My Cunard Heritage Trail - Part I Click on the links for larger images or go directly to the Photo Index
	On 4 July 1840 the wooden-hulled paddle steamer Britannia, with Samuel Cunard aboard, sailed from Liverpool for Halifax, NS & Boston. Since 1840 The Cunard Line has owned or managed over 200 ships. A guide to the Cunard Line heritage items aboard QE2 is available from the Purser's Office. On these pages I have attempted to follow it through with photographs of a number of the models, displays, paintings and other memorabilia displayed in the public areas of the ship. In such a short time it wasn't possible to see or photograph everything. Britannia Figurehead Sun Deck:- A selection of b&w photos featuring Royal visits and the launching of the company's ships adorn the Penthouse Stairway. Boat Deck:- By A Stairway, the Britannia Figurehead holding her shield is carved out of Quebec yellow pine by Cornish sculptor Charles Moore and presented to the ship by Lloyds of London. Near the entrance to the Queens Grill is a model of the steamship Russia. This propeller-driven ship entered service in 1867 and represents a transitional stage between the early paddle steamers and later twin-screw vessels which gave sufficient reliability for sails to be displaced. Russia 1867 Top In the Queens Grill is a pastel of HM Queen Elizabeth II by I B Oden, and in the Queens Grill Lounge Bar is a collection of 20 photographs of visits to the ship by members of the Royal family. Numerous Cunard vessels, including Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth & Caronia. In the Queens Grill Lounge are more pastels of HM Queen Elizabeth II & the Queen Mother along with prints & cutaways of deck layouts of ships in the latter C19. Also a Wedgewood vase presented to the ship by Lord Wedgewood. Queen Mary - Fisher The Boardroom contains a number of original oil paintings, or limited edition prints, of famous ships of the line such as Mauretania, Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary, Carmania & Queen Elizabeth 2, by marine artists Fisher, Card and Bauwens. Queen Elizabeth - Card By D Stairway is a display of photographs taken aboard Cunard Line ships by the official photographers. There are two portraits in the stairwell of HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother & HRH Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip which were originally exhibited on Queen Elizabeth and Caronia respectively. Tapestry of QE2's Bow By E Stairway there are 3 large tapestries hanging in the stairwell, commissioned from Helena Barynina Hernmarck to commemorate the launch of QE2. An aerial photograph of John Brown's shipyard showing the launch of QE2 when she took to the waters of the Clyde for the first time, on 20 Sept 1967, adorns Stairway G. Aerial photograph of John Brown's shipyard