/kwIn /mXi sxvis karC

1936 - 1967

H /kwIn /mXi'z mEdan vqiJ heraldid H end v H strANgalhOld v H /grEt /dipreSan, wic hAd held /britan kAptiv fP sO meni jCz. H nV Sip v H [/kjUnRd] lFn, H /kwIn /mXi wUd bI H fxst instYlmant in /kjUnRd'z plAn t opDEt a wIkli sxvis bitwIn /nV /jPk n /sQThAmpton. H /kwIn /ilizabaT v lAtD jCz wUd ivencUali opDEt in tAndam wiH H nV Sip t pravFd wIkli sEliNz in Ic dFrekSan.

wiH H lYnc v H nV Sip, /kjUnRd wUd rIkApcD H aklEmd /blM /riband from H /frenc /lFn'z /nPmandi n set a nV stAndDd v spId on H blustDi /nPT /atlAntik. His in fAkt bikEm riAliti on Ygast 30, wen H /kwIn /mXi SAtDd H /nPmandi'z spId rekPd n set up a nV rekPd v 30.63 nots, hAviN mEd H krosiN in 3 dEz, 23 QDz, n 57 minits. H /kwIn /mXi woz nQ H cAmpian v H /nPT atlAntik.

/kjUnRd wUd sMn fFnd Qt HAt dispFt kXfUl plAniN, HX asumpSanz HAt a Sip v suc inems prapPSanz kUd not posibli sakum t H rOliN ifekts wic kUd plEg smYlD Sips, wx rigretabli unfQndid. indId, djUDiN H fxst iniSal vqaJiz, H /kwIn /mXi pDfPmd splendidli, ofDiN smMH n univentfUl trAnspPt t hx inYgjDal pEtranz. but in lEt oktObD v 1936, H /nPT /atlAntik wUd unlIS its mFt, prMviN agen its infinat pQD OvD H kriESanz v mAn. in H insViN txmql, Et pAsinJDz n fP membDz v H krM wx inJDd. H kakofani v fxnicD sent karIniN akros H grEt ikspAnsiz v H /kwIn /mXi'z publik rMmz kUd bI hxd TrUQt H nFt. in H /fxst /klys mEn lQnJ, H luvli inlEd pjAnO wic hAd on hx mEdan vqiJ seranEdid pAsinJDz wiH gOlden tOnz, woz nQ pradVsiN a horifFiN din Az it woz sent smASiN from wun sFd v H rMm t H uHD. fCfUl v inJDi from suc a fPmidabal obJekt in mOSan, H krM hAd lital rikPs but t lok H dPz n let H distrukSan kontinV unabEtid. H folOiN krosiN, /kjUnRd dispAct a grMp v JqnDz n kRpintDz t fit Qt H hYlwEz wiH hAndrEls n sikjUD lMs pIsiz v fxnicD.

djUDiN H tFm bitwIn H /fxst n /sekand /wxld /wPz, /kjUnPd inJqd H benafits v pIstFm Az H /nPT /atlAntik trEd bigAn t bMm. trAnzatlAntik trAval woz At an Yl-tFm hF sins H wP n H /kwIn /mXi woz H hFt v H sOSal sIn At sI. ofan H subJelt v uneJUkEtid dibEt, H rFvalri v dEkP n popjUlAriti bitwIn H /kwIn /mXi n H /nPmandi kontinVz t rimEn unrizolvd. sxtanli bOT pazesiN unatEnabal stAcD bF tadE'z modDn kontempDeriz, H tM Sips wx wxldz apRt t HOz hMz lqaltiz HE kamyndid. H /nPmandi woz indispVtabli H hFt v pjUD /Rt /dekO, hx frenc dekDEtDz aplFiN HX nOiN skil in H mAnD HAt iniSali kriEtid H /Rt /dekO stFl. H dekDEtDz v H /kwIn /mXi tUk a mP konsxvativ aprOc t H modDn /Rt /dekO trend n VtilFzd igzotik n rX wUdz from Yl OvD H /empFD in hx dEkP. H rizult, a distiNktli /britiS AtmasfC wic wUd lEtD bI saksesfali replikEtid on H /kwIn /ilizabaT, /moritEnia (2), n H /karOnia.

H /kjUnRd lFn n H /kwIn /mXi wx hOsts t pAsinJDz bOT ric n fEmas djUDiN His prI-wP pCiad n H amInatiz ofDd abPd wx Az plentifUl Az wun'z pokitbUk kUd afPd. sxtanli H undDlFiN sxvis wic hAd bF His tFm bikum sinonimas wiH H /kjUnRd nEm woz ikspektid bF Yl, but H /kwIn /mXi ofDd meni 'ekstraz' t sIzand n safistikEtid trAvalDz. H /varAnda /gril on /sun /dek ofDd iksklMsiv dFniN fP an ekstra fX. avElabal Onli wuns px fqiJ, H opDtVniti n eksklUsiviti v dFniN in His restDon mEd it wun v H mOst ikskwizit lukSDiz abPd H Sip. HOz hM sO dizFDd kUd stP HX YtamabIlz in H hOld v H Sip, t bI unlOdid apon arFval in pPt n nevD bI inkonvInianst bF hAviN t tEk a tAksi on HX /jUDapWn P /amerikan holidE. fP H trMli iksentrik, H Sip's tElDz kUd Ivan rIdekDEt wun'z stEtrMm if H igzistiN kulDz wx not t wun'z lFkiN.

Az /britan bikEm intANgald in H ivents lIdiN up t /wxld /wP II, H /kjUnRd /lFn gEv up H /kwIn /mXi n H sMn t bI lYnct /kwIn /ilizabaT fP wPtFm sxfis. /sx /sAmjUal /kjUnRd risIvd hiz nFthUd fP His prAktis n it iz a tradiSan HAt hAd held TrM t H modDn dE QE2. on wenzdE, Ygast 30, 1939, H kwIn mXi sEld from /sQThAmpton wiH a rekPd numbD v 2,332 pAsinJDz on hx lyst kamxSal vqiJ fP anuHD siks jCz. SI wUd bI lEd up At pC 90 djUDiN H fxst sIzan v H wP until mRc 1, 1940 wen H /britiS guvDmant infPmd /kjUnRd HAt HE wUd bI rekwiziSaniN H lFnD fP wPtFm dVtiz.

bifP loN, H dPmant Sip woz agen H sIn v muc Aktiviti Az wxkman bigAn aplFiN a nV kuvDiN v grE pEnt t hx hul n rimMviN H sAnd from binIT hx kIl dipozitid bF H tFdz djUDiN hx lE-up. wiHin dEz, H Sip wUd lIv pPt bQnd fP an 'unnOn destinESan' t bigin H fxst vqiJ v meni t kum in hx nV wPtFm karC. H /mXi hAd in fAkt set sEl fP /kEp /tQn wX SI wUd stop fP rIfVliN. SI Hen stImd t /sidni fP a komplIt rIfit n konvxZan fP hx nV rOl Az a trMp trAnspPt Sip. H grAnd n lugZUDias intCiD fitiNz wx stript from hx hul n pUt intM stPiJ fP H djUDESan v H wP. hx pAsinJD kapAsiti woz inkrIst, n SI wUd set sEl Onli a munT lEtD wiH a mAnifest v OvD 5,000 /ostrElian trMps. lEtD, H Sip's kAriiN kapAsiti wUd agen bI inkrIst n SI wUd ivencUali imbRk OvD 15,988 pxsanz on a rekPd vqiJ from /nV /jPk t /gUrok.

H /kwIn /mXi wUd sxv H /AlFz fP anuHD fFv jCz, pravFdiN H vFtal n invAljUabal feri sxfis fP H trMps wic alQd H tFmli difIt v H /nytsi rEZIm. it iz wiH grEt Y HAt wun must konsidD H inPmas kontribVSanz HAt H /kwIn /mXi n H /kwIn /ilizabaT mEd t H wP efDt. HX involvmant woz imPtalFzd bF /sx /winstan /cxchil wen hI atribjUtid HX AkSanz Az hAviN SPtand H djUDESan v H wP bF OvD a jC.

JMlF 31st 1947 wUd mRk H /kwIn /mXi'z fxst vqiJ Az a pAsinJD vesal. folOiN H wP, H /mXi'z intCiDz nIdid a komplIt rIfxbiSmant. djUDiN H fFv jCz in wic SI sxvd Az trAnspPt vesal, H Vs hx intCiDz risIvd woz Ikwal t OvD Txti jCz v wX undD nPmal sxkamstAnsiz n komplIt riplEsmant n rIfiniSiN v hx fitiNz woz in PdD. H kPkqd flPiNz TrUQt H Sip wx bAtDd bF sxvismanz' bMts, H wUd woz skuft, n in sum Xiaz sxvisman hAd kRvd HX signacDz intM H wUd. imxJiN from H rIfit wiH a nV lUk n H krispnas n a nV Sip, H /kwIn /mXi ritxnd t H /nPT /atlAntik run t komplimant H /kwIn /ilizabaT n istAbliS fP H fxst tMm, /sx /pxsi /bEt's drIm v a tM Sip /atlAntik feri sxvis.

H 1950z wx indId H gOldan Ca fP /kjUnRd H kumpani, fP a tFm. woz H Onli kAriD ofDiN regjUlD /atlAntik sxfis Az uHD lFnz strugald t rIbild HX flIts yftD wPtFm losiz. imPtalFziN His slOgan nQ sO ivokativ v Yl HAt trAnzatlAntik trAval wuns ment, /kjUnRd set Qt t indId SO H wxld HAt "getiN HX iz hyf H fun". iNkredibli profitabal djUDiN His pCiad, H /kwInz kontinVd t plF H wEvz, rMtInli sOld Qt on mOst vqaJiz. /kjUnRd set Qt t intFs a nV JenDESan t vencD Qt t sI, a JenDESan hM wx nO loNgD lUkiN At OSan trAval Az mC trAnspPt, but a rilAksiN n fun holidE, a destinESan in itself. it woz in H 50z HAt /kjUnRd rIct an ekwilibriam v sPts. its produkt woz flYlas n H imiJ it sYt t praJekt hAd a distiNktiv Fdentiti.

wiH H kamxSal XlFnD in its infansi, OSan trAval woz stil H prifxd nPm fP HOz vencDiN t /jUDap. H /kwIn /mXi plEd hOst t a loN n distiNgwiSt list v pAsinJDz. H /dVk v /winzD, fPmDli /kiN /edwDd VIII, Az wel Az H /ducas, woz a frIkwant gest v kjUnRd. /winstan /cxchil kontinVd t sEl abPd H /kwIn /mXi djUDiN pIstFm. H list v film stRz HAt trAvald abPd H Sip iz Ikwali distiNgwiSt n iNklMdz suc nEmz Az /mRlIn /dItrik, /nOal /kQDd, /bob /hOp, /fred /astX, /klRk /gEbal, n /dEvid /nivan.

rIfitiN H /kwIn /mXi wiH stEbilFsDz in 1958, /kjUnRd SOd HAt it woz Ebal t ofD a tradiSanal produkt wFl mEntEniN kontempDeri amInatiz t its pAsinJDz. bF His tFm HO, H /kwIn'z popjUlAriti woz wEniN. wiH stEtrMmz dizFnd fP a 1930z sasFati, H /mXi woz lAkiN in meni v H modDn-dE ekspektESanz. /Txd /klys akomadESanz, bF fR H mOst nVmDas, wx YlsO H smYlist aflOt. kamVnal SQDz n restrMmz in /Txd /glys wx YlsO bikumiN unbXabal t H modDn-dE klFantel. H /kwIn /mXi YlsO lAkt X kondiSaniN in mOst v hx stEtrMmz n meni v H publik Xiaz. /kjUnRd bigAn t lUk intM a riplEsmant fP H /kwIn /mXi Az xli Az 1959.

H Sip wUd pres on fP anuHD Et jCz, HO H 1960z wx a txbjUlant n difikUlt Ca. H /kjUnRd /lFn woz trubald bF strFks n lEbD dispVts, H rizults v wic Onli fxHDd H JenDal fIliN v diklFn wiHin H kumpani. wiH H XlFnz bikumiN iNkrIsiNli kompetitiv, H trAnzatlAntik trEd woz foltDiN fP H fxst tFm in histDi. H rOl v /kjUdRd n uHD stImSip kumpaniz At H tFm woz nO loNgD klC, H fVcD woz mxki.

on disembD 30T 1964, /Jon /brQn sFnd wiH /sx /Jon /brokalbANk fP /kjUnRd t bild H 'Q 4', a riplEsmant fP H tM EJiN /kwInz. H nV lFnD woz t bI modDn in evDi Aspekt, a SFniN imbodimant v 1960z RkitekcDal n dekDativ disapqntmants. wiH inavESanz in Sip dizFn stresiN fuNkSan ryHD HAn fPm, modDn Sips bigAn t displE les v H Rtistik JInias HAt went intM H kryftiN v Sips suc Az H /kwIn /mXi. meni v hx kontempDeriz v His Ca wx bidekt wiH brFt fPmikaz, blAk vFnal, n modDn fPmz v Rt, a SRp kontryst t H wPm wUdz n poliSt metal fitiN koman t Sips bilt lital OvD a dekEd xliD. H nV lFmD woz YlsO anQnst t bI a 2-klys, ryHD HAn a 3-klys, Sip, wiH nO vizibal opaziSan from /amerikanz.

bF 1966, H tM /kwInz wx lMziN 3 milian a jC. akPdiN t H nV /kjUnRd cXman /sx /bAzil /smYlpIs, H kumpani hAd lost OvD 15 milian in H prisIdiN fFv jCz n H sicUESan woz sO grEv HAt, unles mAtDz imprMvd, H Sips wUd hAv t bI sOld n H kumpani wQnd up. /H /tFmz diskrFbd H tM Sips Az 'limpiN lavFaTanz'.

1966 prMvd indId t bI a bAd jC fP H /mXi. in JMlF SI sudanli ikspCianst sCias vFbrESanz n woz mMvd intM drF-dok t investigEt H kYz. a krAk woz diskuvDd on H numbD 4 blEd v hx pPt sFd inD skrM.

bF H end v H jC, H fVcD lUkt grim fP bOT Sips n H disiZan t sel, P skrAp, bOT Sips woz mEd. H /kwIn /mXi woz slEtid t gO in H folOiN jC, wFl H /ilizabaT wUd rimEn until 1968. H /kwIn /ilizabaT woz ikspektid t rimEn in sxvis fP anuHD fFv P ten jCz but H relativ unsakses v hx 1966 rIfit sIld H fEt fP bOT lFnDz.

/kevin /r. /tAm, 1997
(trAnzlitDEtid bF /hV /bxkanhed, 1998)