CP's Princess Marguerite II: photos & discussion

[Northern Exploration]

I never got the chance to sail on her. One summer when I was visiting I had plans to take the round trip. Never happened due to my traveling companion getting sick. I regret not finding another time to do it.

[In Washington]

I used to love seeing her show up in Seattle in morning back in the early 80's. She had a great whistle. After she went away there was a strange Stena boat that took over for awhile but I can't remember her name. She had really strange rub rails.

Anyone know what boat I am talking about?

[SS San Mateo]

In said:

I used to love seeing her show up in Seattle in morning back in the early 80's. She had a great whistle. After she went away there was a strange Stena boat that took over for awhile but I can't remember her name. She had really strange rub rails.

Anyone know what boat I am talking about?

I believe it was the Crown Princess Victoria.

www.simplonpc.co.uk/SwedLloyd-Patricia.html#anchor59261

[BrianWilliams]

Thanks for the reminder in the multiple photos.

CP Ships used buff (beige) with a black top on their funnels for most of the 20th century. It wasn't a passing fancy.

Major shipping lines adopted simple colour schemes on funnels for recognition, prompted by Lloyd's and the British Admiralty.

The reason was easy identification at sea before reliable radio communication, but still useful later.

Cunard had their black over red; Furness blue; and Matson's big white M on black. Lloyd's annual Register described funnels and house flags in detail to assist seamen.

CP applied their corporate "action logo" to CP Ships in BC just before they abandoned the service. As your second photo shows, Princesses Patricia and Marguerite briefly wore the red-white-black triangle.

Hmmph. Coulda been worse - Canadian Pacific Airlines lost their elegant Canada Goose logo in the same re-organization, and became CPAir - with orange planes. Uggh.

[Neil]

Here's a brochure for the 'stange Stena ship' , which was one of the services that attempted to replace the Marguerite. I believe Stena withdrew after reportedly losing ten million dollars.

Does anyone remember riding this boat? It may have only been here for one (maybe two?) years.

[Low Light Mike]

Here's a page of photos & history of this strange Stena ship

www.simplonpc.co.uk/SwedLloyd-Patricia.html

Indeed, it was strange to me, as this 1990 event of a Stena ship sailing between Victoria & Seattle was clearly out of my consciousness, and so I was surprised to learn/remember of this ship.

I think she looks interesting, I like the look at the bow. It also appears that she's a stern loader.

[Low Light Mike]

Here's is a brief reference to the Stena 1990 issue, from a BC Legislature debate, on May 28, 1991:
www.leg.bc.ca/hansard/34th5th/34p_05s_910528p.htm


MR. G. HANSON:

One example of what has occurred in Victoria is the history of the Stena fiasco. The Stena Line acquired Crown assets at fire-sale prices - assets that were assessed by the government at $17 million were sold to Stena over a two-year period for $6 million, with certain provisions that Stena would fulfil. These never were fulfilled. There was supposed to be a $4.4 million refit of a vessel here in Victoria. It was done in Europe. Was any action taken? None. The Crown Princess Victoria arrived for the summer of 1990 and left in the fall carrying $600, 000 of taxpayer-funded safety equipment that was on the Princess Marguerite. Imagine! What inept government could allow the car-ferry link between Seattle and Victoria to be cut through lack of performance by a private company based abroad acquiring Crown assets from British Columbian taxpayers and never fulfilling those obligations?

We are almost approaching June, and we have a situation in my own community - the riding I share with my colleague the second member for Victoria -where the small business community stands to lose up to $75 million. The sales tax on that $75 million revenue would have more than compensated for any loss that the previous runs were encountering. In addition, 200 Canadian jobs are at risk and $600, 000 worth of safety equipment is lost. Further, the Marguerite was sold to Stena for $1, and now Stena wants $1.5 million for it.

We lost $8.9 million on the Vancouver Island Princess. This was the difference between Stena's price and the $11.9 million paid for her by B.C. Steamship or the public that owned here. We also lost $2.1 million on the other equipment, based on the values quoted in the proposal call and the amount Stena paid.

You know, Mr. Speaker, the business community made representation on a number of occasions to the cabinet and to various ministers responsible. The cavalier attitude with which this problem was approached.... They were absolutely stunned. The small business community of greater Victoria used to think that Social Credit was their political home. Now those small business people are telling us they can hardly wait for the election to be called to vote this government out of office.

==========

[Curtis]

It's kind of strange how the Stena Line just out of nowhere took over the Seattle-Victoria Route, Sounds like they failed bigtime. I wonder what the chances of another company reviving this route would be? Probably not very big chances.

[Barnacle]

I have an idea for a catamaran-type boat service... we could call it the Victoria Clipper! ;D

[WettCoast]

I have decided to resurrect this thread to post this photo of the Maggie. It does not belong in the historical BC Ferries thread so I will put it here.

I believe the photo was taken in 1975 at Burrard Dry Dock in North Van. At that time the Maggie had been recently acquired by the Govt of BC for the new BC Steamship Crown Corporation. The work at Burrard included the livery change from CP Rail colours to the Union Jack treatment.

The photo is scanned from a large 6 x 6 cm negative. The photographer is my brother, Mr. DOT.


DOT photo

A larger version can be found here:
i90.photobucket.com/albums/k268/wetcoastkidjst/Canadian%20Pacific%20-%20BC%20Coast%20Service/889ba8be.jpg

[BreannaF]

Since the subject of Maggie has come up, there's something that I can't get out of my head. You will either know exactly what I am talking about, or not have a clue.

In the 1970's if you lived in Seattle and ever turned on a TV or radio, you heard a jingle over and over that went something like this:

"Oh, Lets go to Vic-to-ri-a on Prin-cess Mar-guer-ite."

It was a rousing song, the kind of thing that would stick in your head and you might find yourself humming over and over.

If I remember correctly, there were also several verses in the long form of the jingle, but they seem to be lost to memory at the moment.

Anyone else have any recollections of this?

[SS San Mateo]

I remember that jingle (I don't remember all the words to it though). There's an updated version for the Victoria Clipper.

[FNS]

Here are the lyrics (from my memory) to the famous song that filled the broadcast waves around here in the 1970s and 1980s.

TAKE A PRINCESS TO SEA
TAKE A PRINCESS TO SEA

HAVE CRUMPETS AND TEA
HAVE CRUMPETS AND TEA

IT'S FUN ABOARD

ALL THE WAY

SAIL AWAY FOR THE DAY

HEY, HEY, HEY

LET'S ALL GO TO VICTORIA

ABOARD THE PRINCESS MARGUERITE
(or AND TAKE A PRINCESS TO SEA when VIP joined the run in 1987)

(Advertisement)

HEY, HEY, HEY

LET'S ALL GO TO VICTORIA

ABOARD THE PRINCESS MARGUERITE
(or AND TAKE A PRINCESS TO SEA when VIP joined the run in 1987)

[Barnacle]

That's the one... always sounded like it was being sung by a trio of English gents who'd had one too many pink gins...

[hergfest]

I just posted some photos of the Maggie from the mid 70's in Seattle on the NW Ferry Photo page, check them out.
ferriesbc.proboards20.com/index.cgi?board=nwf&action=display&thread=1145486903&page=5

Edited to add link (Thanks for those great previously unseen photographs, hergfest)

[FNS]

There are a few things I remember from 1974. My second visit to Camp Orkila, my first year in Junior High (Grade Seven), a ride I took aboard the PRINCESS MARGUERITE, and events taking place of the ship.

This trip was from Port Angeles to Victoria. Went up Hurricane Ridge in the morning and took the afternoon trip aboard the MAGGIE. She was quite different then. Her dining room was divided with a small formal diner and a large cafeteria. She had a second car deck where deluxe rooms were (this was done for 1972). She was a bit on the aging side.

After an overnight in Victoria, we went to Nanaimo and took the PRINCESS OF VANCOUVER to Vancouver.

My first ride aboard the PRINCESS MARGUERITE was in 1969 on a special trip put on by my father's company. Her final season in her buff stacks.

It was a rather sad day when the CPR announced that the MAGGIE would have her telegraph set to "Finished With Engines" for good when her season was done in September of 1974.

King Broadcasting of Seattle did an eulogy for the PRINCESS MARGUERITE about a month after her final sailing. This was on a special called: "Sign Of The Times". The last segment was devoted to the MAGGIE. It opened up with passengers showing up for the last sailing into a dark old lobby of Pier 64 under the incredible flute chants of Paul Horn playing "Shah Jahan" under the dome of the Taj Mahal in his landmark 1968 recording "Inside the Taj Mahal". Pier 64 was a beautiful old dock with nice lines. I hated to see this dock torn down! Anyway, we follow the folks boarding and the last goodbye from Seattle. There were videos from the engine room and the wheelhouse. Many interviews of the crew and passengers were included. Then the final arrival in Victoria and final words from Captain Warden "This ship dies for all of you...". The program closed with a look at the final logbook entry: "Safe Ending".

It wouldn't be too long until happiness arrives when the BC Government bought the ship and we get more than a dozen more years of enjoyment of the PRINCESS MARGUERITE!

I, and a cousin, went to the Burrard Shipyard in North Vancouver to see the MAGGIE in the Spring of 1975. We walked alongside the ship and were amazed at the new paintwork. Went to her "Open Ship" in Seattle on her first arrival in June of 1975.

Too bad this all ended at the end of 1989. Frightening to think, cobras are now into what's left, if any, of the "Good Ship" PRINCESS MARGUERITE.

[whidbeyislandguy]

Here is Drawing I did of the Grand lady herself.

[capainbear0582]

I miss my ship. Princess Marquerite, she was great ship.

[Barnacle]

Yes, the Maggie was special. There will never be another one like her. I can still hear the radio jingle sung by what would give every suggestion of being slightly loaded Britons.

[WettCoast]

The Princess Patricia, and its sister, the P. Marguerite, were built in Britain in the late 1940's for CPCSS 'Triangle Service' that linked Vancouver, Victoria, and Seattle. They were, I believe, the last ships of this sort built for CP. Later ships such as the P of Nanaimo & Vancouver were more modern car ferry then classic coastal pocket steamer.

More info on the CP Princesses can be found in books such as those by R. D. Turner & N. Hacking



The Maggie - sister ship of the Patricia - Canadian Postage stamp issued 20 July 1987

[Retrovision]

I was looking for a good site to summarize the history of the CPR's BCCSS for those wanting to learn more, and stumbled upon this little gem:

members.shaw.ca/gcsimpson/


Be sure so look deep for interesting anecdotes, and pics such as these:

Steamship T.E.V. Princess Marguerite





C Deck



D Deck



E Deck

[WettCoast]

Another poster scanned from my brother's collection, this time featuring the three liveries of the Princess Marguerite.


Artist - Anthony Clarke
DOT collection

[Neil]

Amazing how it got so much bigger with each modification, yet they managed to keep everything in scale...

... unlike our poor V's.

[FNS]

Sept 12, 2008 19:26:34 GMT -8 WettCoast said:

Another poster scanned from my brother's collection, this time featuring the three liveries of the Princess Marguerite.


Artist - Anthony Clarke
DOT collection

Neat find!

The artist has the date wrong for the modern CPR. 1969 was the last year she had the buff stacks (my first ride aboard her was then and she still had the buff stacks).

1970
Modern CPR scheme painted on stacks.

1971
Windows extended on the Promenade Deck.

1972
Staterooms removed from lower passenger deck. Second car deck added. Aft lounge installed.

1974
CPR ends Seattle service at end of season.

1975
BC government takes over.

[Deleted]

Then, of course, the jingle played in Victoria tv and radio stations, was

let's all go to Seattle. Same words different destination.

It was quite a catchy tune.