My second 5 star non-fiction read of the year is, Maiden Voyages by Sian Evans. I didn't find this book myself, I saw it mentioned on Susan at Bloggin' 'bout Books 'Top Ten Tuesday' post for the 28th. November, '23, featuring 'books set at sea'. Being a sucker for a sea-based book I reserved it from the library and am very pleased I did.
Up until the middle of the 20th. century (can't believe I'm talking about when I was actually 'born') if you wanted to cross the Atlantic it was pretty certain that your method of transport would be an ocean-going liner. By that time women were an accepted part of the deal, there were stewardesses to look after the wealthy and conductresses who kept an eye on female passangers in steerage. But of course, this wasn't always so.
It was Cunard who first started employing women to look after women onboard ship when it was realised that in Victorian times it was not appropriate for a male steward to, for instance, look after the captain's wife. And then women passengers started to cross the Atlantic in ever greater numbers. Wealthy socialites first, then women with responsible jobs such as fashion buyers for the big stores, female authors promoting their books and, most of all, an absolute stream of women in steerage, emigrating to the USA, some with their families, some alone: they all needed looking after, guidance, or protection.
The women they took on for these stewardess type roles were often women desperate for a job. Violet Jessop, for instance, went to sea to support an ailing mother and five siblings. The shipping company's policy was actually to employ middle-aged women who were less attractive to the male crew. Violet was unusual in that she was young and pretty. She ended up with the moniker of the 'Unsinkable Stewardess' because she not only survived the sinking of the Titanic, she survived two other maritime disasters as well.
Violet is just one of the female ocean-going crew featured in this book. Edith Sowerbutts was the very first female conductress. Anne Runcie and Mary Ann McLeod (the mother of Donald Trump) sailed the Atlantic as hairdressers and beauticians to the wealthy. Hilda James, a famous swimmer of her day, went to work on the liners as a swimming instructor. Victoria Drummond the first female sea-going engineer, saved the cargo ship Bonita from sinking when it was attacked mid-Atlantic by a German bomber in 1941 and got herself an MBE. The list is fascinating and I love the way the author tells the story of a few of these women and their experiences at sea, throughout the book.
The thing I really loved was the history recounted as it affected ocean travel. So, of course the two world wars are covered extensively. But we also hear about the sinking of the Titanic, the Lusitania in WW1, Prohibition, Edward VIII and Mrs. Simpson, GI brides. Women such as Nancy Astor, Nancy Cunard, Martha Gellhorn, Josephine Baker, Tallulah Bankhead, have their stories related in a very readable and accessible manner. Like all excellent books it has made me want to read more on some of the subjects the author touched on, and that actually includes most of the subjects and people I've listed. For me that's the sign of an excellent book.
The author suggests that millions of women's lives were profoundly changed by sea travel in the first half of the 20th. century. She illustrates that brilliantly in Maiden Voyages and I can't recommend it highly enough.
23 comments:
This is going to be one of those rare non-fiction books to be added to my wish list, although whether I shall ever get around to reading it is anybody's guess! I spent some time checking out the author, especially when I came across some of the many books she has written for the National Trust, of which we are long-term members. I also discovered a couple of pattern design books she has put together, which particularly interest me.
As my own Aunt and Uncle travelled by ship to begin a new life in the early 1960s, when I was about five or six, like yourself I am also interested in the time period. Back then they were £10 sponsored passengers, with my uncle going on to establish his own stained glass business back in the late 60s, which is still hugely successful today and is now owned and manged by my cousin.
Thanks for a lovely post, I can tell just how much you enjoyed this book :)
Wow, Cath, this sounds absolutely fascinating! It's a part of history, too, that I didn't know anything about. I always think those little-known chapters of history - the ones they don't teach you in school - are the most interesting, and this sounds like one of them. I'm glad you enjoyed this.
Yvonne: Yes, I saw that she had written books for the NT, not that I remember seeing any of them in their shops. I will look out for more of her books though, I saw one on Goodreads that I liked the sound of, Queen Bees, about society hostesses between the wars.
What an amazing story about your Aunt and Uncle!
I'm glad you could tell how much I enjoyed the book. Have a good week!
Margot: It was fascinating. So many different aspects of sea travel discussed... even crime, whereby husband and wife teams would set up blackmail scams with unsuspecting lone male travellers.
I love the sound of this book, Cath. What an amazing subject! I'm going to look out for a copy I'm going to Barter Books today, they may have one ...
Margaret: Fingers crossed that they have a copy because it really is an excellent read.
This sounds like a really engrossing read. Thanks for the review
Barter Books didn't have a copy of Maiden Voyages, but my local library does and it's available. So I've reserved it.
There's something appealing about the way they traveled back then...if you were wealthy, I mean. Yay for another 5-star read. :D
I think I would like this, and it sounds like the type of book Glen would like also, so I have sent him a link to your review.
I have read this book by her: Life Below Stairs: in the Victorian and Edwardian Country House. It was Glen's book.
This sounds wonderful. There is something so fascinating about sea voyages. I really enjoyed Erik Larson's book about the Lusitania, Dead Wake, and this sounds just as good with a happier ending!
Mystica: You're most welcome!
Margaret: Sorry to hear Barter Books didn't have a copy but at least the library has come up trumps - that was where I found my copy too.
Lark: Oh yes, to travel in 'real' comfort you had to be wealthy. Those in steerage or working on the ship were not quite so fortunate in their accommodation!
Tracy: I hope you and Glen enjoy this one if you get it when your book buying ban is over. I'm not sure but I think Life Below Stairs might be one of the books she wrote for the National Trust. She has a few interesting back titles.
Constance: I have to say it was pretty good. And I agree about sea voyages. Erik Larson's Dead Wake is definitely on my radar and I want to find a good book about The Titanic too.
Will have to get this book. Thanks for the recommendation. My life has certainly been affected by sea travel - military and otherwise. One uncle in the Royal Navy lost his life when his destroyer was torpedoed by a U-boat. His sister, my mother, crossed the Atlantic as a war bride in 1946 on the Queen Mary. Then, in 1953, as a toddler, I made my first ocean voyage crossing back to the UK on the SS United States and ended up spending the majority of my childhood and early teens in the UK and Germany. So, yes, I'm terribly interested in this book (and other sea-going adventures--having read all of Patrick O'Brian's books many times over and just yesterday having finished Michael Palin's book on the ship Erebus. Again, thanks for the recommendation. :)
Hi Cath, thank you for recommending this book and I don't read enough non-fiction and this book is a winner. Maiden Voyages introduces us to women we have heard of Martha Gelhorne, Josephine Baker etc but many other women we haven't heard about and we learn their stories. And what a life Miss Jessop had to survive the Titanic which must haven so traumatic and she survived other sea disasters as well.
That's an interesting topic for a book, Cath. It's not one I ever really thought about much about before now, but it sounds both informative and fun. Isn't it amazing sometimes what topics creative people can come up with and research? I wish I had that kind of imagination and talent.
Mary: Goodness me, this book couldn't be more appropriate for you! A perfect read. So much of what you say is covered in the book, WW2 tragedies, your mother a GI bride. I think you would be fascinated by this one!
I've read four or five of Patrick O'Brien's books and must get back to them as they are brilliant. And I have Erebus on my tbr pile. AS you can see, I like a sea-going adventure book myself. One book I'll recommend is Redburn by Herman Melville, nothing like Moby Dick, much shorter and easier to understand, I loved it.
Kathy: This one was a real winner for me. I have a book about Martha Gellhorn waiting for me at the library and have also discovered that Violet Jessop's diaries are available in book form. I foresee a lot more reading discoveries this year.
Sam: Absolutely it's amazing the topics people think of to write books about. This one was inspired and 'inspiring' as it's the kind of book that makes you want to find out more about all kinds of subjects.
I own a handful of Titanic books, including Jessup's memoir although I have not read it. Maiden Voyages sounds right up my alley!
I just went to look at my shelf again. My favorite is called Last Dinner on the Titanic, a sort of illustrated book with recipes. I have a paperback called Maiden Voyage and for a second I thought it was your book but it is a historical novel. A lot of books were published when the movie came out (and some older books like Walter Lord's A Night to Remember were reprinted in large quantities).
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