Royal George Ship Cunnard Steamship Company Ltd¹

• (Child) Birth*: Royal George Ship Cunnard Steamship Company Ltd was born in 1907; ROYAL GEORGE / HELIOPOLIS 1907
  The ROYAL GEORGE was an 11,146 gross ton ship, built by Fairfield Co Ltd, Glasgow in 1907 as the HELIOPOLIS for the British owned Egyptian Mail Co. Her details were - length 525.8ft x beam 60.2ft, two funnels, two masts, triple screw and a service speed of 19 knots. There was passenger accommodation for 344-1st, 210-2nd and 560-3rd class. Launched on 28th May 1907 she was used on the Marseilles - Alexandria service, but was found to be unprofitable and was laid up in Marseilles in 1909 and offered for sale. In 1910 she was purchased by Canadian Northern Steamships of Toronto and renamed ROYAL GEORGE. Refitted for North Atlantic service, she commenced Avonmouth - Quebec - Montreal sailings on 26th May 1910. On 6th Nov.1912 she stranded near Quebec, was refloated and sailed for Halifax for further repairs on 12th Dec. and then proceeded to Liverpool. She resumed Avonmouth - Quebec - Montreal voyages on 17th Jun.1913. On 3rd Oct.1914 she sailed from Gaspe Bay for Plymouth with part of the Canadian Expeditionary Force and was then taken over as a British troopship. The fleet was purchased by Cunard SS Co in 1916, but the ROYAL GEORGE continued trooping for the rest of the war. She resumed passenger voyages on 10th Feb.1919 when she started the first of five Liverpool - Halifax - New York sailings and started her first Southampton - Halifax - New York voyage on 15th Aug.1919. Her ninth and last voyage on this service commenced 10th Jun.1920 and she was then used as an emigrant depot ship at Cherbourg. In 1922 she was scrapped at Wilmhelmshaven. [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.4,p.1433] There is an excellent article written by Capt.F.J.Thompson who commanded the "Royal George" from 1911 and through part of the Great War, including the Gallipoli landings; in Sea Breezes magazine, Oct.- Nov.1960 (vol.30, Nos. 178-179). It describes the day to day life of the ship, both as a passenger vessel and as a troopship.²
• (Deceased) Death*: Royal George Ship Cunnard Steamship Company Ltd died in 1922.²

• (Ship) Immigration*: Robina Johnston Whitton was on the Royal George Ship Cunnard Steamship Company Ltd when they immirated on 9 March 1919 at Liverpool, England, . Ship Royal George, Cunnard Steamship Company Ltd, date of arrival 9 March 1919 at Liverpool from New York; no 76 Robina McBride going to 30 S Road, Lochee, Dundee, occupation domestic, aged 26, country of permanent residence USA, country of intended permanent residence Scotland; with son James (no 77, same details) aged 1.¹