Sir Samuel Cunard

[Chris]

The man who begun it all - and who lead a very interesting life!

I've recently added him to my website here: http://chriscunard.com/samuel_cunard.htm

If he had seen QE2 ploughing through the North Atlantic Ocean, I think he would have been immensity proud!

[CAP]

In my continuing research about Cunard one question has arisen which you would think could be easily answered.  Simply when was the last Cunard family member involved in the running of the company?

I know that Edward/William took over from Samuel Cunard but after that things get a little hazy.  Interestingly a search on Wiki shows that the Baronetcy awarded to Samuel Cunard stopped in 1989 following the death of Sir Guy Cunard.

I also note that the last company link to the original founding partners ceased in 1919.

Appreciate any help or pointers...

[June Ingram]

How many have read a biography of Sir Samuel ?   

[June Ingram]

If you have read a biography of Sir Samuel, speculate on what Sir Samuel might have been doing had he been alive in 2007-2008.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Rosie (Twynkle) has sent us a message reading "Happy Birthday to Sir Samuel!"

She has added a birthday cake to the great man (photo attached, and once again I am at a loss as to why it is lying on its side...).

(Later edited to put photo in correct orientation.)

[cunardqueen]

  speculate on what Sir Samuel might have been doing had he been alive in 2007-2008. 

Probably all at sea with his Company...

[Twynkle]

Rosie (Twynkle) has sent us a message reading "Happy Birthday to Sir Samuel!"

She has added a birthday cake to the great man (photo attached, and once again I am at a loss as to why it is lying on its side...).

Thank you for posting this Isabelle - It wasn't 'on its side' when the photo was taken in the now well-Christmas decorated Grand Lobby on Queen Victoria!

[Peter Mugridge]

Is it an iPhone photo taken in the vertical? iPhones can be a bit funny with pictures sometimes.

[tdickson]

This book is a fascinating read, ironically I purchased in Halifax, Nova Scotia several years ago.
I do believe it is available on Amazon

[Olivia]

In my continuing research about Cunard one question has arisen which you would think could be easily answered.  Simply when was the last Cunard family member involved in the running of the company?

Seeing as this was posted 8 years ago I doubt anyone will really be bothered, but the book ‘The Unseen Lusitania’ by Eric Sauder says that Ernest Cunard was a member of the Cunard Board of Directors during the 1900/10s. He was onboard the Lusitania’s maiden voyage and sent numerous reports back to the Cunard office in Liverpool about the ship’s performance during the crossing. I would assume that Mr Ernest Cunard would probably have been the last of the Cunards to actually be involved in the running of the company, but I could be wrong.

[June Ingram]

Thanks, Olivia, for the very interesting information ! It would be good to find out if he indeed was the last of the Cunards to have a hand in the company. Michael, do you have any information about this ?

[Lynda Bradford]

Thanks Olivia for the information, maybe someone will come forward with the information on the last Cunard family member involved in running the company. 

[Rob Lightbody]

We love old posts being reactivated with new information and questions, Google does to (for anyone doing research)

[Michael Gallagher]

Ernest Haliburton Cunard was the last of the Cunards on the Board and he died in 1926. The shareholding of the Cunards was practically nil by then and that holding reduced over the years after the company went public in 1878. The Cunard fortune had also dwindled by the time Ernest had died so the Cunard family was joined by marriage to the Charrington family (the brewers).

I had the privilege of meeting several of Samuel's descendants at a ceremony to mark the 150th anniversary of Samuel's death at his grave in 2015 - on the exact anniversary, 28 April.

For most of the last Century Cunard was run by a member of one of two big shipping families - the Bates or Brocklebank families.

[June Ingram]

Many thanks, Michael, for this information. It filled in the timeline regarding the Cunard family.