November 1947: How The Engineer reported on the world’s largest post-war liner, RMS Caronia

That was the case in 1947 when Princess Elizabeth visited the Clydebank yard of John Brown and Co, Ltd to name the Caronia, a new Cunard-White Star liner that was, at the time,  the world’s largest post war passenger liner.

With the UK still in the grip of post-war austerity, Princess Elizabeth used the occasion to acknowledge the great skill that had gone into designing and building the ship, adding that the same ingenuity would bring the UK out of the economic doldrums.

Our reporter noted that the Caronia was the second ship of the same name to be built by John Brown for Cunard ownership, the first 20,000-ton ship being launched in 1904 from the same building berth at Clydebank.

Cunard’s history of transatlantic services goes back to 1847, and during the luncheon that followed the launch much was made of the association between the shipping company, the shipbuilders and owners of Clydebank shipyard.