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Investigation: Queen Mary Historic Ship
Dates: 3.21.09, 2.20.09,1.26.09, 11.15.08, 7.06.08, 2.2.08
Location: Long Beach, California
Web resources: queenmary.com
Map it: Queen Mary Historic Ship |
One of the favorite haunts of sdGH, the Queen Mary historic ship has it all for an amazing paranormal travel destination: a unique structure with wonderful architecture, a wild storied past, beautiful location, and most importantly, documented ghosts and strange phenomena experienced by visitors on an almost daily basis.
If able, stay overnight in one of the original hand-crafted, wood-trimmed staterooms or cabins now welcoming guests as hotel rooms -- and make sure you ask the front desk for a haunted room. The hotel staff receives reports of paranormal activity regularly and are not shy when directing the curious to active rooms.
Weekend paranormal investigation tours of the great ship are also available to everyone. Hosted by paranormal investigator and radio show host, Pat Wheelock of Beyond Investigation Magazine, these adventures take you deep into areas not available to the general public. Discover Jackie, the young spirit in the first and third class swimming pool, sailor John making mischief in the engine room or one of the many prisoners confined to the forward cargo hold during World War II.
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The Queen Mary Historic Timeline | 1929-1943
:: Courtesy of the official Queen Mary web site.
Work is begun on the new Southampton dry dock,
to be known as the King George V Graving Dock. |
1926: Cunard Line begins planning for a pair of new super liners to replace the Mauretania, Aquitania and Berengaria on their North Atlantic route.
April 3, 1929: At Cunard Line's annual meeting, Chairman Sir Thomas Royden makes the first official announcement that "the question of new tonnage is one constantly in our minds."
May 28, 1930: Cunard Line announces that John Brown & Company, LTD., of Clydebank, Scotland, had been selected as builder of the new liner.
December 1, 1930: First keel plate is laid for job #534 at John Brown Shipyard.
June 30, 1931: Work is begun on the new Southampton dry dock, to be known as the King George V Graving Dock.
December 11, 1931: Work is halted on Job #534 due to the Depression and an inability to secure further bank loans. The hull plating is 80 percent completed, and the ship stands nine stories high.
July 26, 1933: The King George V Graving Dock is officially opened with King George V and Queen Mary steaming into the dry dock aboard the Royal Yacht, VICTORIA AND ALBERT. The dock is the largest in the world at the time. It is 1,200 feet long, 135 feet wide at its entrance, 59 feet deep, holds 58 million gallons of water, and can hold any ship up to 100,000 tons.
January 1, 1934: The effective date for transferring the assets of the Cunard Steamship Company and the White Star Line, to the newly formed Cunard White Star, LTD. Cunard was credited with 62 percent of the share capital, and White Star with 38 percent
March 27, 1934: The North Atlantic Shipping (Advances) bill is passed. The British Treasury makes advances of L4,500,000 toward the completion of #534, and authority was to be sought to make an advance not to exceed L5,000,000 for a second liner.
April 3, 1934: After 28 months, construction is resumed on Job #534.
May 11, 1934: Merger takes place with White Star Line.
Known as "Job #534". the ship
is officially named Queen Mary
on September 26, 1934. |
September 26, 1934: Job #534 is launched, and named QUEEN MARY by Her Majesty Queen Mary, accompanied by His Majesty King George V. The ship is moved to the nearby fitting out basin.
September 28, 1934: Installation of boilers begins around this date.
November 6, 1935: Installation of engines and almost all of the heavy machinery is completed. Funnels and both masts are in position.
March 5, 1936: King Edward VIII makes inspection tour of the ship.
March 24, 1936: Queen Mary departs John Brown Shipyard, steaming down the Clyde River to Gourock, Scotland. The ship goes aground twice despite prior dredging of the river and her shallow draft. Anchor trials and adjustment of the magnetic compasses are made off Gourock. Twenty of the Queen Mary's Lifeboats were left off the ship to save weight. Since they were manufactured in Gourock, the lifeboats were lifted into their davits upon the Queen Mary's arrival.
March 24 - 26, 1936: Preliminary speed trials are made on the way to Southampton.
March 27 - April 8, 1936: Dry docked in King George V Graving Dock.
April 15 - 19, 1936: Official speed trials are held in the Irish Sea off the Isle of Arran. British Olympic runner Lord Burghley, runs one lap (400 yards) in evening dress around the Promenade Deck in under 60 seconds.
May 12, 1936, Noon: Ship is officially handed over from John Brown Shipyard to Cunard White Star Line.
May 25, 1936: King Edward VIII, Her Majesty Queen Mary, Princess Elizabeth (now the Queen), the Duke and Duchess of York (soon to be King George VI and Queen Elizabeth), the Duke and Duchess of Kent and the Duchess of Gloucester visit the ship.
Queen Mary presents her personal standard to the ship. It was displayed at the head of the main staircase on Promenade Deck and is now located on board the Queen Elizabeth 2.
May 27, 1936: The Queen Mary departs Southampton at 4:33 p.m. on her maiden voyage, arriving in at Cherbourg, France at 8:47 p.m. and departing at 12:39 a.m. the following morning.
June 1, 1936: Arrival at Pier 90 in New York at 4:20 p.m. Crossing time (Bishop Rock to Ambrose Light Vessel): 5 days, 5 hours and 13 minutes.
August 19 - 31, 1936: On her sixth round-trip voyage, The Queen Mary wins the Blue Riband for the fastest North Atlantic crossings from the French Line's Normandie. The Normandie won the honor back in 1937.
October 8, 1938: Docked without the aid of tugboats in New York, by Commodore Irving. Voyage #53 west.
August 3 - 15, 1938: Won the Blue Riband back from the Normandie on her 48th round-trip voyage. Held it for 14 years, until July 1952, when the SS United States beat the record.
August 30, 1939: Departed Southampton on final peacetime voyage, carrying her largest number of passengers: 2,552, including Mr. & Mrs. Bob Hope and million in gold bullion.
September 2, 1939: Crew members black out ship's portholes.
September 3, 1939: England and France declare war on Germany.
September 4, 1939: Queen Mary arrives in New York.
March 21, 1940: Departs New York for Sydney, Australia, to be fitted as a troopship. Accommodations increased from 2,140 to 5,500.
May 5, 1940: First voyage as a troop transport. Sailed in convoy with AQUITANIA, MAURETANIA (II), EMPRESS OF BRITAIN, EMPRESS OF CANADA, and EMPRESS OF JAPAN, from Sydney, Australia, to Gourock, Scotland, with 5,500 troops.
August 5 - September 16, 1940: Dry docked in Singapore. Paravanes fitted.
December 13, 1940: Degaussing strip installed in Sydney.
April 9, 1941: In convoy with QUEEN ELIZABETH and MAURETANIA (II) from Sydney to Suez, and return.
The Queen carried the greatest number of souls
on a floating vessel: 16,683. |
January 27 - February 8, 1942: Hull damaged while entering dry dock in Boston Naval Shipyard. Troop capacity increased.
February 18 - March 28, 1942: "40 DAYS AND 40 NIGHTS" voyage from Boston to Sydney, Australia. First time Queen Mary carried American troops (8,398 troops, 905 crew).
May 11 - 16, 1942: First time more than 10,000 persons had traveled on any ship (9,880 troops, 875 crew).
August 2 - 7, 1942: First time a complete division was carried on any ship. First Armored Infantry Division (15,125 troops, 863 crew).
October 2, 1942: Queen Mary collides with British light cruiser CURACOA. 70 tons of cement are used to temporarily patch the bow in Gourock, Scotland.
Prime Minister Winston Churchill
was transported on the Queen
after WWWII was declared.
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October 14 - November 2, 1942: Dry docked in Boston Naval Shipyard to install a new more permanent bow piece.
December 23, 1942 - April 22, 1943: "THE LONG VOYAGE" from Gourock, to the Suez, Sydney, Australia, and return to Gourock. Total mileage: 37,943 miles. Ship transferred to Atlantic Ocean.
May 5 - 11, 1943: Winston Churchill transported from Gourock to New York, to meet with President Roosevelt. 5,000 German prisoners of war were also on board.
July 25 - 30, 1943: Carried the greatest number of souls on a floating vessel: 15,740 troops, 943 crew. Total: 16,683.
August 5 - 9, 1943: Winston Churchill transported from Gourock to Halifax, Canada, for 2nd Quebec "Quadrant" conference.
August 27 - 31, 1943: Winston Churchill returns to Gourock, Scotland, with 15,116 troops.
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The Queen Mary Historic Timeline | 1944-1966
:: The following is courtesy of the official Queen Mary web site.
June 6, 1944: D-DAY Invasion of Europe.
April 19, 1945: Armament removed from ship, except the six-inch gun.
May 7, 1945: VE DAY (Victory Europe)
August 1945: 14,833 troops plus 1,000 crew transported. Total: 15,883.
August 14, 1945: VJ DAY (Victory Japan)
August 29, 1945: Funnels repainted in Cunard colors.
February 3 - May 19, 1946: Six war bride voyages, transporting 12,886 European brides and children to the United States and Canada.
May 23 - September 18, 1946: Seven war bride voyages transporting European brides and children to Canada. Ten stowaways were discovered on the first crossing.
January 1 - 2, 1949: Ran aground at Cherbourg. Returned to dry dock for repairs.
February 10, 1949: Docked in New York without the aid of tugs.
December 31, 1949: Cunard White Star ceases to exist, becomes Cunard Steam Ship Co., LTD.
July 14, 1952: Loses the Blue Riband to the S.S. United States upon her arrival in New York.
February 6, 1953: Docked without the aid of tugs in New York, by Captain Donald Sorrell. Voyage #187 west.
February 7, 1953: Sailed without tugs from New York. Voyage #187 1954 east.
November 18 - 23, 1954: Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother on board, returning from visit to United States. Voyage #228 east.
January 26 - March 25, 1958: Stabilizers installed in King George V Graving Dock, Southampton.
April 22 - 23, 1958: Record turn around in New York - 17 hours, 58 minutes.
March 3 - 9, 1962: Wave floods parts of Main, A and B Decks. Voyage #382 east.
October 2, 1962: Docked without the aid of tugs in New York, by Captain Watts. Voyage #397 west.
October 1, 1963: Docked without tugs in New York, by Captain S.A. Jones. Voyage #419.
December 23 - 29, 1963: First cruise: Southampton to Las Palmas. Voyage #425.
February 25 - March 23, 1966: Mediterranean cruise: New York, Las Palmas, Tangier, Piraeus, Naples, Cannes, Palma, Gibraltar, Lisbon, Madeira, New York. Voyage #477.
April 1966: Cunard announces that the Queen Mary is for sale.
May 31, 1966: First letter of inquiry from H.E. Ridings of Long Beach.
August 2 - 4, 1966: In King George V Graving Dock. Fastest ever turn - around in dry dock, and first time ever sailed with passengers from dry dock. Voyage #485 west.
August 24 - 29, 1966: Fastest eastbound crossing since Blue Riband record: 4 days, 10 hours, 6 minutes. Voyage #486 east. Second fastest Atlantic crossing since 1938.
Transatlantic Passengers: Air and sea comparison
1954 - by ship: 1,000,000; by air: 600,000
1957 - by ship: 1,000,000; by air: 1,000,000
1961 - by ship: 750,000; by air: 2,000,000
1965 - by ship: 650,000; by air: 4,000,000 |
The Queen Mary Historic Timeline | 1967-1997
:: The following is courtesy of the official Queen Mary web site.
The Queen arrives in Long Beach, California. |
May 8, 1967: Queens' captains open orders telling them of the decision to sell the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth.
May 25, 1967: First meeting between Lord Mancroft and Long Beach, California representatives in New York.
July 27, 1967: $3.45 million Long Beach bid accepted.
September 22 - 27, 1967: Last eastbound transatlantic crossing. Voyage #513 east.
September 29 - October 6, 1967: Cruise from Southampton to Las Palmas & Gibraltar. Voyage #514.
October 13 - 19, 1967: Cruise from Southampton to Las Palmas. Voyage #515.
October 31, 1967: Departed Southampton on Final Voyage to Long Beach, California. Voyage #516.
December 9, 1967: Queen Mary arrives in Long Beach, California.
December 11, 1967: Removed from British registry and officially turned over to the city of Long Beach. Ship also became fully dependent on shore side utilities.
March 26, 1968 : Diners Club Inc. named master commercial lessee.
April 6 - May 18, 1968: Dry docked at the Long Beach Naval Shipyard.
April 26, 1969: Contract entered into with Smith-Amelco, of Compton, California.
July 1970: Diners/QM terminates participation in the project.
February 27, 1971: Queen Mary moved to Pier J.
The Queen at its current home on Pier J.
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April 1, 1971: Specialty Restaurants Corp. takes over as master lessee.
May 8, 1971: Queen Mary Story and Power Train Tour, and Upper Decks opened, weekends only.
December 11, 1971: Jacques Cousteau's "Living Sea" portion of Museum of the Sea (M.O.T.S.) opens.
February 20, 1972: Largest day's attendance: 19,600.
November 2, 1972: First 150 hotel rooms opened.
February 29, 1974: Hyatt Corporation takes over management of the hotel.
March 1974: Preview opening of Mary's Gate Village (now The Queen's Marketplace).
October 1, 1976: Queen Mary Tours Inc. takes over operation of Museum of the Sea.
September 1, 1980: Wrather Port Properties Ltd., a subsidiary of Wrather Corporation, signs a 66-year lease to manage the Queen Mary and adjoining acreage.
Spring 1992: Aero Club of Southern California announces sale of Spruce Goose to Evergreen International Aviation Inc. in McMinnville, Oregon.
Howard Hughes' flying history opens to the public in a custom
built dome building. |
May 14, 1983: Howard Hughes' Spruce Goose flying boat opens to the public next to The Queen Mary.
March 29, 1988: Walt Disney Company buys Wrather Corporation for 152 million. The agreement includes the Disneyland Hotel, and management of The Queen Mary and Spruce Goose property.
January 1, 1992: City of Long Beach resumes responsibility for the Queen Mary from the Port of Long Beach.
March 6, 1992: Disney advises the City and Port of Long Beach that it will end its lease for the operation of the Queen Mary and Spruce Goose. The company agrees to operate the attraction until September 30, 1992.
September 30, 1992: Walt Disney Company gives up lease on Queen Mary and Spruce Goose property. Remainder of 1992, The Port of Long Beach becomes operator of property, and looks for new operator. Hotel Queen Mary closes.
The Disney Company once held
the Queen Mary property lease.
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October 2, 1992: Spruce Goose is moved out of The Dome and put on barges headed to McMinnville, Oregon, having been sold to Evergreen International Aviation Inc.
December 31, 1992: Queen Mary closes.
February 5, 1993: Joseph F. Prevratil, President & CEO of RMS Foundation, Inc. signs five-year lease with the city of Long Beach to act as operators of The Queen Mary.
February 26, 1993: The Queen Mary reopens to the public. Self-guided and guided "Captain's Tour" resume. Most restaurants and Sunday Brunch are back.
March 5, 1993: Hotel Queen Mary reopens with 125 rooms operational. Banquet rooms operational.
April 17, 1993: Audio Tours reopen. English, German, Japanese, Spanish.
One of the many original wood enriched staterooms and cabins now available from the hotel. Will
You share one with a spirit? |
April 30, 1993: Remainder of Hotel Queen Mary's 365 rooms reopen.
May 12, 1993: Captain John Treasure Jones, the 33rd and last captain of The Queen Mary dies at the age of 87 at his home in Chandler's Ford, England, just north of the port town of Southampton.
Summer 1995: RMS Foundation, Inc., operator of Queen Mary Seaport, commemorates the 50th Anniversary of the end of World War II and pays tribute to the Queen Mary's service as a troopship nicknamed "The Grey Ghost."
June 23 - July 4, 1993: Grand Opening ceremonies announcing Queen Mary Seaport, the new property-wide name given to the 55 acres adjoining the historic Queen Mary. Queen Mary Seaport includes The Queen Mary Attraction and The Hotel Queen Mary aboard the ship; The Dome at the Queen Mary, formerly home to Howard Hughes' Spruce Goose; The Queen's Marketplace, formerly Londontowne Village, and the surrounding property.
September 26, 1994: Diamond Jubilee Celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the Launch and Naming of the great liner. Officiating are RMS Foundation President Joseph F. Prevratil; H.R.H. Prince Michael of Kent representing the British Royal Family, grandson of Her Majesty Queen Mary; Scotland's Clydebank District Provost Jack McAllister and other special guests.
May 8, 1996: Queen Mary celebrates the 25th Anniversary of its Opening Day.
May 27, 1996: RMS Foundation, Inc., schedules Diamond Jubilee Celebration for the 60th Anniversary of the Queen Mary's Maiden Voyage from Southampton to New York.
May 31, 1997: "Titanic: The Expedition" exhibit makes its West Coast debut aboard the Queen Mary.
December 9, 1997: The Queen Mary celebrates 30 years in Long Beach. |
Much of the best EVP captured by the sdGH team are not gained from structured EVP sessions, but when recording devices are allowed to run continuously as the team interacts with their environment. Unfortunately, that means EVP is at times interrupted by member voices or movement, but an overall higher yield is gained helping to determine what activity might be present. The use of headphones is highly recommended.
For a complete rundown on EVP and its classification system by guest writer Todd Bates of Haunted Voices Radio Network, follow us here.
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Bobby pin throw incident
[ evp | real time | unknown ]
Warning: Explicit content
GhostFest Expo 3: The Queen Mary bobby pin throw incident is one of the more robust investigation experiences sdGH tech manager, Matthew, has experienced. During a first class pool area changing room vigil with regular Queen Mary investigator, Jerry, and Haunted Voices Radio Network special equipment developer, Brian, a simple hair bobby pin appeared to be thrown with great force into a stall occupied by Brian, barely missing him.
As you listen to this unedited clip, an anomalous metallic sound can be heard at the 6 seconds mark. The group then chats in hushed tones as a security guard tests for unlocked area entry door. They find the bobby pin and an attempt to duplicate the sound is made.
One note of interest: There is an explicit EVP word spoken at the 1:38 mark that is detailed in the next audio evidence entry.
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 Above is the bobby pin thought to be thrown in the pool area changing room booth Brian was sitting in. It appears to be rather standard with no design aspects that can help determine its age of origin of manufacture. Photos courtesy of Brian, HVRN Special Equipment Developer.
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'F-Word' expletive shouted
[ evp: class a | real time | unknown ]
Warning: Explicit content
GhostFest Expo 3: As the group explores the source of the startling noise originating from Brian's stall, an EVP of the F-word is shouted close to Matthew's recorder. On first review, it was thought one of the investigators blurted it, with Matthew first being fingered. It would have been out of character by anyone in the group for this language during an EVP recording session is not approved of and the initial surprise the noise created was well over.
All three recordings were collected and a compilation clip made to compare each captured EVP's strength. One can hear Matthew speaking to Brian as the EVP occurs, taking them out of the equation. The EVP's strength is weaker on Jerry's recording than on Matthew's, making him innocent of the expletive.
EVP guru Todd Bates of Haunted Voiced Radio Network analyzed the recording and confirmed it is truly an EVP. The word in question was recorded at 87.3 hertz, well below the level of human hearing. There is no way the group heard the word being said when recorded nor could have recorded the word by their voices.
Audio clip sequence
1 | Matthew's recording
2 | F-word isolated from Matthew's recording
3 | Jerry's recording
4 | Brian's recording
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Hangs-up
[ evp: class b | real time | unknown ]
While visiting Beyond Investigation's Pat Wheelock February 20, 2009, during his weekly Paranormal Investigation Tour, sdGH tech manager, Matthew, joined regular Queen Mary investigator, Jerry, in EMF and EVP work in a variety of areas within the ship. While touring a furniture storage area near the forward cargo hold, several EVP where captured including this one, "hangs up".
Like with many EVP, "hangs-up" doesn't appear to be a direct response to the investigator's presence or communications, possibly making it a residual appearance. Listen at the 7 seconds mark. It's soft, but absolutely present. It is then repeated three additional times, slowed down at an increased volume.
According to Brian Patton of the Queen's resident investigation team, Beyond Investigation Magazine, the KII hits and audio interferences might have been caused by a cellular phone. The BIM team has experienced such anomalies before. Though Matthew did not have a phone present and Jerry's was turned off, we defer to Brian.
If the interference was indeed due to a cellular phone, it is interesting the EVP recorded says, "hangs up". |
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