CUNARD’S ‘FAMILY’ SHIPS Media (1947) and Parthia (1948)

Two of the most unusual passenger ships to have sailed for Cunard were the post-World War II Media and Parthia. At around 13,340gt, they were combination passenger-cargo ships which carried only 250 passengers, all in First class. With a service speed of 17 knots, they were designed to operate jointly on a leisurely fortnightly sevenday passage between Liverpool and New York.

On 8 July 1944 Sir Stephen Pigott, Managing Director of the John Brown & Company Shipyard, and Sir Thomas Brocklebank, Chairman of Cunard-White Star Line, met on board while she was anchored in the Firth of Clyde between voyages. Among the items discussed were the shipping company’s projected requirements for new post-war tonnage, including a (1939) type vessel, which would eventually become (1948), and a ‘10,000gt passenger-cargo liner’. The latter ship was laid down as NB629 on 12 November 1945 by Mrs Barnes, the wife of the then Minister of Transport, Rt Hon Alfred Banes MP, on 12 December 1946.