RMS Franconia (1910)

This article is about the 1910–1916 ship. For other ships with the same name, see RMS Franconia.

RMS Franconia passing Castle Island in Boston Harbor
History
United Kingdom
NameRMS Franconia
NamesakeFranconia
OwnerCunard Line
Port of registry
Ordered28th August 1909
BuilderSwan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson, Newcastle upon Tyne
Launched23 July 1910
FateSunk October 4, 1916 by UB-47
General characteristics
TypeOcean liner
Tonnage18,150 GRT
Length625 ft (191 m)
Beam71 ft (22 m)
Installed powerQuadruple expansion engines
PropulsionTwo propellers
Speed17 knots (31 km/h)
Capacity2,610 passengers:

174 First Class 492 Second Class

1,944 Third Class

The RMS Franconia was an ocean liner operated by the Cunard Line. She was launched on 23 July 1910 at the Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Wallsend shipyard.[1] Franconia was intended for the line's Boston service, being the largest ship of the time to enter Boston harbor, with winter service in the New York-Mediterranean cruising service.[1]

Her maiden voyage in February 1911, was between Liverpool and Boston, USA.[2] She was nicknamed the "bathroom ship" as she had more bathrooms and showers on board than the Mauretania. She was unusual, as she did not have staterooms on the upper deck, instead she had a library, gymnasium and a lounge and smoking room.[2]

She completed her final crossing from Liverpool to Boston on 22 September 1914, by which time she had carried 52,695 passengers westbound to Boston.[3] Her final crossing from Liverpool to New York was completed on 1 February 1915 at which point she had carried 18,505 passengers to New York (7,096 on her Liverpool service, 11,409 on her Mediterranean service)[4] for a combined total of 71,200 westbound passengers. Additionally, between Cunard's New York and Boston services, Franconia also carried 26,328 passengers eastbound to Liverpool.[5]

After several years service primarily in the North Atlantic, she was taken into service as a troop transport in early 1915. On 4 October 1916, while heading for Salonika, she was torpedoed and sunk by the German U-boat UB-47 195 miles east of Malta. She was not carrying any troops but out of her 314 crew members, 12 died.[2] The others were saved by the hospital ship Dover Castle.[6]

  1. ^ a b "The New Cunard Liner Franconia". International Marine Engineering. 33 (September). Marine Engineering, Inc., New York—London: 44–47. 1910. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  2. ^ a b c "The Lewiston Daily Sun". Maine: Sun Journal (Lewiston). 4 October 1916. p. 14. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  3. ^ Massachusetts, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists, 1820-1963
  4. ^ New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists, 1820-1957
  5. ^ UK and Ireland, Incoming Passenger and Crew Lists, 1878-1960
  6. ^ Hocking, C. (1969). Dictionary of Disasters at Sea during the Age of Steam 1824–1962. London: London Stamp Exchange.