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Red Star Line History and Ephemera

The Red Star Line began transatlantic passenger service in 1873 and 1935 between European ports and New York. The Belgenland was their most famous ship, and most of the names of their steamships ended with the suffix "land."

Red Star Line Ephemera in Date Order

Passenger Manifest, Red Star Line Friesland, Cabin Passengers 1895

1892-05-07 SS Friesland Passenger List

Class of Passengers: Cabin
Date of Departure: 7 May 1892
Route: Antwerp to New York via Dover
Commander: Captain Wm. G. Randle

1895-07-20 SS Friesland Passenger List

Class of Passengers: Cabin
Date of Departure: 20 July 1895
Route: Antwerp to New York
Commander: Captain H. E. Nickels

Front Cover, Brochure About Antwerp and the Red Star Line © 1904.

1904 - About Antwerp and the Red Star Line Brochure

50-page brochure from the Red Star Line provides extensive information on the harbor of Antwerp, the history of the city, and the Red Star Line transatlantic fleet. Many photographs help to illustrate this rare booklet from 1904.

Passenger List, Red Star Line SS Vaderland, 1901, Antwerp to New York (Front Cover)

1904-08-13 SS Vaderland Passenger List

Class of Passengers: Cabin
Date of Departure: 13 August 1904
Route: Antwerp to New York via Dover
Commander: Captain R. C. Ehoff

Front Cover of the Cabin Class Passenger List from the RMS Vaderland of the Red Star Line, Departing Saturday, 10 September 1904 from Antwerp for New York via Dover

1904-09-10 RMS Vaderland Passenger List

Steamship Line: Red Star Line
Class of Passengers: Cabin Class
Date of Departure: 10 September 1904
Route: Antwerp for New York via Dover
Commander: Captain R. C. Ehoff

Passenger List, Red Star Line SS Finland, 1906, Antwerp to New York

1906-05-12 SS Finland Passenger List

Class of Passengers: First and Second Cabin
Date of Departure: 12 May 1906
Route: Antwerp to New York via Dover
Commander: Captain G. C. Apfeld

Passenger List, Red Star Line SS Zeeland 1908, Antwerp to New York

1908-08-08 SS Zeeland Passenger List

Class of Passengers: Cabin
Date of Departure: 8 August 1908
Route: Antwerp to New York via Dover
Commander: Captain J. S. Ball

Front Cover - 27 August 1910 Passenger List, RMS Lapland, Red Star Line

1910-08-27 RMS Lapland Passenger List

Class of Passengers: Second Class
Date of Departure: 27 August 1910
Route: Antwerp to New York via Dover
Commander: Captain H. D. Doxrud

Front Cover - 16 September 1911 Passenger List, RMS Vaderland, Red Star Line

1911-09-16 RMS Vaderland Passenger List

Class of Passengers: First Class
Date of Departure: 16 September 1911
Route: Antwerp to New York via Dover
Commander: Captain R. Prager

Immigrant 3rd Class Steamship Ticket - 1912 - Red Star Line

1912-08-10 Third (Steerage) Class Ticket - Red Star Line

Well-preserved original steamship ticket for a voyage undertaken on 10 August 1912 undertaken by a 24 Year Old Immigrant who left Belgium in 1912 for New York.

Front Cover - 29 October 1914 Passenger List, RMS Lapland, Red Star Line

1914-10-29 RMS Lapland Passenger List

Class of Passengers: Second Class
Date of Departure: 29 October 1914
Route: Liverpool to New York via Queenstown (Cobh)
Commander: Captain J. Bradshaw

Front Cover - 21 April 1920 Passenger List, RMS Lapland, Red Star Line

1920-04-21 RMS Lapland Passenger List

Class of Passengers: Second Class
Date of Departure: 21 April 1920
Route: Antwerp to New York via Southampton
Commander: Captain J. Bradshaw

Front Cover - 8 August 1923 Passenger List, SS Lapland, Red Star Line

1923-08-08 SS Lapland Passenger List

Class of Passengers: Cabin
Date of Departure: 8 August 1923
Route: Antwerp to New York via Southampton and Cherbourg
Commander: Captain T. Howell

Front Cover of 1924 Brochure The SS Belgenland of the Red Star Line.

1924 - Red Star Line SS Belgenland Into Europe Brochure

The Triple Screw Steamer Belgenland, Queen of the Red Star Line Ships 1924 18-page Brochure entitled "Into Europe Through Belgium," produced by the New York Office. Great photographs capture the luxury and opulence of the first class in this magnificent ship.

Front Cover of 1924 Brochure on the Red Star Line Flagship SS Belgenland 27,200 Tons.

1924 - Red Star Line SS Belgenland Brochure

A 1924 brochure from the Red Star Line features their flagship, the SS Belgenland and her many amenities available for first-class passengers. Numerous photographs and illustrations document the opulence and service provided by the Red Star Line.

Front Cover, SS Zeeland Passenger List - 26 June 1924

1924-06-26 SS Zeeland Passenger List

Class of Passengers: Cabin
Date of Departure: 26 June 1924
Route: New York to Antwerp via Plymouth and Cherbourg
Commander: Captain A. J. Thomas

Front Cover, Sports and Entertainments Program Held on Board the SS Zeeland Beginning Friday, 26 June 1924.

1924-06-26 Sports and Entertainments Program - SS Zeeland

Sports and Entertainment Program for the Eastbound Voyage of the SS Zeeland of the Red Star Line beginning 26 June 1924. Activities included shoe and sack races, bottle driving, dancing, wheel barrel races, and a costume ball.

Front Cover -19 July 1924 Passenger List, RMS Belgenland, Red Star Line

1924-07-19 RMS Belgenland Passenger List

Class of Passengers: Cabin
Date of Departure: 19 July 1924
Route: London to New York via Cherbourg
Commander: Commodore J. Bradshaw

Front Cover, SS Zeeland Passenger List - 30 June 1925

1925-07-30 SS Zeeland Passenger List

Class of Passengers: Cabin
Date of Departure: 30 July 1925
Route: New York to Antwerp via Plymouth and Cherbourg
Commander: Captain A. J. Thomas

Brochure Cover, Red Star Line Second Class Rates

1926-01 Red Star Line Second Class Rates Brochure

January 1926 brochure containing second class rates for the Red Star Line steamships Belgenland and Lapland for routes between New York and Antwerp. European Rail and Steamer Fares and interior and exterior photographs for both ships are included.

Front Cover, SS Belgenland Passenger List - 26 June 1926

1926-06-26 RMS Belgenland Passenger List

Class of Passengers: Cabin
Date of Departure: 26 June 1926
Route: New York to Antwerp via Plymouth and Cherbourg
Commander: Captain T. Howell

Passenger Manifest, Red Star Line SS Pennland 1926 Antwerp to Halifax and New York

1926-08-27 SS Pennland Passenger List

Class of Passengers: Cabin
Date of Departure: 27 August 1926
Route: Antwerp to Halifax and New York via Boulogne-sur-Mer and Southampton
Commander: Captain William A. Morehouse

Front Cover, Passenger List, Red Star Line RMS Belgenland, 3 September 1926

1926-09-03 SS Belgenland Passenger List

Class of Passengers: Tourist Third Cabin
Date of Departure: 3 September 1926
Route: Antwerp to New York via Boulogne-sur-Mer and Southampton
Commander: Captain Th. Howell

Front Cover, SS Pennland Passenger List - 27 July 1928

1928-07-27 SS Pennland Passenger List

Class of Passengers: Cabin
Date of Departure: 27 July 1928
Route: Antwerp to Halifax and New York via Boulogne-sur-Mer and Southampton
Commander: Captain V. L. Making

Front Cover, SS Belgenland Passenger List - 31 August 1928

1928-08-31 SS Lapland Passenger List

Class of Passengers: Cabin
Date of Departure: 31 August 1928
Route: Antwerp to New York via Southampton and Cherbourg
Commander: Captain H. Harvey

Passenger List, Red Star Line SS Arabic, 1929 - Antwerp to Halifax NS and New York

1929-08-16 SS Arabic Passenger List

Class of Passengers: Tourist Third Cabin
Date of Departure: 16 August 1929
Route: Antwerp to Halifax and New York via Southampton, Cherbourg, and Queenstown (Cobh)
Commander: Captain J. B. Bulman

Front Cover, SS Lapland Passenger List - 2 November 1929

1929-11-02 SS Lapland Passenger List

Class of Passengers: Cabin
Date of Departure: 2 November 1929
Route: New York to Antwerp via Plymouth and Cherbourg
Commander: Captain H. Harvey

Front Cover, SS Lapland Farewell Dinner Bill of Fare 8 November 1929

1929-11-08 SS Lapland Farewell Dinner Menu

Vintage Farewell Dinner Bill of Fare Card from 8 November 1929 on board the SS Lapland of the Red Star Line featured Fillet of Sole, Vin Blanc, Lobster Cutlets, Canopère, and Chocolate Eclairs for dessert. A page of Autographs were included with this Menu.

1930-07-25 SS Lapland Passenger List

Class of Passengers: Cabin
Date of Departure: 25 July 1930
Route: Antwerp to New York via Southampton and Cherbourg
Commander: Captain H. Harvey

Front Cover, RMS Belgenland Passenger List - 8 August 1930

1930-08-08 RMS Belgenland Passenger List

Class of Passengers: Tourist
Date of Departure: 8 August 1930
Route: Antwerp to New York via Southampton and Cherbourg
Commander: Captain W. A. Morehouse

Front Cover, SS Lapland Passenger List - 22 August 1930

1930-08-22 SS Lapland Passenger List

Class of Passengers: Tourist
Date of Departure: 22 August 1930
Route: Antwerp to New York via Southampton and Cherbourg
Commander: Captain H. Harvey

Front Cover, Red Star Line SS Pennland Cabin Class Passenger List - 26 August 1932.

1932-08-26 SS Pennland Passenger List

Steamship Line: Red Star Line
Class of Passengers: Cabin
Date of Departure: 26 August 1932
Route: Antwerp to New York via Le Havre and Southampton
Commander: Captain V. L. Making

Front Cover, SS Pennland Passenger List - 24 August 1934

1934-08-24 SS Pennland Passenger List

Steamship Line: Red Star Line
Class of Passengers: Cabin
Date of Departure: 24 August 1934
Route: Antwerp to New York via Le Havre and Southampton
Commander: Captain H. Harvey

Front Cover, Red Star Line SS Pennland Cabin Class Passenger List - 5 September 1936.

1936-09-05 SS Pennland Passenger List

Steamship Line: Red Star Line
Class of Passengers: Cabin
Date of Departure: 5 September 1936
Route: Antwerp to New York via Southampton
Commander: Captain Walter Sengpiel

1938-09-24 SS Gerolstein Passenger List

Class of Passengers: Tourist Third Cabin
Date of Departure: 24 September 1938
Route: Antwerp to New York
Commander: Captain Friedrich Ahrens

1988 - The Red Star Line and International Mercantile Marine Company

The Red Star Line, one of the oldest and best known shipping lines ever to send ships out to sail the oceans, was founded in 1872 and liquidated in 1935. All of the Red Star ships, bearing such famous names as the VADERLAND, NEDERLAND, BELGENLAND, RHYNLAND, WESTERNLAND and PENNLAND, sailed under the Belgian flag, although the Company was financed by Americans.

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The Folks Behind the GG Archives

The GG Archives is the work and passion of two people, Paul Gjenvick, a professional archivist, and Evelyne Gjenvick, a curator. Paul earned a Masters of Archival Studies - a terminal degree from Clayton State University in Georgia, where he studied under renowned archivist Richard Pearce-Moses. Our research into the RMS Laconia and SS Bergensfjord, the ships that brought two members of the Gjønvik family from Norway to the United States in the early 20th century, has helped us design our site for other genealogists. The extent of original materials at the GG Archives can be very beneficial when researching your family's migration from Europe.

Red Star Line History and Ephemera

Red Star Line Ephemera in Date Order

Red Star Line Collection GG Archives

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