White Star Line History and Ephemera
While half a century has elapsed since the White Star Line commenced running a regular steamer service between New York and Liverpool, the Line has actually been in existence since the middle of last century. Its original fleet consisted of some half dozen American-built clipper ships plying between England and Australia.
The Line was born during the gold fever. It is said that within the space of seven years the White Star clippers carried half a million prospectors to the Antipodes in search of the yellow metal. They returned home via China carrying cargoes of tea.
Documents and Other Ephemera of the White Star Line
Sorted in Date Order by Topic, Our White Star Line Archival Collections include Passenger Lists, Vintage Brochures, Vintage Menus, Books, Immigrant Passage Tickets, and Other Ephemera.
1880-05-29 Memorandum of a Draft - White Star Line
A Memorandum of a Draft was often used as a receipt for for funds sent to immigrants still in the Old Country waiting to come to America.
1880-05-29 Prepaid Steerage Agent's Record - White Star Line
Agent's Record for a Prepaid passage on a White Star Line Steamship for passage from Cardiff, Whales, UK to Scranton PA via Steerage class in 1880. This was detached from the steamship ticket provided to the traveler and steamship line.
1902-11-14 Passenger Contract - Gothenburg to New York
Original Steamship Contract from Gothenburg, Sweden to New York, 3rd Class Steerage Immigrant Ester Hilma Maria Magnuson of Stockholm on the White Star Line. Included the detachable receipt located on the right hand side (panel).
1910-12-20 Contract Ticket - 3rd Class - White Star Line
Extraordinarily rare Third Class Passenger's Contract Ticket for a voyage on the SS Persic of the White Star Line from Sydney to Melbourne, Australia.
- 1889-06-26 SS Germanic - New York to Liverpool
- 1896-07-22 RMS Germanic - Liverpool to New York via Queenstown (Cobh)
- 1898-05-18 RMS Teutonic - Liverpool to New York
- 1903-02-04 SS Teutonic - New York to Liverpool
- 1904-07-14 RMS Cretic - Liverpool to Boston via Queenstown (Cobh)
- 1904-08-19 RMS Celtic - Liverpool to Boston via Queenstown (Cobh)
- 1905-08-30 RMS Majestic - Liverpool to New York via Queenstown (Cobh)
- 1906-03-08 RMS Cymric - Liverpool to Boston via Queenstown (Cobh)
- 1906-09-07 RMS Cymric - Liverpool to Boston via Queenstown (Cobh)
- 1907-08-14 RMS Republic - Liverpool to Boston via Queenstown (Cobh)
- 1907-11-06 RMS Oceanic - Southampton to New York via Cherbourg and Queenstown (Cobh)
- 1908-08-26 SS Cretic - Genoa to New York via Naples and Azores
- 1908-10-04 SS Romanic - Genoa to Boston via Naples, Almeria, and Azores
- 1909-06-11 RMS Arabic - Liverpool to New York via Queenstown (Cobh)
- 1909-12-08 RMS Oceanic - Southampton to New York via Cherbourg and Queenstown (Cobh)
- 1910-07-26 RMS Cymric - Liverpool to Boston via Queenstown (Cobh)
- 1910-09-14 RMS Teutonic - Southampton to New York via Cherbourg and Queenstown (Cobh)
- 1911-07-23 SS Canopic - Genoa to Boston via Naples and Azores
- 1912-04-10 RMS Titanic - Southampton to New York via Cherbourg and Queenstown (Cobh)
- 1913-06-24 RMS Laurentic - Liverpool to Québec and Montréal
- 1913-11-22 SS Cretic - Genoa to Boston via Naples and Azures
- 1917-12-22 RMS Baltic - Liverpool to New York
- 1919-06-19 SS Adriatic - New York to Liverpool
- 1919-11-14 RMS Adriatic - Southampton to New York via Cherbourg
- 1920-04-07 RMS Adriatic - Southampton to New York via Cherbourg
- 1920-04-24 SS Adriatic - New York to Southampton via Cherbourg
- 1920-09-08 RMS Olympic - Southampton to New York via Cherbourg
- 1921-09-10 RMS Baltic - Liverpool to New York via Queenstown (Cobh)
- 1922-04-01 RMS Baltic - Liverpool to New York via Cobh (Queenstown)
- 1922-08-23 RMS Olympic - Southampton to New York via Cherbourg
- 1922-09-06 RMS Majestic - Southampton to New York via Cherbourg
- 1923-08-18 RMS Adriatic - Liverpool to New York via Cobh
- 1923-09-05 RMS Homeric - Southampton to New York via Cherbourg
- 1924-05-07 RMS Majestic - Southampton to New York via Cherbourg
- 1924-05-22 SS Pittsburgh - Hamburg to Halifax and New York via Southampton and Cherbourg
- 1924-09-04 SS Pittsburgh - Hamburg to Halifax and New York via Southampton and Cherbourg
- 1924-09-18 SS Arabic - Hamburg to Halifax and New York via Southampton and Cherbourg
- 1925-05-27 RMS Homeric - Southampton to New York via Cherbourg
- 1925-05-30 RMS Celtic - Liverpool to Boston and New York via Queenstown (Cobh)
- 1926-04-24 RMS Celtic - Liverpool to Boston and New York via Queenstown (Cobh)
- 1926-06-05 SS Majestic - New York to Southampton via Cherbourg
- 1926-08-25 RMS Homeric - Southampton to New York via Cherbourg
- 1927-04-16 RMS Doric - Liverpool to Québec and Montréal
- 1927-08-13 RMS Cedric - Liverpool to Boston and New York via Queenstown (Cobh)
- 1927-08-24 RMS Majestic - Southampton to New York via Cherbourg
- 1927-09-09 RMS Albertic - Liverpool to Québec and Montréal
- 1927-10-08 RMS Cedric - Liverpool to New York via Cherbourg
- 1928-03-24 RMS Cedric - Liverpool to Boston and New York via Queenstown (Cobh)
- 1928-05-19 RMS Doric - Montréal and Québec to Liverpool via Belfast
- 1928-05-19 SS Celtic - New York and Boston to Liverpool via Cobh (Queenstown)
- 1928-06-14 RMS Albertic - Montréal and Québec to Southampton via Le Havre, and London
- 1928-08-08 RMS Homeric - Southampton to New York via Cherbourg
- 1928-08-15 RMS Majestic - Southampton to New York via Cherbourg
- 1928-08-17 RMS Laurentic - Liverpool to Québec and Montréal via Belfast and Glasgow
- 1928-09-14 RMS Laurentic - Liverpool to Québec and Montréal via Belfast and Glasgow
- 1929-02-08 SS Adriatic - Alexandria to New York via Syracuse, Naples, Monaco, and Gibraltar
- 1929-04-20 SS Majestic - New York to Southampton via Cherbourg
- 1929-05-18 RMS Baltic - Liverpool to New York via Queenstown (Cobh)
- 1929-06-01 RMS Adriatic - Liverpool to New York via Queenstown (Cobh)
- 1929-06-08 RMS Cedric - Liverpool to Boston and New York via Queenstown (Cobh)
- 1929-07-13 SS Baltic - Liverpool to New York via Queenstown (Cobh)
- 1929-08-17 RMS Albertic - Liverpool to Boston and New York via Belfast and Glassgow
- 1929-09-04 RMS Majestic - Southampton to New York via Cherbourg
- 1929-09-18 RMS Homeric - Southampton to New York via Cherbourg
- 1930-02-27 SS Laurentic - Mediterranean Cruise from New York to Madeira, Gibraltar, Algiers, Monaco, Naples, Athens, Constantinople, Haifa, Alexandria, Syracuse, Naples, Monaco, Gibraltar, Cherbourg, and Southampton.
- 1930-06-14 RMS Baltic - Liverpool to New York via Queenstown (Cobh)
- 1930-08-06 RMS Homeric - Southampton to New York via Cherbourg
- 1930-08-22 RMS Doric - Liverpool to Québec and Montréal via Belfast and Glasgow
- 1930-08-23 RMS Megantic - Southampton to Québec and Montréal via Le Havre
- 1930-10-01 RMS Majestic - Southampton to New York via Cherbourg
- 1931-06-24 RMS Homeric - Southampton to New York via Cherbourg
- 1931-07-31 RMS Baltic - Liverpool to Boston and New York via Queenstown (Cobh)
- 1931-08-22 RMS Adriatic - Liverpool to New York via Belfast and Glasgow
- 1932-07-30 RMS Georgic - Liverpool to Boston and New York via Cobh and Galway
- 1932-08-10 RMS Majestic - Southampton to New York via Cherbourg
- 1932-08-25 RMS Georgic - Liverpool to New York via Cobh
- 1933-08-23 RMS Majestic - Southampton to New York via Cherbourg
- 1934-08-08 RMS Majestic - Southampton to New York via Cherbourg
- 1934-10-06 RMS Britannic - Liverpool to Boston and New York via Cobh And Galway
- 1935-09-04 RMS Majestic - Southampton to New York via Cherbourg
- 1935-10-04 RMS Britannic - Southampton to New York via Le Havre and Cobh
- 1936-08-08 RMS Britannic - Southampton to New York via Le Havre and Cobh
- 1936-10-17 RMS Georgic - Southampton to New York via Le Havre and Cobh
- 1937-07-24 RMS Georgic - Southampton to New York via Le Havre and Cobh
- 1937-08-07 RMS Britannic - Southampton to New York via Le Havre and Cobh
- 1937-09-17 RMS Georgic - Southampton to New York via Le Havre and Cobh
- 1937-10-16 RMS Georgic - Southampton to New York via Le Havre and Cobh
- 1938-10-15 RMS Britannic - Southampton to New York via Le Havre and Cobh
- 1939-07-08 SS Georgic - New York to London via Cobh, Southampton, and Le Havre
1902-04-02 Immigrant Inspection Card - White Star Line RMS Germanic
Inspection Card issued to an immigrant traveling in Steerage by the White Star Line RMS Germanic in April 1902 that provided information about the immigrant including Name, Last Residence, evidence of Immunization, Port of Departure and Steamship name.
1921-09-29 Transmigrant Certificate, Third Class Passenger
Transmigrant Certificate, issued in 1921 to a third class passenger on the White Star Line RMS Olympic. It is intended as a health certificate notifying anyone that the carrier had been inspected, vaccinated, examined and vermin-free.
1907 - White Star Line Fleet, History, and Services
Excellent brochure from the White Star Line covering all three classes of services at the height of the transatlantic immigrant trade. Profusely illustrated with many photographs of the ships and accommodations.
1909 - The Famous Big 4 - New York-Liverpool Service
This 8-Page White Star Line brochure on the Famous Big 4 of the New York Liverpool Service - The Adriatic, Baltic, Cedric, and Celtic, is packed with incredible photographs (Interior and exterior) some with actual passengers. Includes information on the ships and their accommodations.
1922 - RMS Majestic - The World's Largest Ship
One of the most exceptional brochures issued by the New York Office of the White Star Line. It covers the first-class accommodations with a visual record of the grand luxury of the public areas, dining saloon, lounges with a few photographs of the elegant second class accommodations.
1928 - Tourist Third Cabin & Third Class - WSL Canadian Service
Tourist Third Cabin and Third Class Views, Plans, and General Information for the SS Laurentic, SS Albertic, SS Calgaric, SS Megantic, SS Doric, and SS Regina. 25 Photographs, mainly interior views and Deck Plans for the Albertic, Megantic, Laurentic, Calgaric, Doric, and Regina.
1928 - Popular Tours to Europe - Beale Tours - WSL Canadian Service
White Star Line Canadian Service. Informational brochure details several different European tours with Itineraries and Costs. Steamship Interior Photos included: Dining Room, Smoking Room, Ladies' Lounge, Dance Hall, Two-Berth Cabin with Settee, and Lounge, all from Tourist Third Class (Ship's Not Identified). An illustration of SS Laurentic (1927) and an advertisement with a photo of a European Standard Suitcase (27.5 x 14.5 x 8 inches).
1930 - White Star Line To Boston and New York in Third Class
Translated from a 1930 Dutch brochure on third-class accommodations on the "Big Four" - the Britannic, Baltic, Cedric, and Adriatic, with many interior photographs to document this class of travel in 1930.
1912-04-14 RMS Titanic Luncheon Menu
Privately published reproduction of the famous Luncheon Bill of Fare from the RMS Titanic feature such specialities as Cockie Leekie, Roast Beef, Veal & Ham Pie, and Virginia & Cumberland Ham.
1919-07-06 RMS Celtic Dinner Menu Card
Vintage Dinner Bill of Fare Card from Date on board the RMS Celtic of the White Star Line featured a limited Bill of Fare including Potage Brunoise, Boiled Salmon-Cucumber Hollandaise, and Brandy & Hard Sauce for dessert. The reverse side contained handwritten notaions from the passenger.
1919-07-05 RMS Celtic Breakfast Menu Card
Post World War I Breakfast Bill of Fare Card from the RMS Celtic of the White Star Line offers typical breakfast fare of Eggs, Saratoga Potatoes, Broiled Wiltshire Bacon and Broiled Palethorpe Sausage with Savoury Rice.
1927-06-13 SS Regina Dinner Menu Card
Vintage Third Cabin Tourist Dinner Bill of Fare Card from 13 June 1927 on board the SS Regina of the White Star Line featured Sea Bass à la Commodore, Ribs and Sirloin of Beef Horseradish, and Pouding Baronne for dessert.
1928-01-27 SS Laurentic Gala Dinner Menu
Vintage Gala Dinner Bill of Fare from Friday, 27 January 1928 on board the White Star Line SS Laurentic features gala selections for that era including Salmon `'rout, Bercy, Prawns a l'Indienne and Vermont Turkey.
1928-06-15 RMS Albertic Dinner Menu Card
Vintage Dinner Bill of Fare Card from 15 June 1928 on board the RMS Albertic of the White Star Line features passenger annotated Bill of Fare selections offering Chicken Okra, Poached Kingfish, Homard, and Delaware Pudding. The reverse side has the Delaware Pudding recipe ingredients written out by the ship's chef.
1928-06-17 SS Albertic Dinner Menu
Vintage Dinner Bill of Fare Postcard from 17 June 1928 on board the SS Albertic of the White Star Line features Broiled Salmon with Hollandaise Sauce and Consommé Cloiseul with Chancellor Pudding for Desert. The reverse side contained the Bill of Fare and Postcard (postally unused).
1928-06-18 RMS Albertic Dinner Menu
Vintage Dinner Bill of Fare Card from Monday, 18 June 1928 on board the RMS Albertic of the White Star Line featured Poached Halibut, Trouvillaise, Fore and Hind Quarters of Lamb, Mint Sauce, and Ice Cream and Wafers for dessert.
1928-06-19 RMS Albertic Dinner Menu
Vintage Dinner Bill of Fare Card from 19 June 1928 on board the RMS Albertic featured an image of a French Frigate of the Olden Times. Bill of Fare selections included Cream Argenteuil, Poached Brill, Shrimp Sauce, and Chocolate Pudding for dessert.
1928-06-20 RMS Albertic Dinner Menu
Vintage Dinner Bill of Fare Card from Wednesday, 20 June 1928 on board the RMS Albertic of the White Star Line. The Bill of Fare featured Cream Valencienne, Poached Turbot, Sauce Homard, and Bermuda Pudding for dessert.
1920-11-01 Grand Concert Program - RMS Olympic
Sister Ship of the RMS Titanic, The Olympic presented a Grand Concert to passengers in the Second Class to aid various seaman’s charities. It was held in the Second Class Saloon at 8:15 pm on Monday, 1 November 1920.
1928-05-28 Grand Concert Program - SS Celtic
Grand Concert held on 28 May 1928 on board the SS Celtic of the White Star Line featured mostly music. Songs appear to have been performed by talented passengers. Following the concert, prizes were awarded for best costumes at the Fancy Dress Ball in addition to prizes for sports events.
1928-06-14 Sports Events Program - SS Albertic
Sports Events Held on Board S.S. “Albertic” on a voyage from Montreal To London, 14 June 1928. Featured events included Shuffleboard, Deck Tennis, Potato Race, Skipping Competition, Dancing, Tug of War, Bridge, Whist, and Coat Race. A Fancy Dress Ball and Children’s Tea Party are also planned.
1928-06-21 Grand Concert Program - RMS Albertic
Program of a grand concert held in the tourist dining saloon on board RMS Albertic of the White Star Line on Thursday, June 21st, 1928 at 8 30 p.m. Variety show included musical numbers, readings, recitation, step dance, and the presentation of sports prizes.
1990 - White Star Line - Merchant Fleets #19
Despite the misfortunes of the White Star Line it is still regarded with esteem and affection. For those born after the end of White Star this vol. is, therefore, deliberately comprehensive and definitive. There is the usual chronological company history. Each of the 98 ships is illustrated by 74 scale profile drawings. The career history of each ship is given.
Stationery Letterhead for the White Star Line SS Albertic Containing a McCorquodale Fine Watermark, 1923. GGA Image ID # 1d640f7b18
Front Cover, Landing Arrangements for New York on the RMS Homeric of the White Star Line, 1924. GGA Image ID # 1d6422acff
Landing Instuctions in English and French for the RMS Homeric, 1924. GGA Image ID # 1d643b401c
- 1928-09-14 Laurentic
- 1931-08-22 Adriatic
Other Documents
Burial at Sea Unidentified British Subject (Crewman), M.V. Britannic. Captain Brown Presiding, 1933.GGA Image ID # 1d61838173
White Star Line Route Map, 1914. GGA Image ID # 1d61c1a1ac
White Star Line Fleet, Services, Principal Offices (Global), 1914. GGA Image ID # 1d61d09b68
The White Star Line Majestic Enters the King George V Graving Dock at Southampton on 19 January 1934. GGA Image ID # 1d63e8a933
1930 Flyer: White Star Line Special Winter Cruises 1930: To the Mediterranean, Holy Land & Egypt.
