes yesterday, when they left the Clyde in specially chartered liner for France. They came from all parts of Scotland, and there were pathetic scenes at the quayside when a fleet of ambulances and cars conveyed the sick alongside the Anchor-Donaldson liner Athenia. Sixty-five cases were conveyed to the two hospital wards on board, including three cases of sleepy sickness, several of palsy, and many of chronic rheumatism. Three blind persons were led on board by guides, and among the stretcher cases was a man who was advised by his doctor not to book his passage, as it was thought he could not survive until the sailing date. The leader of the pilgrimage is Archbishop M'Donald. Services will be  conducted in various chapels on board, and 14 altars have been installed. The pilgrims disembark at Le Verdon, near Havre, on Monday night and entrain for Lourdes, the liner awaiting their return a week later. After returning to the Clyde the Athenia will proceed to Liverpool and will take on board complement of pilgrims from England, calling at Dublin for a large number of Irish pilgrims. Dundee Pilgrims party of 40 from the Dundee  district joined yesterday's pilgrimage. Included in the Dundee contingent was a stretcher case. Ihe pilgrims were given an enthusiastic send-off by a large crowd of relatives and friends, who, as the train steamed out of the West Station, sang the Lourdes hymn, "Ave Maria."

Dundee Courier. 13 July 1935

On 24 July 1935 Athenia sailed from Liverpool with 500 pilgrims for Lourdes, by way of Le Verdon, and embarked an additional 527 at Dublin the next day.  Among them were 100 sick cases, accommodated in the two lounges on Main Deck which had been converted into hospital wards.  Of these, 20-30 were stretcher cases.  Athenia returned to Dublin on 3 August and Liverpool a day later.  

The charter certainly did not garner ensuring favorable publicity for the new Donaldson organization when on 15 August 1935 it was revealed that 60 cases of enteric fever had broken out in Scotland, concentrated in Glasgow and mostly among women, all of whom had been participants in the pilgrimage cruise.  The health authorities contacted most of the 1,100 participants to ascertain their health and any contacts after returning from the trip and the outbreak was quickly contained.  

On 5 August 1935 Letitia arrived at Montreal  for the first time flying the new colors and after a long absence, Athenia docked there on the 19th.

Attracting quite a crowd, Letitia around in Belfast Lough in August 1935. Credit: shipsnostalgia.com, member oceantramp.

Letitia was the biggest tourist attraction in Belfast Lough in summer 1935.  Credit: The Sphere, 24 August 1935.

The new Donaldson organization was tested early on when Letitia had her second grounding that year, going hard aground off Belfast Lough in sudden dense fog at midnight 16 August 1935 on a reef of rocks between Groomsport and Bangor on the County Down side of the entrance to the Lough.  A passenger recalled that "the music suddenly stopped and there was consternation for a minute or two. Excellent discipline was maintained by Captain James Black and his officers, and the crew were quick to assure the passengers there was no cause for alarm."

The tender Robina takes off Letitia's passengers the morning after she went aground. Credit: The Sphere, 24 August 1935.

Efforts to refloat the ship at high tide at 2:00 a.m. were unsuccessful and in the morning the 230 passengers were taken off by the tender Robina to Belfast.  Her 230 passengers were taken off the following morning. The vessel, bound by rocks on both sides, was buckled in the fore part of the boiler room and no. 4 hold and three of her tanks leaking with her bows embedded in the shingle and parts of her screws exposed.  It was feared that might be stuck until the next neap tide in a few weeks time.  

An aerial view of Letitia aground and smoke and froth indicating another effort to free herself. Credit: The Northern Whig, 20 August 1935.  

Tugs, dispatched from Greenock, were on the scene by 18 August 1935. After she was lightened by the removal of 2,000 tons of cargo and ballast, Letitia was refloated early on the 20th just before high tide by the efforts of four tugs which dragged her off the sand.  Towed stern first, she then anchored off Black Head at the entrance to Belfast Lough for divers inspection and later that day towed to Glasgow for drydocking, arriving the following afternoon.  Letitia was repaired at Elderslie graving dock, Glasgow, but tragically, a shipyard worker was killed in an accidental fall aboard on the 29th. Letitia resumed service with her sailing from Glasgow was 20 September.

Letitia had a new Captain when she docked at Montreal on 29 October 1935, Capt. George E. Baillie who would be indelibly associated with the ship through the war years and after.  Credit: Leader Post, 18 November 1935.

The first cruise for Donaldson Atlantic, announced on 2 November 1935, was suitable and poignant, chartered by the 74th Yeomanry Division, Athenia was to sail to Palestine and Gallipoli 20 years after the battles fought there in the First World War.  Departing Glasgow on 7 March 1936 and Southampton two days later, the cruise would call at Villefranche, Haifa (3½ days), Piraeaus, Chanak (two days for Gallipoli) and return to Southampton on 5 April.  Prominent military officers and veterans were among her passengers including Major-General Sir Eric Gird wood. General Sir George Burrow, General Sir John Shea, and Major-General Sir Stuart Hare.

In a very busy and eventful 1935, Athenia made 14 crossings to Montreal carrying  3,967 passengers and Letitia completed 12 crossings to Montreal carrying 2,637 passengers.  The total of only 6,604 passengers was the lowest for the line in many years so it was not an auspicious beginning for Donaldson Atlantic although traffic steadily improved and the company recorded profits from 1936 onwards.  

1936

The Hellenic Travellers’ Club again chartered Letitia for the winter of 1936.  On 22 February she sailed from Glasgow and from Plymouth two days later for Cadiz, Gibraltar, Ceuta, Malaga and Toulon where she arrived on 3 March.  The next day she left on a 30-day cruise "in the footsteps of St Paul" to Athens, Thessalonica, Troy, Mitylene, Smyrna, Cyprus, Beirut, Port Said and then to Marseilles. Then a 16-day cruise to Constantinople, Chanak, Gallipoli, Samos, Crete and Mycenae. From Marseilles , she returned to the Clyde on a nine-day cruise to Malaga, Ceuta, Gibraltar and Cadiz.

Letitia made the first Montreal call of the year on 12 May 1936.

In 1936 Donaldson Atlantic commissioned an attractive series of advertisements highlighting "your ships" and the captains and pursers of Athenia and Letitia.  

That winter, Athenia was chartered, along with Laurentic and Tuscania, by the Ministry of Defence to bring back British troops from Palestine. On 21 December 1936 Athenia arrived at Haifa and embarked men of the of 2nd Battalion of the Cameronians, 2nd Battalion Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, 2d Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers and the Headquarters of the 3rd Infantry Brigade. She sailed the next day with 70 officers and 1,200 men and arrived at Southampton on 31 December. But upon return to the Clyde, she was idle for the winter.

For 1936, Athenia completed 14 crossings to Montreal carrying 4,290 passengers and Letitia 16 crossings carrying 4,936 passengers.  This represented a gratifying 40 per cent improvement in carryings over 1935. 

1937

Letitia reprised her winter charter for Hellenic Travellers’ Club starting in February 1937 and was based on Toulon that season with three cruises to Greece, Turkey and Palestine.  For the first time, she called en route from/to Glasgow in both directions at Plymouth where she arrived on 27 April from Toulon via Tangier, Gibraltar and Lisbon.  

Athenia opened the  St. Lawrence season with her sailing from Glasgow 16 April 1937 and arrived at Montreal on the 25th.  Her homeward crossing was sold as Coronation Sailing and attracted 800 passengers, many bound for London for the ceremonies.

Advertisement for Athenia's special crossing for the Coronation of King George VI in May 1937. Credit: Edmonton Journal, 18 February 1937.

On 30 August 1937 Letitia disembarked the largest westbound list for Donaldson since the 1929 slump: 977 passengers.

Donaldson continued to highlight "people and hospitality" in their 1937 advertising.  

More Donaldson advertising for 1937 with a "Cruise to Canada" and "House Party Holiday" theme. 

Still looking for off season employment for the ship, on 20 September 1937 it was reported that Donaldson were planning a winter service with Athenia between Glasgow and Saint John and Halifax. She was already programed for one crossing from Glasgow at the end of November, leaving Saint John on 11 December and Halifax following day on what was promoted as a Christmas crossing. The expanded winter service was confirmed on 3 November with Athenia to making four sailings from Saint John and Halifax to Glasgow: from Saint John 11 December, 28 January, 25 February and 25 March and a day later from Halifax and call en route at Belfast and Liverpool.  For Montreal passengers, there would be a special Canadian Pacific train to West Saint John.

Athenia at Montreal with one of the Cunard "A"s directly astern.  

Dressed overall for Armistice Day and observing the two-minute silence, Athenia left Montreal on Armistice Day 1937 on the last crossing from St. Lawrence for the season.

For 1937, Athenia completed 16 crossings to Montreal  carrying  5,281 passengers and two crossings to St. John/Halifax carrying 196 passengers and Letitia completed 16 crossings to Montreal carrying 5,665 passengers.  This represented a 20 per cent increase over 1936.

1938

Letitia’s winter 1938 Hellenic Travellers’ Club charter began from Glasgow on 7 February and called at Plymouth where 50 additional passengers joined the ship for Gibraltar and Toulon.  From there on 15th she was off for Sicily, Athens, Turkey, Asia Minor, Cyprus, Palestine, Syria, Egypt and Malta. This was followed by a cruise to  Sparta, Athens, Constantinople, Rhodes, Malta and Naples . On 21 April she departed Toulon  for Gibraltar and Plymouth and arrived at Glasgow 28 April. Next day she sailed for Quebec and Montreal.

For 1938, Donaldson Line advertised Athenia and Letitia's trans-Atlantic service as "A Canadian Cruise" and 'The Friendliest Holiday"

On 12 March 1938 the Scottish Secondary Schools Travel Trust announced two schoolboy trips to Canada for the coming summer. The first from Glasgow in Athenia 8 July, and the other in Letitia, leaving  two weeks later with 20 days in Canada visiting Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa, St Catherine's. Niagara Falls, Toronto and Kingston. The cost for the full round trip, including ocean fare, rail fare, food, accommodation, excursions in Canada, and all gratuities was £28/10/-.

Captain James Cook assumed command of Athenia in May 1938 and came to be indelibly associated with both her and Letitia.  

Athenia had a new captain to start the 1938 season:  Capt  James Cook, formerly of Donaldson freighter Salacia, and also once 1st officer of Athenia.  

The 1938 season was uneventful and on 5 October Donaldson announced its plans for the winter. Alas, its just introduced Saint John service would not figure, being lightly patronized.  Instead, after one sailing from Saint John on 10 December and Halifax three days later, Athenia would be laid up that winter although there were rumors she might be chartered for trooping which the Canadian office discounted: She is registered in Scotland, and the Admiralty makes first call of English vessels for troopship work." Instead, Athenia was to receive a major refit to her accommodation.

Aged 68, Chairman Charles Donaldson died  on 7 December 1938 at Airthey Castle, Bridge of Allan, Scotland. 

In 1938, Athenia completed 18 crossings to Montreal carrying 5,358 passenger and six crossings to St. John and Halifax carrying 340 passengers and Letitia completed 16 crossings to Montreal carrying 4,881 passengers.  This was about 1,000 less than the previous year but a good result given that 1938 was a bad year for trans-Atlantic travel as a whole with war scares and Munich that autumn and a severe recession in America.  

1939

That winter saw Letitia off to new horizons on her annual charter to Hellenic Travellers’ Club and indeed far from the ancient Classical World.  On 4 February 1939 she departed Glasgow and two days later Plymouth for the warmth and sun of the West Indies, calling at Nassau, Miami, Havana, Port Antonio, Kingston, Antigua, St. Lucia, Madeira, Tangier, Gibraltar and Toulon where the 42-day voyage concluded.  Among her passengers was Mr. Richard Hughes, author of a High Wind In Jamaica.  From there on 18 March she sailed, more traditionally, to Naples, Syracuse, Delphi, Navarino, Mycenae, Athens, Smyrna, Kos, Delos, Rhodes, Santorini, Messina and back to Toulon.  This was followed by two back-to-back cruises from Toulon with the same itinerary: Naples, Delphi, Navarino, Mycenae, Athens, Constantinople, Troy, Melos, and Palermo.  On 16 May she left Toulon to return to Glasgow calling at Malaga, Gibraltar, Cadiz and Plymouth.

Prior to sailing to the West Indies, Mr. N.F. Donaldson hosted a press luncheon aboard the just refitted and refurbished Letitia at Glasgow extolling the £100,000 in improvements to both Letitia and especially Athenia on which £60,000 was expended.  The later ship would not resume service until that April and was instead at Barclay Curle’s Scotstoun yard where all of A Deck was gutted and rebuilt with new cabins as was a portion of B Deck so that almost half her original Third Class was completely stripped and rebuilding. When finished, he said Athenia would be “two thirds an entirely new ship.”  All cabins in Cabin and Tourist Class and most in Third now had hot and cold running water, new mattresses and individual ventilation in inside cabins. Additional Cabin Class staterooms now had private baths.

Canadian newspaper advertisements heralding the final round of improvements to Athenia and Letitia for the 1939 season. 

Letitia had improvements to her accommodation, but not to the extent of Athenia. When completed, it was stated that Letitia now accommodated 125 Cabin, 250 Tourist and 630 Third Class. Both ships were fitted with new solid bronze manganese screws, far more efficient than the old bolted on bladed originals and reckoned to give as much as an extra knot of speed.  Mr. Donaldson said passenger traffic was expected to be spurred by the June 1939 Royal Visit to Canada and the World’s Fair in New York. 

Credit: The Gazette (Montreal), 29 April 1939

Prior to her resuming service on 13 April 1939, Mr. N.F. Donaldson hosted a luncheon and inspection for 200 travel agents to see the “new” Athenia and he was among her passengers for the first crossing of the season.  “Luxury is the keynote of the Athenia, and those who inspected the vessel were much impressed by the general lay-out.”  The first liner of the season, she arrived at Quebec on the 25th but owing to ice in the lower St. Lawrence, could not proceed to Montreal and sailed from Quebec three days later. 

Proving the value of her new screws, Letitia docked at Quebec on 1 July 1939 after her fastest ever crossing.  "Her time for the ocean voyage was considerably better than she or other ships her size and class in the Canadian trade have made from the Old Country to the St. Lawrence, and cuts several hours off the usual run… Letitia was overhauled last winter during a lay-off, and equipped with new propellers which gave her additional speed of one knot.  She was expected to make better time for the Atlantic crossing, but this is the first voyage on which she has been opened up. The liner averaged 16½ knots from Liverpool to Fame Point."

Dubbed by the press as “A Ship of Parties” when she sailed from Liverpool on 10 July 1939, many of Athenia’s  600 passengers belonged to several large groups of various political, religious, or social organizations. One group was composed of upwards of ninety members of the Conservative Party of Glasgow going on a tour through Canada and the United States. Sadly, the crossing was also marked by the death of two crew members.   John Kennedy, a seaman, died through a fall from the crow’s nest, and was buried at sea. A. C. Pollock, a bedroom steward, was reported missing, and believed to have fallen overboard during the night. 

Leaving her berth on the morning of 4 August 1939, Letitia struck Alexandra pier as she was moving into the stream, preparing to sail for Glasgow.  She dented her bow plates and was brought back to her pier for inspection. Not seriously damaged, she proceeded an hour later for Glasgow and Liverpool.

Athenia docked at Montreal on 13 August 1939, her lists again bolstered by groups including a party from Canadian Car & Foundry who spent several weeks in Britain learning latest developments in aircraft industry, 50 English and Scottish schoolgirls, 15 representatives of Middlesex Teachers Guild and 18 members of the British Home Economic Society.  She sailed for home at 11:00 a.m. on the 18th with 28 Cabin, 139 Tourist and 317 Third Class passengers and 5,500 tons of cargo, and arrived at Glasgow on the 27th.  

On the morning of 28 August 1939 Letitia arrived at Montreal with 57 Cabin, 104 Tourist and 295 Third Class passengers including  105 Canadian school students who sailed in same ship on 7 July on a tour of Britain. 

On 29 August 1939 it was announced that Letitia had  been called back to Britain under Admiralty orders and to sail at daybreak 1 September  instead of the 2nd.  Passengers embarked the evening of the 31st.  Ascania, Aurania, Alaunia, Scythia and Britannic also called up by the Admiralty.  Letitia sailed the morning of the 1st with  375 passengers including  47 English school girls (who came over on Athenia), 41 Scottish school girls and 13 schoolboys all whom were returning home after touring Canada.

The Gazette (Montreal) 1 September 1939

Also sailing on 1 September 1939 was Athenia (Capt. James Cook) from Glasgow at noon.  By then the German invasion of Poland had been going on for seven hours and all but assured Britain and France fulfilling their treaty obligations and declaring war on the Third Reich.  Amid the general anxiety among late season American tourists in Britain eager to return home, Athenia, after calling at Belfast proceeded to Liverpool where she embarked 101 American nationals in addition to the 145 who boarded at Glasgow and the 65 who came aboard at Belfast.  Altogether she had 1,103 passengers including 468 Canadians, 311 Americans, 72 Britons, an estimated 500 Jewish refugees and 315 officers and crew.  She sailed from Liverpool at 1:00 p.m. on the 2nd and headed westward.  On the first day at sea, Sunday the 3rd, the ship broadcast Prime Minister Chamberlain’s declaration of war at 11:00 a.m. and following predesignated plans, Capt. Cook put Athenia on a precautionary zig-zag course on her route to Canada, portholes were painted over and preparations for black-out made.   

Centre spread of the Illustrated London News, 13 September 1939 with specially commissioned drawings by G.H. Davis.

Athenia was first sighted by the German submarine U-30 (Kapitänleutant Fritz-Julius Lemp) at 4:30 p.m. on 3 September 1939 when she was  60 nautical miles south of Rockall, Ireland.  Three hours later, at 7:40 p.m. as second sitting passengers were finishing dinner, U-30 fired two torpedoes, one of which struck Athenia portside in her engine room right at the bulkhead between it and the boiler room.  Two massive explosions followed, one from the torpedo and the other probably boilers exploding. Athenia immediately settled by the stern with a portside list which she soon recovered from and much of the interior of the ship in way of the impact point was devastated with debris, dust and escaping steam.  The explosion  blew the hatch of no. 5 hold into shards of splintered heavy wood, killing five passengers standing nearby on deck.

Depiction of the effect of the torpedo explosion, blowing up the hatch cover of No. 5 hold. Credit: The Sphere, 16 September 1939.

Amidst general terror and confusion  among the passengers, to their credit, Athenia’s crew managed to launch every one of her lifeboats although the loading of them was disorderly and some were terribly overloaded and others still had their plugs unsecured when lowered into the water. The last boat left the ship at 8:45 p.m. In the end, everyone not killed outright by the initial explosion was believed evacuated and fortunately there were a number of vessels answering Athenia’s distress call very close by:  H.M.S. Electra, H.M.S. Escort, the famous Swedish motor yacht Southern Cross, the Norwegian tanker Knute Nelson, and the American freighter (but Panamanian registered) City of Flint, the first of which were on the scene shortly after midnight on 4 September. It was prudently decided to wait for first light to effect rescue operations.

Credit: The Sphere, 16 September 1939

Athenia 3 September 1939 by Arthur J.W. Burgess. Credit: Illustrated London News, 21 October 1939.

One of Athenia's lifeboats alongside H.M.S. Electra or H.M.S. Escort with the yacht Southern Cross in the background.  Credit: The Sphere, 16 September 1939.

Tragically at the very moment of rescue, there were more casualties in mishandling accidents involving the rescue ships and lifeboats. One boat was drawn into the turning propeller of Knute Nelson which inexplicably went slow ahead with boats still alongside and was crushed and capsized, killing 50 of its occupants, and another capsized below the stern of Southern Cross, killing 10 and three others were crushed during the transfer from boats to one of the destroyers in the heavy seas.  In all, 98 passengers and 19 crew of the total of 1,418 souls aboard Athenia perished.  Of those, 58 were Canadians and 28 Americans. City of Flint took her 221 survivors to Halifax and Knute Nelson landed her 430 at Galway.

Athenia in the first light of 4 September 1939, still afloat 14 hours after being torpedoed, but settling by the stern and gone by 10:40 a.m. 

Stalwart to the end, Athenia stayed afloat until all her passengers and crew were off and settled slowly by the stern with a slight list to port and finally succumbed at 10:40 a.m. on 4 September 1939, sinking by the stern.  In October 2007 the BBC reported that shipwreck-hunter David Mearns located the wreck from sonar data, laying 200 meters down on Rockall Bank, off Ireland. “It is split in the aft section where the torpedo hit, but otherwise is sitting proud of the sediment and looks to be in reasonable shape.”

Officers and crew of the Norwegian tanker Knute Nelson watch as Athenia finally sinks by the stern at 10:40 a.m. 4 September 1939. Credit: Wikimedia Commons. 

The sinking of Athenia created, of course, a propaganda firestorm and no little embarrassment for the Germans as her torpedoing was both in violation of international law as well as standing orders issued by the Germany Navy as regards attacks on passenger liners.  So much so that the Germans denied one of their U-Boats had been involved and blamed it instead on an attack by British destroyers designed to draw America into the war.  The unfortunate Kapitänleutant Fritz-Julius Lemp was denied the "kill" and all mention of the sinking removed from his log and records and it was not until the Nuremberg War Crimes Trials that the facts were made known and Germany accepted responsibility.

Athenia sinks stern first with her bows rearing out of the sea.  This photo was taken by Mr. W.F. Williams who was serving in one of the rescue ships, H.M.S. Electra.  Credit: The Age, 17 November 1958. 

As historical asides, Winston Churchill's first statement as the just appointed First Sea Lord was to announce to the Commons the sinking of Athenia.  The second Athenia went down just 271 miles from where the first one herself was torpedoed in August 1917.  Lemp did not survive the war and was lost when his U-110 was captured at sea by H.M.S. Bulldog on 9 May 1941 and famously with its "Enigma" coding machine and code books intact.  Ironically, the man who fired the first shot of the Battle of the Atlantic was a participant in a key engagement which led to its eventual victorious end by the Allies.

Athenia was but the first of a staggering 2,426 British merchantmen lost to enemy action in the Second World War and her sinking understandably overshadows a successful career of what was always a happy and popular ship.

Meanwhile, the eastbound Letitia was in the Belle Isle Strait when, late on 3 September 1939, upon the news of the sinking of her sister, she was ordered to return immediately to Montreal.  Late on the afternoon of the 5th, Letitia safely docked and disembarked her passengers who were “stranded” but safe in Canada, including her two large school parties.  Now it remained for Letitia to go to war and she had a score to settle. 

In 1939, Athenia completed 10 crossings to Montreal carrying 3,980 passengers and Letitia 9 crossings carrying 2,680 passengers.

The Donaldson Sisters, 1923-1939

                                    No. of Crossings (one-way)    Passengers  Carried     Cruises
R.M.S. Athenia         294                                               110,375                               nil
R.M.S. Letitia           246                                                94,294                               29                                                       

No two ships better fulfilled their role linking Mother Country and the Dominion of Canada than did Athenia and Letitia.   Now only Letitia was left and she had another 21 years of faithful service during which she fought in the Battle of the Atlantic under the White Ensign, carried troops, served as Canada's largest hospital ship and as Empire Brent and Captain Cook went on to link even more far-flung Dominions. 

R.M.S. Athenia outbound from Montreal, 1933. Credit: Clifford M. Johnston / Library and Archives Canada / PA-056574

Built by Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd., Govan, Scotland, Yard nos. 596 & 601

Gross tonnage       13,465 (Athenia)

                                 13,475 (Letitia)
Length: (o.a.)        538 ft. 2 ins.
              (b.p.)         520 ft.
Beam:                     66 ft. 4 ins.
Machinery: geared turbines, three double- and two single-ended oil burning Scotch boilers 210 psi. 8,700 s.h.p.
Speed:                    15 knots service
                                17 knots trials
Passengers            Athenia       

                               516 Cabin Class 1,132 Third (1923-1927)

                               314 Cabin Class 310 Tourist Third Class 928 Third Class (1928-1938)

                               125 Cabin Class 250 Tourist Class 630 Third Class (1939)

                               Letitia

                               516 Cabin Class 929 Third Class (1925-1927)

                               298 Cabin Class 310 Tourist Third Class 945 Third Class (1928-1938

                              125 Cabin Class 250 Tourist Class 630 Third Class (1939)

Officers & Crew   300

Letitia as built, drawn by J.H. Isherwood. Credit: Sea Breezes

Emigrant Ships To Luxury Liner, Peter Plowman, 1992
North Star to Southern Cross, John M. Mayber, 1967

The Ships That Serve New Zealand, Vol. 1 British & European Lines, I.G. Stewart, 1964

Illustrated London News

Sea Breezes

Shipbuilding & Shipping

Shipbuilder

The Sphere

The Tatler

Argus (Melbourne)

Ballymena Observer

Daily Mirror

Essex Newsman

Evening Times

Gazette (Montreal)

Glasgow Herald

Herald (Melbourne)

Liverpool Post & Echo

The Bulletin

The Press

The Scotsman

Vancouver Sun

Windsor Star

Wishaw Advertiser

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/

Additions/Corrections/Contributions welcomed

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© Peter C. Kohler