SS Minnesota Passenger List – Tourist Third Cabin Voyage, 15 October 1927 (London to New York via Boulogne-sur-Mer)
Front Cover, SS Minnesota Tourist Third Cabin Passenger List, Departing 15 October 1927 from London to New York via Boulogne-sur-Mer, Commanded by Captain E. Finch. GGA Image ID # 17348c0b24
🚢 Review and Summary of the SS Minnesota Passenger List – 15 October 1927
📍 Ship, Route, and Voyage Details
The SS Minnesota, operated by the Atlantic Transport Line, embarked on a Tourist Third Cabin voyage departing 15 October 1927 from London to New York, with a call at Boulogne-sur-Mer. This voyage was commanded by Captain E. Finch, R.D., R.N.R., supported by a seasoned crew: Chief Engineer: W. C. Donald, Surgeon: Dr. Michael Bulger, M.A., M.D., Purser: H. W. Lagden, Assistant Purser: E. Cordery, and Chief Steward: W. Simkin.
This ship was part of the post–World War I Tourist Third Cabin expansion, designed to serve students, young travelers, emigrants, and budget-conscious middle-class voyagers crossing the Atlantic.
🛳 Ship Features and Historical Enhancements
The SS Minnesota was part of the Atlantic Transport Line’s “Minnesota-Class” steamships, notable for their large cargo capacity while still offering passenger services. By the 1920s, many such vessels had been repurposed for Tourist Third Cabin service, emphasizing economy over luxury, but maintaining safety and reliability.
Key Features:
- Tourist Third Cabin (TTC): Affordable accommodations bridging steerage and second-class.
- Dining Saloon service with set hours (breakfast, lunch, and dinner served in two sittings).
- Strict smoking policies, emphasizing public health and decorum.
- Sunday Divine Service at 11:00 AM, reflecting the religious traditions of ocean liners.
- Traveler’s Cheques accepted – a nod to financial modernization at sea.
Explore the 15 October 1927 Tourist Third Cabin passenger list of the SS Minnesota, Atlantic Transport Line. Includes ship details, voyage highlights, clergy, doctors, students, and family groups, offering valuable insights for historians, genealogists, and educators.
Senior Officers and Staff
- Commander: Captain E. Finch, R.D., R.N.R
- Chief Engineer: W. C. Donald
- Surgeon: Michael Bulger, M.A., M.D
- Purser: H. W. Lagden
- Assistant Purser : E. Cordery
- Chief Steward: W. Simkin
Tourist Third Cabin Passengers
- Mr. J. Ackermans
- Mr. B. Amey
- Mr. W. Amey
- Mr. A. Amey
- Mrs. G. Atkinson
- Mr. A. H. Bangert
- Mr. W. Bartell
- Mrs. G. Bartell
- Mr. J. Bartlett
- Mrs. M. P. Baughman
- Mr. M. St. G. Baughman
- Mrs. A. C. Bedal
- Mr. G. Begg
- Mrs. Begg
- Mr. Benis
- Mrs. F. P. Benis
- Mrs. R. Bernstein
- Mr. D. D. Biglow
- Mr. J. B. Bisset
- Mr. S. Brantner
- Mrs. M. Brantner
- Mr. P. Brinley
- Mrs. K. Brinley
- Mr. J. F. Bryne
- Mrs. Bryne
- Miss M. P. Bryne
- Mr. T. W. Carpenter
- Mrs. H. Carrington
- Miss T. Carter
- Miss V. Carter
- Miss E. Codling
- Mr. M. Connor
- Mrs. A. Crabtree
- Miss Crabtree
- Miss M. Curtiss
- Miss E. J. Daniels
- Miss M. De Bruyn Kops
- Mr. J. A. Deening
- Mr. A. De Sena
- Mrs. D. Douglas
- Master. F. N. Douglas
- Mr. C. Dumbolton
- Mrs. M. S. Eaton
- Mr. T. Edgerton
- Mr. N. Farkas
- Mrs. M. Farkas
- Mr. A. Feckelsberg
- Mrs. L. Feckelsberg
- Mr. D. D. Fernandez
- Miss D. N. Ferrier
- Mrs. M. Findlay
- Mr. C. Firlin
- Mrs. Firlln
- Mr. G. W. Gardner
- Mrs. S. Gold
- Mrs. D. Goodacre
- Miss G. Grace
- Miss A. Greely
- Mrs. G. Grimes
- Mrs. O. L. Grimes
- Mrs. E. C. Harrall
- Mr. B. F. Harrall
- Miss J. Hay
- Mrs. E. Heins
- Mrs. A. M. Hermanson
- Mr. T. Hernandez
- Miss M. Hickie
- Rev. T. S. Higgins
- Mrs. Higgins
- Miss G. Hitchcock
- Miss M. Hitchcock
- Miss J. Holoham
- Mr. W. Hooper
- Mrs. M. R. Horn
- Miss E. Howell
- Mrs. M. F. Irish
- Miss M. Irwin
- Miss M. Jeffers
- Mrs. G. Jordan
- Mr. E. Karman
- Mrs. H, Keeley
- Miss M. Kent
- Mr. H. Kleefkins
- Mr. L. Kwtchin
- Miss L. A. Langdon
- Mrs. E. Laurence
- Miss E. Laurence
- Mr. H. Lee
- Mr. J. T. Lines
- Miss M. Livingstone
- Miss M. Lubin
- Mr. C. Lucknow
- Mrs. E. A. Lyons
- Mrs. E. Martin
- Miss M. McCarthy
- Mr. A. S. McKee
- Miss E. McKnight
- Dr. J. McNamara
- Mr. I. McQuaid
- Miss B. T. Meaney
- Miss H. Mears
- Miss E. Milton
- Mr. N. Molmar
- Miss M. Morrison
- Mrs. J. F. Morse
- Dr. J. Murphy
- Miss E. Nash
- Mr. F. B. Neilsen
- Mr. S. Newburger
- Mrs. E. Newburger
- Mrs. J. A. Nightingale
- Mr. V. Parenty
- Miss T. Patlagan
- Miss O. G. Peasey
- Miss F. Peebles
- Mr. C. A. Pertzoff
- Mr. R. Phillips
- Mrs. S. Pimm
- Miss E. M. Ponsford
- Master K. H. Prelle
- Miss H. Preuss
- Mrs. J. Ramus
- Miss Y. Ramus
- Master A. Ramus
- Mr. T. Rawlings
- Mrs. H. Rawlings
- Mr. G. Reeve
- Mrs. A. Reeve
- Mr. H. Roden
- Mr. A. H. Rogers
- Mrs. A. H. Rogers
- Mr. H. B. Rogers
- Mr. Q. U. A. Ross
- Mrs. M. A. W. Ross
- Mr. W. B. Rouse
- Mrs. W. B. Rouse
- Mrs. W. M. Ryan
- Mr. A. Schaller
- Mr. M. L. Schein
- Mr. J. Schron
- Mrs. J. Schron
- Mr. M. Schwartz
- Mr. W. S. Semple
- Mrs. W. R. Sherwood
- Mr. G. Shurtz
- Mr. A. Smith
- Mr. D. Stanford
- Miss B. Stokel
- Miss J. Stoical
- Mr. Tardy
- Mrs. L. Tardy
- Mrs. R. Taylor
- Mr. L. Thatcher
- Mr. B. G. Thiele
- Mr. R. G. A. Thiele
- Mr. L. I. Thompson
- Mrs. S. J. Thompson
- Miss R. Thompson
- Mr. Todd
- Mrs. Todd
- Mr. D. M. Van Lessen
- Mr. G. M. Van Lessen
- Mr. C. Velten
- Miss J. Visser
- Mr. D. Vivier
- Mr. I. C. Vos
- Mrs. E. Walker
- Mrs. J. A. Warner
- Mr. J. G. Welch
- Mrs. L. M. Wells
- Mrs. S. White
- Mr. C. Whitehead
🧑🤝🧑 Notable Passengers and Social Highlights
Rev. T. S. Higgins & Mrs. Higgins – A religious leader traveling with his wife, Rev. Higgins represents the continuation of pastoral ministry at sea, where clergymen were frequently invited to conduct Sunday Divine Services. His presence underscores the Atlantic Transport Line’s effort to maintain a sense of community and morality aboard ship.
Dr. J. McNamara and Dr. J. Murphy – Two medical professionals aboard suggest a strong representation of educated professionals and academics. Their inclusion also highlights the role of physicians in transatlantic cultural exchange.
Mrs. W. R. Sherwood and Mrs. L. M. Wells – Representing well-established social families, such passengers often connected Anglo-American ties, reinforcing the social networking aspect of tourist travel.
Mr. B. G. Thiele & Mr. R. G. A. Thiele – Two male travelers of the same surname, possibly brothers, illustrate how family units frequently used the Tourist Third Cabin for affordable Atlantic crossings.
Students and Educators: Numerous Misses listed, including Miss M. De Bruyn Kops, Miss M. Morrison, Miss E. Nash, Miss E. Ponsford, and others, suggest a strong showing of student travelers, many likely tied to the Student Travel Club movement of the 1920s.
Information for Passengers
Breakfast at 7.30 am and 8:30 am
Lunch at 12 noon and 1:00 pm
Dinner at 6 p.m, and 7:00 pm,
Divine Service will be held on Sundays at 11:00 am
Smoking.—Passengers are kindly requested not to smoke in either the Dining Saloon or in the Reading and Writing Room.
Seats at Table.—Passengers who have not previously arranged for seats at table to be reserved should apply to the Second Steward.
Upper Berths.—Passengers occupying upper berths can obtain steps for getting in or out on applying to the Steward or Stewardess.
Medical Attendance. The Surgeon is Authorised To Make Customary Charges, Subject in Each Case To The Approval of The Commander, for Treating Passengers at Their Request for Any Illness Not Originating On The Voyage. in The Case of Sickness Originating On The Voyage No Charge WILL Be MADE, and MEDICINE WILL Be PROVIDED Free in ALL CIRCUMSTANCES.
The Purser's Office is situated on Deck B, where Letters, Cables, Telegrams and Marconigrams are received or delivered, and Postage Stamps can be purchased.
None of the ship's staff other than those on duty in the Purser's Office are authorized to accept Letters or Telegrams for despatch.
Charges Collected on Board. Passengers are requested to ask for a Receipt on the Company's Form for any additional Passage Money, Chair or Steamer Rug Hire, charges collected for Marconigrams Cablegrams or Telegrams or Freight paid on board.
Deck Chairs and Steamer Rugs can be hired on application to the Deck Steward, at a charge of $1 each for the voyage
Valuables. For the convenience of Passengers, the Line has provided in the Purser's office a safe in which money, jewels, ornaments, documents or other valuables may be deposited by Passengers. A receipt for any articles so deposited will be issued by the Purser, but the Line does not, having regard to the ticket conditions and to the provisions of Section 502 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, and of Section 4281 of the Revised Statutes of the United States, accept any responsibility for the safe custody of any such articles. Passengers are accordingly advised to protect themselves by insurance.
Exchange of Money. The Purser is prepared, for the convenience of Passengers, to exchange a limited amount of English and American money at rates which will be advised on application.
Baggage. Questions relating to Baggage should be referred to the Second Steward, who is the Ship's Baggage Master.
Wardrobe Trunks. Passengers are advised that it is not Always possible to arrange for the placing of Wardrobe Trunks in the passenger accommodation in a position where they are easily accessible, also that there is frequently difficulty with regard to the landing, of such packages owing to their exceptional size. They are therefore recommended to use steamer trunks in preference.
Baggage Room. For Passengers' special convenience all heavy baggage not placed into state rooms is stored in the baggage room, where it is available to the owner twice daily at hours as stated on the ship's notice board.
Dogs. Passengers are notified that dogs should be handed over to the care of the live-stock attendant, and cannot be landed in Great Britain unless a license has previously been procured from the Board of Agriculture, London. Forms of license must be obtained by direct application to the Department before the dog is taken on board.
Travellers' Cheques. I. M. M. Company's Travellers Cheques payable in all parts of Europe can be purchased at all the principal offices of the Atlantic Transport Line. These Cheques in small denominations are accepted on board Atlantic Transport steamers in part payment of accounts, but the Pursers have not sufficient funds to enable them to cash these or any other Cheques.
🌍 Relevance for Teachers, Students, Genealogists, and Historians
Teachers & Students: This passenger list offers a glimpse into educational travel and cultural exchange in the 1920s, when student clubs and university groups frequently crossed the Atlantic.
Genealogists: Provides family groupings (e.g., the Brinleys, Brynes, Thieles, Van Lessens, and Ramuses) useful for reconstructing kinship and migration patterns.
Historians: Demonstrates the postwar democratization of travel, when tourism became accessible to middle-class families, students, and professionals.
Religious & Cultural Studies: The presence of clergy and Sunday services reflects the enduring link between faith and transatlantic life.
✨ Final Thoughts – Why This Passenger List Matters
The SS Minnesota passenger list from 15 October 1927 is more than a record of names; it is a social snapshot of interwar Atlantic travel. With its blend of clergy, doctors, students, families, and professionals, the document embodies the democratization of ocean travel in the late 1920s.
For researchers, genealogists, and educators, it serves as a rich source of migration history, social mobility, and cultural exchange, encapsulating the hopes and rhythms of life at sea during the twilight years of the great ocean liners before aviation redefined transatlantic journeys.
Curator’s Note
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