The Magnificent Boston Cup/Britannia Cup (Heritage Trail)

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

I must admit that I do not know where this cup was kept on QE2 during her final years...

I just have no memory of it at all...

It must have been a fairly prominent place, I imagine?

[Michael Gallagher]

Prior to 1994 the Cup was in the Columbia (Caronia) Restaurant. From 1994 until until 1 May 2004 it was in a cabinet outside the Yacht Club. On 1 May 2004 in Southampton it was transferred to QM2 in a symbolic move to signify transfer of flagship status. We made QM2 wait four months before making her flagship

In a ceremony in the Yacht Club Captain McNaught handed over the Cup to Commodore Warwick. The cup and guests were then transferred by boat from QE2 down to QM2 for lunch. After lunch QE2 sailed past QM2. All the guests were on deck and we played stirring patriotic songs and then as QE2 emerged from the mist I gave the nod to the Cruise Director and he slipped in a CD that played "Isn't She Lovely" by Stevie Wonder which I had chosen. The guests were quite surprised at the sudden change of music but nothing was more appropriate than QE2 sailing past to that song with McNaught never letting go of the whistle as QE2, accompanied by a flotilla, went off to refit. Grown men and women, including the Deputy Prime Minister JOhn Prescott and Cunard President Pam Conover had tears in their eyes.

Two years later we did this again (QE2 sailing past). We played two songs for her: "You're Beautiful" (had to remember the clean version) by James Blunt and 'Forever Young' by Diana Ross!


On QE2 the Laconia Cup replaced the Boston Cup in the cabinet.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

On QE2 the Laconia Cup replaced the Boston Cup in the cabinet.

Thank you very much, Michael, for that story! It makes me glad I asked.

And now, you (figuratively) raise the Laconia Cup... What is this, and what is its history? Will it need a thread of its own?   

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

I will never forget the 'removal' of that wonderful cup to hand over to the QM2 after the tandem voyages in April 2004.

There is a picture of the handover from Captain to Captain here :

http://www.oceanlinerlapelpins.com/QE2Page.html

[Lynda Bradford]

The Boston Cup looks quite magnificent when you see it in the handover photo and in Louis' photo when it was in the Columbia Restaurant.  I saw it when it was in the glass case but you could not fully appreciate it's splendour when it was behind glass.

[Chris]

Interesting Fact: The plaque describing the Boston (Britannia) Cup aboard QM2 was the original plaque from QE2. It still has the "stop number" from QE2's heritage trail on it, as well as the stylised Cunard Lion used from 1994-1998.

Cheers,

Chris.

[Lynda Bradford]

Lynda that photo of me with the Cup is in the Columbia not Caronia Restaurant.

Thanks Louis.  I am still confused about all the name changes of the restaurants.  Do you know what year the photo was taken?

[Louis De Sousa]

Do you know what year the photo was taken ?

It was taken in 1993

[Rod]

Have just found this thread.
One day when the Boston cup was being moved, one of the handles fell off and it was bought to the plumbers shop to see if they could repait it. The Hotel Service Engineer at the time, my boss, said yes of course. Call you when its ready. Unfortunately, said HSE, had spent one drink too many in the Anchor Bar. He melted a hole in the cup! The cup had to go ashore in Soton to be repaired at great expense.

[Lynda Bradford]

Wonderful to think that the history of the Boston cup has survived for nearly 175 years and following it's return to Cunard  was placed in the heritage trail on QE2 in 1994.  Wonderful to see it now on display onboard QM2. The cup commemorates the arrival of the RMS Britannia in Boston when Cunard selected this port for the transatlantic service. 

[June Ingram]

Yes, Lynda, it is indeed wonderful that the cup is on display on QM2.

[Chris]

Hello from QM2!


I was so excited when we embarked to see that the Boston Cup and Laconia Cup have taken pride of place in the Grand Lobby aboard this great ship.


Both are on proud display in illuminated cabinets on the embarkation level, with the Boston Cup on the Port Side and Laconia Cup on the Starboard side.


I’ve attached images.

[Andy Holloway]

I think, and Michael will be able to confirm or deny, but wasn't the Boston Cup the only item of physical memorabilia that was transferred from QE2 to QM2? This, i think, was due to fire regulations in force at the time.