Matrilineal Monday: Mom's 1953 Europe Road Trip - Edinburgh and Bridge of Allan, Scotland

Geraldine Guokas and Joye Murphy at the Sunken Gardens in Edinburgh, Scotland, 18 August 1953

From Mom's Europe trip diary, in the "PLACES VISITED" section:

August 17 & 18 – Edinburgh

The next day [Aug. 18] went shopping – bought a sweater & two scarves* which sent to boat. Took a few pictures, lunched at Caledonian Hotel, then went to see Mrs. Bishop.** Talked to her & had tea. Lovely people and very nice to us. Took us to Sunken Gardens which were beautiful. Left Edinburg around 5:00 p.m.

August 18, 19, & 20 – Road between Bridge of Allan and Larne, Ulster [2 pages]

[Aug. 18] Drove to Bridge of Allan where we stayed for night at Walmer Hotel. Very nice place. Did my washing.

* from PURCHASES section, it indicates Mom bought a red pullover cashmere sweater and two scarves at Romanes & Paterson on Princes Street, and spent £7.19/6

** from PEOPLE MET section, this is Mrs. Bob (Dorothy) Bishop, at 175 Gorgie Rd.

Romanes and Paterson Princes St Edinburgh 15 April 2010 / Tony Hisgett  / CC-BY 2.0

Caledonian Hotel, 30 October 2012 / © kim traynor / CC BY-SA 2.0

This is the eleventh in a series of posts about my mother's 1953 Europe Trip.

© Amanda Pape - 2014 - click here to e-mail me.

Sentimental Sunday: Mom's 1953 Europe Road Trip - Edinburgh, Scotland

"Edinburgh Castle from the North" 10 August 2012 / Kim Traynor - Own work / CC BY-SA 3.0

From Mom's Europe trip diary, in the "PLACES VISITED" section:

August 16 & 17 – Road between London & Edinburgh

[Aug. 17] Next morning went through Westmoreland and Cumberland & then into Scotland. Went through some moors and some beautiful highlands. Ate at nice place in Moffat – food has improved. Drove into Edinburgh by 2:30 p.m.

August 17 & 18 – Edinburgh

[Aug. 17] Arrived at 2:30. Managed to find a place to stay* – not too nice – even had to pay to take a bath. Drove around a little bit – went to Edinburgh Castle and up and down some of the streets. Started raining so decided to go back to place where we were staying.

*from the  "HOTELS STOPPED AT" section: a boarding house at 10 Windsor Street (designed in 1822 by William H. Playfair, one of Scotland's leading early 19th century architects.  Now part of the Cairn Hotel.)

This is the tenth in a series of posts about my mother's 1953 Europe Trip.

© Amanda Pape - 2014 - click here to e-mail me.

Shopping Saturday: Mom's 1953 Europe Road Trip - Last Days in London

From Mom's Europe trip diary, in the "PLACES VISITED" section:

London [last two pages out of 4]

Aug. 15 went to Mass at Westminster Cathedral, which is huge like St. Patrick’s and real sooty. After breakfast went shopping for sweaters with Sylvia – bought a pretty shade of green sweater – cardigan style – cashmere for a little under £7*. At night went to Martinez Rest.** where we got good food for once.

Came back & packed preparatory to taking off for Scotland.

[Aug 16] Got up next morning, went to Mass, and checked out of hotel. Drove through London a little bit, went by Grosvenor Sq. to see Roosevelt’s statue and also No. 10 Downing Street. 

August 16 & 17 – Road between London & Edinburgh

Left London at 12 noon driving through Hereford, Northampton, Rutland, Nottingham, Riding, and Yorkshire. Stopped at Golden Fleece Inn in Thirsk for night.

*from the PURCHASES record in the diary - this was at Dickens and Jones (which closed in January 2006) on Regent Street.  It had been at this site since 1835.  I remember seeing my mother wear this green cashmere cardigan as I was growing up. Sylvia is Sylvia John, Mom's co-worker and travel companion.

**In 1953, Martinez Spanish Restaurant was located at 25 Swallow St., not too far from the hotel where Mom was staying.  It was at this location from 1923 until it closed in 1988.

"Westminster Cathedral 4227r" -  Blessed Sacrament Chapel, 8 December 2008
 / Patche99z - Own work / released to public domain

"Beauty hall" at Dickens & Jones on Regent Street, 12 January 2006 / Ann / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Grosvenor Square with Franklin D. Roosevelt statue, 21 June 2006 / © Stephen McKay / CC BY-SA 2.0

"2010 Official Downing Street pic - cropped to door arch"- No. 10 Downing Street /
Jdforrester crop from original by Prime Minister's Office, HM Government, 31 March 2010
/ Open Government License v1.0

The Golden Fleece, Thirsk, 12 November 2011 / © Bill Boaden / CC BY-SA 2.0

This is the ninth in a series of posts about my mother's 1953 Europe Trip.

© Amanda Pape - 2014 - click here to e-mail me.

Those Places Thursday: Mom's 1953 Europe Road Trip - London, continued

From Mom's Europe trip diary, in the "PLACES VISITED" section:

August 12, 13, 14, 15 – London [4 pages, excerpt only for this day]

[Aug. 14] The next day we got up – caught a double decker bus to The Tower of London. From there walked to Old Bailey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and thence to Madame Tussaud’s Wax Works. Very interesting. Went to see stage play “The Moon is Blue” at night. Quite good. 

Amazing things about England – parks beautiful (lots of trees and space), buildings sooty but almost all with flowerboxes, friendliness & honesty of people, lack of flavoring in food which makes everything seem tasteless, the way the people look – all pink cheeked, men in black suits and black Hamburgs, 12 yr. old boys in short pants, eating ices and drinking coffee at seats during intermission at a play, standing up for “God Save the Queen” after a play. …

[That]… night we went to French rest. where we got pretty good food.

Here are some photos of these places - one of which was taken by my mother:

Double-decker at Bus stop in London, 1956 / via Stockholm Transport Museum / no known copyright restrictions

The Tower of London, 14 August 1953 / Geraldine Guokas Pape / CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Old Bailey, London 14 June 2004 / Nevilley / CC BY-SA 3.0

"St Paul's Cathedral High Altar [and apse], London, UK - Diliff"
as viewed from the choir, looking east, 30 May 2014/ David Iliff  / CC BY-SA 3.0

"'Madame Tussaud' herself at 'Madame tussauds waxworks in London" 26 May 2010
 / Rudolph.A.furtado - Own work / Public domain

Marie Tussaud made a wax model of herself in 1842, just eight years before her death. It remains on display today and was likely on display in 1953 when my mother, Geraldine Guokas Pape, toured the museum.

This is the eighth in a series of posts about my mother's 1953 Europe Trip.

© Amanda Pape - 2014 - click here to e-mail me.

(Not-So-) Wordless Wednesday: Mom's 1953 Europe Road Trip - London

From Mom's Europe trip diary, in the "PLACES VISITED" section:

August 12, 13, 14, 15 – London [4 pages, excerpt only for this day]

[Aug. 13] The next morning we got up – got our free breakfast – walked through Berkeley Sq. to Green Park and thence to Buckingham. From there we went over to Parliament, took a ride down the Thames River to Tower Bridge – then walked back to hotel through Trafalgar Sq. & Oxford Circus.

Here are some photos of these places - four of which were taken by my mother:

Berkeley Square evening December 2005 / Justinc / CC BY-SA 2.0

Green Park, London, England / ChrisO / CC BY-SA 3.0

Buckingham Palace from gardens, London, UK - Diliff / Diliff  / CC BY-SA 3.0

Palace of Westminster, meeting place of Parliament, 13 August 1953 / Geraldine Guokas Pape / CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Thames River and Tower Bridge, 13 August 1953 / Geraldine Guokas Pape / CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Nelson's statue at Trafalgar Square, 13 August 1953 / Geraldine Guokas Pape / CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Decorations on The Mall in London remaining after the June 2 coronation of Elizabeth II, 13 August 1953
/ Geraldine Guokas Pape / CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

East on Oxford Street at Oxford Circus, 17 June 1949 / Ben Brooksbank / CC-BY-SA-2.0

This is the seventh in a series of posts about my mother's 1953 Europe Trip.

© Amanda Pape - 2014 - click here to e-mail me.

Travel Tuesday: Mom's 1953 Europe Road Trip - Arrival in Southampton, England

Cumberland Hotel, Marble Arch, London, England / Ewan Munro / CC BY-SA 2.0

From Mom's Europe trip diary, in the "GOING" section:

Saw Le Havre from boat.  Crossed English Channel—arrived at Southampton about 2 p.m.  Went through immigration on boat & had to wait until 5:25 before getting off boat.  No trouble through customs.  Got car O.K. and drove to London, 78 miles away arriving at Cumberland Hotel by 10 P.M.

She tells the story a little differently in the "PLACES VISITED" section:

August 12 – Southampton

Landed at 5:25. Went through customs without them looking into suitcases. Had to wait for car. Gas cost total of 2 pounds 25 shillings and 5 pence – about $6.38 in all – got full tank.

Decided to drive on to London – no trouble with left side of road – just cyclists. First time I ever made a left turn on red light.

Countryside beautiful – green, hilly – interesting villages, shops, and houses – roads sometimes lined with trees.

August 12, 13, 14, 15 – London [4 pages, excerpt only for this day]

[Aug. 12] Drove to Cumberland. Could only get singles for night. Went out and had supper and got some English money.

The "HOTELS STOPPED AT" section indicates this is the Cumberland Hotel at Marble Arch, pictured at the top of this post.

This is the sixth in a series of posts about my mother's 1953 Europe Trip.

© Amanda Pape - 2014 - click here to e-mail me.

Sentimental Sunday: Mom's Trip to Europe, 1953: Gala Dinner

Gala Dinner, August 10, 1953, SS United States.  From right:  Geraldine Guokas, Joye Murphy, Huguette Linn.

From Mom's Europe trip diary, in the "INCIDENTS" section:

Last night on board Ted gave us wine for dinner. That night helped Dixie Oliver drink her bottle of imported champagne.

Some of the people Mom, Sylvia, and Joye met on board ship (from the "PEOPLE MET" section of the trip diary) were:

• Audrey Barbour - from Virginia
• Ted Ricci - from Boston
• Erna Roessle - from Philadelphia
• Huguette Linn - from New Jersey
• Dixie Oliver - from New York

Mom said Huguette was a Frenchwoman who had married an American soldier and moved to New Jersey.  She was on the ship headed to France to visit her family.  I think Ted Ricci must be the lucky guy at this table full of women.

The picture at left of the tourist class dining room is from a brochure advertising the ship.  Steven Ujifusa, a historian and author of A Man and His Ship (which is about naval architect William Francis Gibbs and the building of the SS United States), wrote in his blog that "The tourist class dining room, located forward on A deck, was, like the rest of tourist class, very spartan and somewhat cramped. The walls were decorated with 18th century sailing/nautical motifs."

This is the fifth in a series of posts about my mother's 1953 Europe Trip.

© Amanda Pape - 2014 - click here to e-mail me.

Those Places Thursday: Mom's Trip to Europe, 1953 - Aboard the SS United States

Geraldine Guokas on board the SS United States, August 1953

From Mom's Europe trip diary, in the "GOING" section:

Sailed from New York Friday, August 7, at noon. We almost were stowaways since we got on board without having our berthing cards. Met some real nice people at dinner. The food is superb. 

Quite a sensation on this ship – first time in my life I ever went up and down and sideways in an elevator – also the first time the floor ever rolled under me at Mass.

For a while all I wanted to do was sleep but since I quit taking Dramamine, I haven’t been as tired.

Have movies every day – saw “So This is Love,” “Mr. Scoutmaster,” “Latin Lovers,” "Roman Holiday."

The library where I work has the July 21, 1952 issue of Life magazine with an article (with great photographs!) about the SS United States.  Here is a photograph of a Cabin Class stateroom (from a fold-out insert between pages 58 and 59):

Mom and her friends were in a Tourist Class stateroom, definitely smaller.

Click here, here, and here for more information on the SS United States.

This is the fourth in a series of posts about my mother's 1953 Europe Trip.


© Amanda Pape - 2014 - click here to e-mail me.

Travel Tuesday: Mom's Trip to Europe, 1953 - The SS United States

SS United States in dock at Pier 86 in New York shortly before the 31 July 1964 sailing to Le Havre and Southampton / Jrcovert (Own work) / CC-BY-SA-3.0

From Mom's Europe trip diary, in the "GOING" section:

Went down to boat with car Wednesday [August 5] and took care of arrangements for car.

The SS United States was built in 1950-1952 and had its maiden voyage just a little over a year before Mom's sailing on it, on July 3, 1952, when it broke the transatlantic speed record.

The July 21, 1952 issue of Life magazine had an article (with great photographs!) about the ship and that record-breaking voyage.  We have that issue in print in my library - here is a cutaway diagram of the ship (from a fold-out insert between pages 58 and 59) - click on the image to view it larger:

Mom and her friends were in Tourist Class, and her car would have been in Cargo Hold #1, in the bow of the ship.  Other images of the deck plans are available here - click on them to view them in larger format.

Mom said it cost $750 to take her car overseas.  That was a lot of money in 1953!

This is the third in a series of posts about my mother's 1953 Europe Trip.

© Amanda Pape - 2014 - click here to e-mail me.

Matrilineal Monday: Mom's Trip to Europe, 1953 - In New York City

From Mom's Europe trip diary, in the "GOING" section:

Arrived New York Tuesday, Aug. 4, mileage 13900. Going through Holland Tunnel, I said hello to a N. York policeman, and was he surprised.

Holland tunnel toll booth in New Jersey / U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service,
Historic American Engineering Record. Survey number HAER NY-161-23, via U.S. Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, "Built in America" Collection / Public Domain

Mom said that after she and Sylvia John picked up Joye Murphy in Oklahoma, they traveled on U.S. Route 66 (probably from Oklahoma City or Tulsa to St. Louis), then crossed Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey before entering New York City.  She drove 2,209 miles in three to four days.

According to the "HOTELS STOPPED AT" section of the trip diary, my mother and her friends stayed at the Hotel St. Moritz (today the The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park) during their days in New York City.

Hotel St.Moritz NYC, 30 September 2010 / Gryffindor derivative work: xavax - Hotel_St_Moritz_NYC_001.JPG and Hotel_St_Moritz_NYC_002.JPG./ CC BY-SA 3.0

This is the second in a series of posts about my mother's 1953 Europe Trip.

© Amanda Pape - 2014 - click here to e-mail me.