INFOSHEET 2015-002-N

Samuel Cunard

Samuel Cunard (1787-1865) was a Abraham Cunard and Son, he engaged in a Halifax-born merchant and entrepreneur who range of maritime economic activities made adapted steam-power technology possible by Halifax’s to scheduled high-seas navigation, geographical location on making maritime travel faster and the North Atlantic and its safer, and helping to inaugurate political position in an today’s world of interconnected expanding British Empire. transportation and Through contacts with communication. The firm that he military personnel in the conceived and co-founded, city, the Cunards entered popularly known as the Cunard the transatlantic timber Line, was the dominant passenger trade, amassing large navigation company in the world landholdings in Nova for much of the 19th and 20th Scotia, New Brunswick, centuries, and remains a and Prince Edward prestigious brand in the Island. Samuel global leisure travel Cunard used these industry today. contacts to One of nine children born expand his to Abraham and Margaret business interests (Murphy) Cunard, Loyalists into shipbuilding, who migrated to Nova trade with the Scotia in 1783, Samuel West Indies, showed an early talent for government profitable exchange. As a communications, young man he purchased and importation imported goods wholesale on the Halifax of East India Company teas from China to waterfront, selling them in the town at a profit. Halifax. Under the auspices of his family’s company,

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Cunard’s activities help integrate Nova Scotia Partnering with experienced steamship builders into a growing web of maritime connections, and operators in the United Kingdom, Cunard often through use of formed the British and new technologies. He North America Royal invested in the Mail Steam Packet Shubenacadie Canal Company. At 2 a.m. on Company. He served July 2nd, 1840, the as agent for the British company’s steamship General Mining Britannia arrived in Association, importers Halifax after a 12-day, of the first stationary 10-hour passage from steam engine in Nova , , Scotia. As president of inaugurating the the Halifax Steam Boat world’s first sustained Company, operator of transatlantic liner the city’s harbour service. ferries, he studied In subsequent steam power’s use in decades technological inshore navigation. In advancements—iron 1830 he invested in and steel hulls, the Quebec and compound engines, Halifax Steam screw propulsion— Navigation Company, made Cunard ships operators of the Royal (and those of a William, which in 1833 growing number of was the first ship to international rivals) make a transatlantic bigger, faster, and passage almost more luxurious. By entirely under steam the early 20th power. century, steam- Cunard’s early powered passenger recognition of steam liners had become the navigation’s largest and most advantages—its ability to conduct fast voyages sophisticated products of modern industrial on a predictable schedule—prepared him when, society. Atlantic crossing times dropped from 12 in 1838, the British navy issued tenders for a days to five. Millions of people, rich and poor, transatlantic steam-powered mail service. made routine ocean passages. This shift of

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population between continents helped reshape tradition for comfort and safety is maintained by the demographic make-up of Europe and the contemporary marvels such as Americas. and Queen Victoria.

In the early 20th century, the bested its competition The Cunard Line’s with powerful ships connections to Halifax featuring luxurious were sustained accommodation, such throughout this as Lusitania and period. The company’s Mauretania. These dazzle-painted liners successes were were a familiar sight in followed by Queen the harbour during Mary and Queen two world wars, and Elizabeth, in 1936 and carried thousands of 1938 respectively. In war brides and their the 1950s, as air children to new transportation homes in Canada after eclipsed passenger 1945. Today, the ships, Cunard company’s ships bring transitioned into leisure travelers to leisure cruising. In Halifax from all over 1962 three million the world. Haligonian passengers crossed Samuel Cunard’s the Atlantic, more original vision and than two-thirds by air: entrepreneurial talent, the age of the jetliner along with his had replaced the age appreciation of the of the steam opportunities that the passenger liner for maritime world routine offered, helped make transportation. Cunard today’s densely refitted the two interconnected world Queens as luxury a reality. cruise ships, and built the for the same purpose in 1969. In the 21st century, the Cunard

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References: Image credits:

Blakeley, Phyllis R. “Cunard, Sir Samuel.” In Portrait of Samuel Cunard. MMA MP400.28.1 Dictionary of Canadian “A View of Halifax Biography, vol. 9. Navy Dockyards Toronto and Quebec: and Citadel from University of the Dartmouth Toronto/Université Shore…,” c. 1857, Laval, 2003. by William Boileau, John. Samuel Hickman. MMA Cunard: Nova Scotia’s M81.118.1 Master of the North Britannia in rough Atlantic. Halifax: seas. MMA Formac, 2006. M2007.50.16 Bonsor, N.R.P. North Lusitania alongside Atlantic Seaway. Vol. 1. Newton Abbot: David & the Cunard Pier, New York. MMA M84.110.1 Charles, 1975. Aquitania at Halifax during the First World War. Grant, Kay. Samuel Cunard: Pioneer of the MMA M78.44.14 Atlantic Steamship. and New York: Abelard-Schuman, 1967. Queen Mary promotional material. c. 1936. MMA M2007.50.91 Hyde, Francis. Cunard and the North Queen Mary’s Atlantic, 1840-1973: A modern interior History of Shipping design. MMA and Financial M2007.50.92 Management. London: Macmillan, Queen Elizabeth 1975. alongside Halifax Ocean Terminals, Langley, John. Steam 1944. MMA Lion: A Biography of MP18.140.13 Samuel Cunard. Halifax: Nimbus, 2008. Aquitania approaching the Ocean Terminals, Halifax. MMA MP118.141.3

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