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The Queen Mary was built in 1933 by Wm. Denny's of Dumbarton, Scotland for Williamson-Buchanan Steamers, at a cost of £62,000. On trials she achieved 19 Knots.
Her first public sailing was from Bridge Wharf, Glasgow on 20th May 1933, and she provided passenger excursion services on the Clyde. She could carry 1500 passengers.
Although originally christened by permission of HM Queen Mary herself, a problem arose two years later when a new Cunarder was built. The tale is told that the owners of the larger ship approached King George V requesting permission to name their ship after 'the country's greatest queen' meaning Queen Victoria. To this King George reputedly replied "Why certainly - I'm sure my wife will be delighted".
So the ship was named after the reigning Queen, Mary. The Queen Mary gave her last cruise as an evening showboat from Largs to Rothesay on 27th September 1978. Bass Leisure Retail bought the ship in the 1980s and brought it to London as a pub/restaurant. In 1997 she underwent a £2.5m refurbishment and is now the flagship venue for Bass Leisure Retail. |
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