Maiden Voyages: Magnificent Ocean Liners and the Women Who Traveled and Worked Aboard Them

Sian Evans explores not only a specific time in history, but also explores the way women used transatlantic travel. Evans tells us the stories from passengers to stewardesses through diaries, letters, and published accounts. She begins in the early twentieth century and goes through to the end of WWII, as we see how these women's lives are changed as they travel from the Old World to the New.

Maiden Voyages is a wonderful exploration into the lives of these women as they crossed the Atlantic. From the luxury of the upper deck to the cramped conditions of steerage of third class travel, readers are given a first-hand account of how women lived, worked, and socialized on these luxury liners. In first class we meet A-listers like Marlene show more Dietrich, Wallis Simpson, and Josephine Baker, while second class housed a new generation of professional and independent women, like interior designer Sibyl Colefax. Down in third class, we follow the journey of émigré Maria Riffelmacher as she escapes poverty in Europe. Of course, we cannot forget the women hustling between decks, including Violet "The Unsinkable Stewardess" Jessop, who survived the Titanic disaster.

A wonderful and engaging look into a specific time period where women weren't bound to just the Old World for a life, nor were they bound to the land alone.

I found this book absolutely lovely. I knew about some of these people, Wallis Simpson, Josephine Baker, and Mary Anne MacLeod (Donald Trump's mom), but only from how and why they are famous not their personal transatlantic journeys. This made it interesting and eye-opening to see how these women's lives were affected because of traveling across the Atlantic.

For Mary MacLeod's case, she was escaping abject poverty in Ireland and a ship across to the New World was a way out. Then, unfortunately, we had to deal with her son many, many years later. Who knows what would've happened if Wallis decided to stay in America instead of going abroad? Or if her friend had never introduced Wallis to Edward? The even more fascinating aspect of transatlantic travel was how many doors opened for women in terms of work on ships. It's definitely a book for someone who is interested in social history or women's history. show less

What a nice non-fiction change from psychological thrillers and cozy mysteries. Maiden Voyages delivers as promised: it is most definitely an engaging and anecdotal social history detailing the lives of women traveling as wealthy guests, women looking to make new lives for themselves, and women employed as staff on magnificent ocean liners traveling between Europe and North America during the Golden Age of ocean liner travel.

The narrative jumps from anecdote to anecdote, but that just adds to the charm of the stories. Author Sian Evans keeps a clear timeline going, returning to wrap up stories of women previously introduced so we aren’t left wondering, “What happened to her?” The book is full of history, but it’s not dry like a show more history book can be. It’s easy to read, moves along smoothly, and is a very enjoyable way to spend a couple of days. I already knew some of the facts presented (it’s history, after all) but I learned a lot of interesting tidbits. A variety of women passengers as well as those working on board are profiled. The strict lines of society and how they were not to be crossed are apparent. The dedication, bravery, and heroism of many of the women employed and the constraints they had to work under are highlighted. And we are also teased with a bit of scandal about some of the passengers.

Maiden Voyages is well-written, well-researched, informative and entertaining. Author Sian Evans has done a brilliant job bringing this unique type of travel by these wonderful women to life. It was a fascinating period in history and makes for a great read. I read a digital copy but I believe I will get a copy of the hardcover book to enjoy the photos even more.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for providing an advance copy of Maiden Voyages via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I loved it and recommend it without hesitation. All opinions are my own. show less

20th-century, Atlantic ocean, passenger-ships, historical-places-events, historical research, history-and-culture, nonfiction, women, WW1, WW2, post WW1, post WW2, memoirs*****
This book is a history geek's dream!
The detailed research through archives and personal records and correspondence of some of the women who worked as stewardesses and more for the Cunard and White Star lines is beyond impressive. As advertised, there are many stories of individual women who needed to go to sea to support those at home, including one woman who served on the Titanic, Lusitania, and another torpedoed ship! There are selected notes about well known women of the era between the wars such as Josephine Baker and Nancy Astor and mentions of film stars show more Rudolph Valentino, Johnny Weissmuller, and Douglas Fairbanks.
Luxury shipping is detailed from the beginning of the 20th century. These same ships and many of the women were also in service during each of the world wars, including the ill fated Kindertransports. It is interesting to note that the Queen Mary was not only the best in luxury, but as of 1927 had a Jewish prayer room and also a rabbi to keep kosher in the kitchen.
Another geeky tidbit is that the Aquitania made 580 crossings in 40 years and was the only Trans Atlantic liner to have served in both world wars putting on 3 million miles and transporting 1.2 million passengers.
Fantastic book for geeks like me!
I requested and received a free temporary ebook copy from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. Thank you! show less

This history is focused on women's experiences of ocean travel from the mid-19th to mid-20th century. Going from an era in which a woman onboard was considered bad luck to a time when women were starting to take more roles of responsibility, this book is both vast in its scope and minute in detail. Overall, it makes for interesting reading, and highlights several women of note, such as Violet Jessup, the stewardess famed for being present at both the Titanic and Britannic sinkings, but also more glamorous figures like the Duchess of Windsor.

At almost 400 pages, Maiden Voyages by Sian Evans provides a lot of details, some of which, for me, was not needed for the impact of the book. It is nevertheless an interesting and unique look into history. At the end of the day, I respond to the story of strong women rising to the challenges facing them, overcoming obstacles, and breaking barriers. Finding inspiration is that is my takeaway from this book.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2022/12/maiden-voyages.html

Reviewed for NetGalley.

Women and the Golden Age of Transatlantic Travel

This interesting book chronicles the transatlantic ocean travel in the first half of the 20th century and focuses mainly on the female passengers and crew members who traveled or worked aboard ocean Liners: Edith Sowebutts and Violet Jessop just to name two. Most of us will remember the famous liners such as the Titanic, the Queen Mary and the Britannic, but the book doesn’t stop with these three. On board often seen where the rich and famous who travelled in first class, Marlene Dietrich, the Prince of Wales, Mrs. Simpson and many others often boarded these luxurious ships to travel back and forth from Europe to the Americas. In the earlier years, those famous liners gave widows the show more needed jobs in order for them to care for their family, thousands of emigrants escaped poverty in 1930 for a better life in Canada and the USA. After the war, war brides wanted to join their husband were also passengers......etc..... Most of all, this true account is of women who pierced the gender barriers and worked as “conductress, stewardess or nurse” and made a career that lasted decades, in fact, opening the doors for future generation.

Reading “Maiden Voyage” added pieces to the puzzle of all the books I read of this era. Fifty years a period from the end of the Edwardian era, WW1, the interwar years, WW11 and its aftermath. The author gives us a huge range of information vividly said with colour and drama. I love the story of the “Unsinkable” Violet Jessop who survived the sinking of the Titanic, what an amazing woman.

I admit the first few chapters left me indifferent but I soon changed my mind as it moved along the story became such an interesting account I couldn’t put it aside and continuously gave my husband a wrap up of what I had read (I rarely do this). Although, I would have preferred the author to have stayed on track with the lives of the women who staffed the ocean liners instead of covering panoply of subjects, I think it would have made an easier read. Nevertheless I enjoyed passing time with “Maiden Voyages”: a well-research account and one skillfully written. Well said, well-done.

I wish to thank St-Martin Press and Netgalleys for the opportunity to read and review this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. show less

Interesting book about the largely unknown story of women in the golden age of transatlantic liners. Starting in the 19th century with the very first steam passenger vessels, through the burgeoning Edwardian era, the horrors of WWI, the glamourous inter-war years, WWII and on up to the end of transatlantic ocean travel in the jet age, it covers both female passengers and female crew, the latter stories tending to be far more interesting. Violet Jessop, 'the Unsinkable", who survived 3 sinkings, including the Titanic, Edith Sowerbutts, who began as a "conductress" chaperoning single ladies immigrating to the New World and graduated to popular and much-loved stewardess, and Victoria Drummond, first woman to qualify as a marine engineer, show more and who won fame keeping her ship' s engines running while under attack from German aircraft are the stars of the book, and their stories are told in vivid detail. Very interesting highlight on a previously neglected are of marine travel, well worth reading. show less