Crew Quarters -Bow Area
Significant original crew quarters and working areas remain in the bow area of the
Queen Mary. They are located on B, current R, C and D decks.
B Deck and R Deck (used to be called C Deck)
C Deck and D deck (used to be called D and E decks)
These areas include:
B deck
Mail handling spaces
Seamen's accommodations and bathrooms
The Lamp Storage Room
The Paint Store
R deck (used to be called C deck)
Toilets
Seamen's Cabins
The Carpenter Store
Storage area
C deck (used to be called D deck)
Steward's accommodations
Storage Area
Stewards Washrooms
Corridor on modern C deck (ex-D deck). Stairway leads to stewards' accomodations
below.
Stewards' Washrooms - Modern C deck (marked as "Stewards Lavy" on deckplan
above). The large pipe in the room carried the starboard anchor chain down to the chain
locker.
Corridor leading to Crew Washrooms - Modern C deck.
D deck (Used to be called E deck)
The Specie Room
The Mail Discharge Space
Steward's accommodations
Corridor Leading to area referred to as store - Modern D deck . Pipe carrying
anchor chain is on right of room.
History of the Crew Quarters
1936-1939 These areas were used as designed, built and described above.
1940-1946 The ship was used as a troop transport.
1947-1967 These areas reverted to their original use.
1967 to present
The forward crew area were assigned to the administrative functions of the Queen Mary Department in the 1970's. The storage areas became a veritable
20th century "King Tut's Tomb" for storage of original furnishings and artifacts ripped from their original locations in the conversion. Entire
rooms were filled with rug, draperies, crystal, silver, and other furnishings.
The originality that survives is more of a testament to incomplete conversion rather than to any intention to preserve these fascinating areas
for touring or use. In 1992, at the end of the Wrather Port Properties/Disney management era, some of these areas were shown to the
public in a behind the scenes guided tour of the Queen Mary.
Recently a Cunard crewman who sailed with the Queen Mary identified the location of his bunk in these areas. He found the brass fittings for the
port hole curtains still in place, exactly as he left them in 1967.
Possible restoration and future use
While these areas are only a small portion of like areas dedicated to these functions on the Queen Mary while in service, they are large and varied
enough, that if restored and opened for touring, would create a microcosm of crew life on this great liner.
A fascinating recent book entitled "Down the Burma Road" documents crew life on the Queen Mary. These
surviving contiguous (they are linked by their original staircases) crew areas could be the core of an important "downstairs" tour of the Queen
Mary. The tour, properly implemented, would enhance the attraction and document a heritage of service that made the ship renowned around the
world.
Finally the creative and educational "sleep over" program for children at the Aquarium of the Pacific might be copied into a like program in this
area aboard the Queen Mary.
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Index by Class of Accommodations
