CP Empresses - Photos & Discussion

[WettCoast]

Go to the Vancouver Public Library historic photos collections at this address:

www3.vpl.vancouver.bc.ca/spe/histphotos/

In the 'keywords' field type in Empress of Canada.

They have lots of stuff on her. There is a fee to download larger versions of photos, however.

[queenofcowichan]

The 1956 built SS Topaz, Has been sold for scrap.

The Ex CPR ship Empress of Britan had been visiting Vancouver in recent years during her duties as the "PEACE BOAT". Maritime Matters.com is reporting she will be Scrapped at a yard in India after her current voyage ends on April 28.

For more info and links to pictures see this link:
www.maritimematters.com/shipnews.html

NOTE: She is scheduald to be in Vancouver on August 8, 2008, so if you ever wanted to go see this historical ship this is the last chance you will ever have.

[Jeff Roe]

Sorry all but the Topaz will NOT be in Vancouver in August. She is Now on her Final few weeks and will End her service on April 28 in Yokahama,Japan...this will be the end for the Topaz as she will be destored then head off to the breakers! The Clipper Pacific which will take over the Peace Boat itinerary will be in Vancouver. The Clipper Pacific is the ex Royal Caribbean Song of Norway.

[Jcachristian2000]

Yeh, your right, I posted it in a hurry and did not take time to actually make the connection. It probably will be the replacement ship instead.

[Jeff Roe]

The Topaz is currently at anchor in Singapore until furter notice and is reportedly NOT going for scrap. Her owners are looking for a charter for her.

[Jeff Roe]

The Topaz is now apparently due to leave Singapore shortly for the scrappers. What a sad ending to a ship originally built as The Empress of Britain for the CPR for Trans Atlantic Service.

[coastalrenaissance]

Its too bad they could not use her as a hotel ship here in Canada.

[bill w]

i saw the topaz in tampa in mid july 08.still had crew onboard

[Low Light Mike]

An interesting, old post card, but I have no idea of which ship this is.
- from 1907.
- postcard back is the simple "Private Postcard" style, with space for a stamp.

[Low Light Mike]

A new thread for the old Canadian Pacific Empress ships.

[Low Light Mike]

Postcard of a CP Empress sailing into Vancouver
- Gowen, Sutton postcard (and thanks to Variable Pitch, I can tell this by looking at the front of the card - Thanks !)

[lmtengs]

Dec 24, 2011 10:06:26 GMT -8 Low Light Mike said:

An interesting, old post card, but I have no idea of which ship this is.
- from 1907.
- postcard back is the simple "Private Postcard" style, with space for a stamp.

This is one of three Empress class ships built in 1891 by the CP.
Either the Empress of China (sank in Tokyo, 1911), Empress of India (sold in 1914, scrapped in 1922), or, most likely, the Empress of Japan (held the fastest transit time of the Pacific til 1929, her figurehead replica is on display along the Seawall in Stanley Park between Brockton Point and the Lions Gate Bridge. The original is at the Van Maritime Museum).

[Low Light Mike]

Dec 24, 2011 11:22:13 GMT -8 @lmtengs said:

This is one of three Empress class ships built in 1891 by the CP.

Either the Empress of China (sank in Tokyo, 1911), Empress of India (sold in 1914, scrapped in 1922), or, most likely, the Empress of Japan (held the fastest transit time of the Pacific til 1929, her figurehead replica is on display along the Seawall in Stanley Park between Brockton Point and the Lions Gate Bridge. The original is at the Van Maritime Museum).

Thank you very much for that info.
- Robert Turner's "The Pacific Empresses" book is at the bottom of one of my piles of unread-books. I hope to get to it during 2012.

[lmtengs]

An old pamphlet introducing the 1931-built Empress of Britain, running the Trans-Atlantic service until 1939. This is on display in the Empress Hotel in Victoria, among other gems dotting the hotel's walls.

From Wikipedia:
In her time, she was the largest, fastest, and most luxurious ship between England and Canada. She was torpedoed on 28 October 1940 by U-32 and sank. At 42,348 gross tons, she was the largest liner lost during the Second World War and the largest ship sunk by a U-boat.

[bern99]

Empress of Japan coming into Esquimalt Habour in the later 1930s

[Low Light Mike]

Just mentioning that the 100th anniversary of the Empress of Ireland sinking is fast approaching. May 29, 2014.


I've picked a book from my "floor pile of unread books" to start reading now: James Croall's book "Fourteen Minutes: The Last Voyage of the Empress of Ireland"


Here's a webpage of books on the Empress of Ireland, or that touch on her story.
HERE

[Low Light Mike]

Apr 27, 2014 20:49:08 GMT -8 Low Light Mike said:

Just mentioning that the 100th anniversary of the Empress of Ireland sinking is fast approaching. May 29, 2014.


I've picked a book from my "floor pile of unread books" to start reading now: James Croall's book "Fourteen Minutes: The Last Voyage of the Empress of Ireland"


Here's a webpage of books on the Empress of Ireland, or that touch on her story.
HERE

I finished reading my Empress of Ireland book, just a few days before the 100th anniversary of the sinking.

In the author's notes, he thanks George Musk for his invaluable help in providing CP Empress information. Mr. Musk was a CP archivist, based in the United Kingdom, and writer of a wonderful book on CP shipping history.

My point in mentioning this is that I like the "small world" aspect of one author in 1978 thanking Mr. Musk for his information; and I too am also thankful for Mr. Musk's work today - 36 years later. We both appreciate George Musk's work.


ps: please remember to think of the Empress and her lost passengers, on Thursday.

[Low Light Mike]

I'm remembering the people of the Empress of Ireland today.

-------------

I'm curious to know what familiarity other forum members have with this ship and the sinking. My own familiarity increased just recently from reading a good book on the disaster. Were most of us just "somewhat aware" of this event, before the recent media coverage of the anniversary?

How do the Ocean Liner buffs feel about the ship itself (regardless of the sinking)? Certainly the 'Ireland was not as beautiful as the later Empress of Britain, which was probably the finest CP liner ever.

But how did the Empress of Ireland stack up, in terms of her own beauty and functionality?

[Low Light Mike]

Empress of Ireland - anniversary website

- big thanks to Mr. WCK for pointing out this site to me:

HERE


If you want a sobering experience, please read through the various items in "Personal Stories" tab on that site.

[WettCoast]

There are many touching stories on that page, this one being an example of such:
Cynthia Young / Toronto, Ontario, Canada / 08-05-2014 (part way down page)

[Neil]

May 29, 2014 7:56:43 GMT -8 Low Light Mike said:

I'm remembering the people of the Empress of Ireland today.

-------------

I'm curious to know what familiarity other forum members have with this ship and the sinking. My own familiarity increased just recently from reading a good book on the disaster. Were most of us just "somewhat aware" of this event, before the recent media coverage of the anniversary?

How do the Ocean Liner buffs feel about the ship itself (regardless of the sinking)? Certainly the 'Ireland was not as beautiful as the later Empress of Britain, which was probably the finest CP liner ever.

But how did the Empress of Ireland stack up, in terms of her own beauty and functionality?

It's an intriguing question (and sometimes a touchy one) as to why some tragedies capture the public's imagination while others don't. Mention Titanic to any Canadian over the age of, say, sixteen, and the vast majority will probably have some idea what you're talking about. Mention Empress of Ireland, and you'll probably be met with a blank stare, even though this was a CP ship, and sunk in Canadian waters. My knowledge of the story is a fraction of my Titanic awareness.

It was mentioned in a Globe & Mail feature that perhaps it was a symptom of celebrity worship- there were so many rich and famous folks on Titanic, where the 'Ireland was working class. Maybe it was the speed of the sinking that didn't allow so many stories. The Empress of Ireland was not iconic; not the biggest, not advertised as unsinkable. For whatever reason, this dreadful accident just hasn't resonated in the same way.

[WettCoast]

Here is the story of a passenger who survived the sinking of the Titanic, and then two years later, survived the sinking of the EoI.

www.cbc.ca/allinaweekend/2012/04/15/twice-lucky-survivor-of-titanic-and-empress-of-ireland/

[Northern Exploration]

May 29, 2014 7:56:43 GMT -8 Low Light Mike said:

I'm remembering the people of the Empress of Ireland today.

-------------

I'm curious to know what familiarity other forum members have with this ship and the sinking. My own familiarity increased just recently from reading a good book on the disaster. Were most of us just "somewhat aware" of this event, before the recent media coverage of the anniversary?

How do the Ocean Liner buffs feel about the ship itself (regardless of the sinking)? Certainly the 'Ireland was not as beautiful as the later Empress of Britain, which was probably the finest CP liner ever.

But how did the Empress of Ireland stack up, in terms of her own beauty and functionality?

This also might be a right coast vs. left coast thing.  I remember it being part of the grade 6 to 8 curriculum here.  I am not sure which course though, whether it was in geography with the St. Lawrence being studied. or history. or what.  A fair bit of content was covered with immigration by ships to Halifax and Montreal.  As far as comparison goes the ships were known for their speed across the Atlantic not for their luxury.  The majority of the cabins were very small and if you were lucky you had a port hole to get some fresh air because I think dank would be an appropriate description.  That was one of the contributing factors to the sinking of the Ireland, many crew and passengers had their port holes open or ajar so the ship took on water even quicker.  I have only been to Rimouski once but didn't go into the little museum there.  I  have thought of taking the ferry on a round trip sometime, and it passes not far from the shipwreck site.

angloboerwarmuseum.com/Boer93i_ships4_disasters.php  A painting of the disaster.