This is taking a look at the way women's lives were changed by the ocean liner era in the first half of the twentieth century. Focussing mainly on the women who worked on board the ships and the various careers that were open to them, it also touches on the lives of the women who were travelling on the ships - whether they were seeking new lives and better futures and travelling in third class or the celebrities of their day in first. A couple of my favourite films have sections set on ocean liners Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Shall We Dance (the Fred and Ginger version) so I was looking forward to reading what the reality of it was like, but it was even more fascinating than I thought it would be - and more dangerous. It's also easy to read. I enjoyed Sian Evans's Queen Bees about society hostesses when I read that back in 2016 - it's still on my Keeper Shelf - and this is as good.

Passenger ocean travel started increasing from the late 19th Century-the Industrial Revolution, and the invention of the steam engine, opened up the world like never before, powering far more modes of travel than merely the railways. It also brought about a new middle class, with disposable income, and the idea of traveling for a vacation. The shipping lines made the most of this, and a new industry was practically born. All the women passengers on these ships, however, needed women employees to help them dress, attend to their needs and so on. Maiden Voyages is a delightful social history, that focuses on the women traveling on these ships, and coming to terms with this new industry. She could have chosen to focus on all the women who travelled as passengers-economic migrants, artistes for their work and socialites, and that would have also been a fun read, but Sian Evans goes a step further and also gives you a look at all the women employed in various capacities on these ships, and how in a lot of ways, Transatlantic travel helped a lot of women with an alternate viable source of employment. What is considered the Golden Age of Transatlantic travel is between the 2 world wars, with several women having to seek employment as the men they were financially dependent on had died or were too injured in the war, so apart from vacationers, there were economic migrants as well, that skyrocketed in this period. Evans describes how the shipping lines built their ships pretty much the way the class system worked in society, and made sure their first class rooms and dining rooms resembled luxury hotels at the time, so their passengers would feel a sense of familiarity. ( to the extent that they were called ‘RItzonia’, riffing on the Cunard lines naming convention for ships based on ancient Roman settlements-Aquitania, Britannia and so on). SO many travel conventions we’re used to seem to have stemmed from these early vacationers-carrying your cabin luggage, for instance, and having separate “hold” luggage, that would be stowed away safely in the ship’s hold and retrieved safely at the end of the journey. Since ships’ departures were also a place for people to see and be seen, this led to a demand for chic and convenient cabin baggage , a market that a trunk-maker called Louis Vuitton realised could be capitalised on, coming up with several innovations in trunks for voyages-ones that could easily be stacked, ones that could unfolded out in a chest of drawers and so on.
Evans chooses a fascinating cast of real life personages to illustrate her social history of travel-a constant thread through the book are the lives of the indomitable Violet Jessop and Edith Sowerbutts. VIloet Jessop, later to be dubbed “the Unsinkable”, joined as a stewardess and spent more than 3 decades at sea. Evans captures the bewilderment, and the difficulties of being the first few female employees in a traditionally male dominated industry-the superstition that women onboard were bad luck persisted well into the beginning of the 20th Century! The male employees didn’t really know how to interact with women as equally competent professionals, and the early women employees on ships had to deal with that , apart from the completely new environment and homesickness and getting over the initial seasickness. While getting paid a lot less for exactly the same work as the male employees in many instances! There was also the possibility of sexual harassment, that these women employees had to figure out how to navigate.
Violet Jessop’s story was incredible, and make for some of the most hearth-in the-mouth chapters of the book. Edith Sowerbutts was employed on ships as a guardian, of sorts, for all the first time travellers and migrants, to help them negotiate with the unfamiliar, and protect them from traffickers and other predators , and help them on the other side with immigration formalities. Through her, Evans explores the large scale immigration that was taking place, from Ireland, Scotland, and all across Europe, and the risks and dangers involved. Sowerbutts’ life is fascinating, and her long career at sea is incredible. These chapters are deeply evocative of a time when there were uncertainties in Europe and England, and a voyage across the sea could possibly mean a new and better life. Among the economic migrants Evans chooses to write about is Mary Macleod, who left a life of destitution in Scotland to work as a maid in America, and married a real estate developer called Frederick Trump-one of her children became the President of the US. Very telling that she chose this particular immigrant’s story!
Evans has quite a few chapters centring on the increased employment opportunities that came about through these voyages-both directly by providing work on the ships themselves, such as the lovely story of Hilda __escaping a violent home life to work on the Cunard ships as a swimming instructor and hostess, to actresses like Tallulah Bankhead, who acted in plays in London before she made it in Hollywood, and Hedy Lamarr, who made the most of the ship’s grand settings and staircases, to impress LB Mayer ( it worked, he agreed to give her a lucrative contract).
Evans writes about the very material contributions made by women in the Navy and passenger ships during the 2 world wars as well, and continues their chronicle to the gradual decline of cruise ships, with improved air travel that was getting more and more affordable. While it wasn’t all smooth sailing, the lives of many women were improved by their maiden voyages, and this is a beautifully written social history that brings alive the Golden Age of Transatlantic voyage.

What a pleasant surprise to find this book, as free as the sea breeze. How I would have liked to travel with these women on their ocean voyages. A holiday away from home, at home.

I enjoyed this book, a social history about the women who worked on ocean going ships between the wars and during the Second World War. I have met some of the characters before in other biographies. I was fascinated by the hairdresser and others who spent so much time at sea.

The first part of the book was easy to read and the second part I found I lost my way a little. The author researched the people she would use in the book very thoroughly and I enjoyed coming back to people we had heard about in different times. There was an easy flow to the narrative.

Almost as though she'd sliced the ship down the middle, Siân Evans opens up the world of twentieth century women passengers for examination. Maiden Voyages takes us from first class to steerage and brings the passengers to life with neat, compelling biographies of women from rich passengers like Wallis Simpson to the stewardesses and other staff necessary to keep such people in the manner to which they were accustomed.

Maiden Voyages by Sian Evans is a wonderful nonfiction that delves into the excitement of transatlantic travel, notable firsts, and the life and times of the female passengers and guests traveling upon the sea.

This is such a unique and fascinating book and I really enjoyed the eclectic and entertaining collection of stories telling of the plethora of female passengers (some famous, some not) that traveled on ships for business and pleasure throughout the “Golden Age” of naval travel.

It was so refreshing to read not only about famous women, but women of different backgrounds and positions and how they experienced their trips. It was like taking a peak into another time and world.

The author clearly did his research and I was impressed with the collection presented and how it turned out. Very memorable and I highly recommend.

5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and John Murray Press/Two Roads for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR, Bookbub, Waterstones accounts immediately, and Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.

Fascinating insight into life at sea for women over the last century and a half. A job at sea offered women the opportunity to earn a good wage, often unavailable anywhere else, and the chance to see the world. There were dangers and there were women who were drowned when their ship went down, but to many others it offered freedom and financial independence. It was really interesting to read about the development of the cruise industry and within that the opportunities for women. Well written, this book offers real life experience of the women who did the job. A great piece of social and cultural history. Well worth reading!

This is a wonderful piece of social history writing, diving deep into the Golden Age of Transatlantic travel. I was immediately attracted to this title being a fan of all things related to RMS Titanic and similar vessels. I certainly wasn’t disappointed. Evans grabs your attention right from the start when she explains how researching her great-great-uncle, a Cunard Chief Officer, led to the book.

The chapters follow the lives of thirteen “dramatic personae” as they travel onboard. We learn their secrets, their backgrounds, and their inspiring stories. As with life onboard these majestic vessels, the social classes of these ladies are very mixed -from celebrities in first-class to crew members. Each one has an inspiring story, hopes, and dreams of the life they are sailing towards.

I’d recommend this title to anyone interested in social history writing, it is very well researched and informative. The style of writing flows well and kept me reader engaged throughout.

Thanks to John Murray Press, NetGalley UK, and Siân Evans for the review copy of this title.

Siân Evans really brings the story of transatlantic travel to life. It’s nothing like the modern day cruise ships which are glorified tower blocks of cabins designed to pack in people like sardines.

It’s packed with information about the origins of transatlantic travel and the compelling reasons for emigration. Some of the detail is astonishing and clearly the research is informed and extensive. But this is so much more than a slice of social history; it’s filled with stories about real people and their adventures as passengers or crew. I was amazed at the opportunities afforded to women at the beginning of the 20th century if they were brave enough to chose a seagoing life. So many driven to it by poverty but they paved the way for women into a different world, Theirs are the most remarkable stories and I enjoyed every page of this book.

My thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley.

Haven't read a lot of non fiction lately and I was pleasantly surprised to enjoy this so much! Very engaging, and I learned a lot

The Golden Age Of Travel....
An extraordinary account of transatlantic travel in the Golden Age and a specific account of undertakings made by women. Accounts of life on board, the divisions, the backgrounds and the class distinctions. A fascinating, hugely entertaining, often moving, often humorous. and enjoyable read.

The wrong file was supplied by the publisher. I have queried it with NetGalley but no new file has been uploaded. I really wanted to read this!

A fascinating look at transatlantic travel long ago before people jetted everywhere.The cruise shipS were a society on to itself .Women worked on the ship sailed on the ship loved for romance a floating matchmaking resource,This book is full of history from the trauma of the Titanic to the Lusitania.Enjoyed reading about the actresses that sailed .the wealthy people who brought maids with them.The women who are struggling to support the family they have to leave on shore,
An absorbing informative fun read which I really enjoyed highly recommend.Grab a copy and sail away#netgalley#johnmurraypress