ADVENTURES ON THE QUEEN MARY
Former Queen Mary bellboy traveled the world in style
The 80th anniversary of the Queen Mary is a celebration of more than a ship. It’s a
celebration of the many lives she changed — like that of Ralph Rushton who left home
in Stalybridge, England, at age 15 to see the world as a bellboy.
“When I first seen the Queen Mary, it was unbelievable,” he says. “I’m just a little tyke
and I couldn’t see the end of it!”
He quickly got to know the world’s largest, fastest and finest ship, stem to stern.
Rushton graduated from bellboy, to cabin-class waiter, to first-class waiter – even filling
in as elevator operator and bathroom steward in his off hours.
“It was fantastic and we just loved it,” he says. “On the Queen Mary, everybody come
together. It was more of a family.”
Rushton signed on in post-war 1948 as Europe and America celebrated a grand new
era. On the Queen Mary, you could eat “lamb kidneys on toast” for breakfast and
“braised smoked ox-tongue Florentine” for dinner.
Each week, she crossed between Southampton, England and New York, packed with
2,000 passengers, including kings, queens, film stars, politicians, officials and
businessmen.
Some came just for the parties.
“There was champagne flowing, balloons flying, bouquets of flowers. It was all posh
dress, mink coats, high-heeled shoes.”
Rushton, who’d been tiling roofs back home at age 12, ended up meeting the Duke and
Duchess of Windsor, Rock Hudson and Princess Philomena to name a few.
By 1962, however, the Golden Age of ocean liners had given way to air travel so
Rushton retired – with a lifetime of memories.
“I was very proud to be on the biggest ship, the fastest ship,” he says. “I still love ’er.
She’s still my girlfriend.”
The 80th anniversary of the Queen Mary is a celebration of more than a ship. It’s a
celebration of the many lives she changed — like that of bellboy-turned-world-traveler
Ralph Rushton.
About the Queen Mary
Located in the Port of Long Beach, the Queen Mary features a rich maritime history,
authentic Art Deco décor, and stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and Long Beach city
skyline. At the time of her maiden voyage in May of 1936, she was considered the
grandest ocean liner ever built. The Queen Mary features award-winning restaurants,
historical attractions, numerous special event salons and 346 staterooms.
Media Contact:
Johanna Felix
Freeman McCue Public Relations for The Queen Mary
j.felix@freemanmccue.com
860-655-4221
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