The Cunard Archive
Samuel Cunard (1787-1865), a visionary Nova Scotian ship owner, established the British and North American Royal Mail Steam Packet Company in 1839 to provide a scheduled steamship service to carry mail across the Atlantic. The company's inaugural transatlantic voyage, undertaken by the Britannia in 1840 from Liverpool to Halifax and Boston, changed the face of ocean travel forever.
The archive of the Cunard Steamship Company contains most of the surviving business records produced by Cunard since it became a limited company in 1878. This rich repository of historical documents provides invaluable insights into the company's growth, development, management, and operational practices.
For more information about finding and using items in the Cunard archive, please see our finding aids. The Special Collections and Archives blog, Manuscripts and More, features the Cunard Archive in many posts.
Travel In Style - Iconic Cunard Advertising in the 1920s and 1930s
Cunard used a variety of ways to promote its shipping services, including brochures, articles and photographs. One of the most visual and evocative methods were posters. The ‘Travel in Style – Iconic Cunard Advertising in the 1920s and 1930s’ exhibition features 14 posters that were used in Cunard's sales offices throughout the world. The exhibition also includes examples of printed advertising material and ephemera used by Cunard to promote its services during the era.
Immigration restrictions imposed by the U.S. during the 1920s had a direct impact on many shipping companies, including Cunard. One of the most immediate effects was the decrease in demand for third class travel. Cunard successfully adapted to these changes by redesigning the passenger accommodation on its ships and by introducing a new ‘tourist class’. It was anticipated that these developments would appeal to a new audience and therefore a new type of passenger. The changes were successful, with cruising becoming increasingly popular during the 1930s and an important revenue for Cunard.
Travel In Style - Iconic Cunard Advertising in the 1920s and 1930s
Cunard used a variety of ways to promote its shipping services, including brochures, articles and photographs. One of the most visual and evocative methods were posters. The ‘Travel in Style – Iconic Cunard Advertising in the 1920s and 1930s’ exhibition features 14 posters that were used in Cunard's sales offices throughout the world. The exhibition also includes examples of printed advertising material and ephemera used by Cunard to promote its services during the era.
Immigration restrictions imposed by the U.S. during the 1920s had a direct impact on many shipping companies, including Cunard. One of the most immediate effects was the decrease in demand for third class travel. Cunard successfully adapted to these changes by redesigning the passenger accommodation on its ships and by introducing a new ‘tourist class’. It was anticipated that these developments would appeal to a new audience and therefore a new type of passenger. The changes were successful, with cruising becoming increasingly popular during the 1930s and an important revenue for Cunard.