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R.M.S.
Queen Mary
November
12, 2002 marked
the 20-year anniversary
of one of the largest
and best-remembered
conventions in
the history of
American tattoo
conventions. This
convention was
held aboard the
R.M.S. Queen Mary
in Long Beach,
California and
hosted by Triple-E
Productions --
Ed Hardy, Ed Nolte,
and Ernie Caraf,
the three E's.
The facility in
which a tattoo
convention is held
can greatly influence
the over all outcome
of an event, which
is why the Queen
Mary get-together
is so fondly remembered.
The Tattoo Expo 82 was billed as
a celebration of tattoo culture
and it was certainly that, and
more. It ultimately became the
tattoo convention by which all
other tattoo conventions are measured. Unfortunately,
few others have measured up. Tattoo
Expo 82 was attended by artists
and fans from around the world,
including Michael Malone, Don Nolan,
Peter Poulos, Cliff Raven, Bob
Roberts, Jack Rudy and Pinky Yun,
to name a few.
The Queen Mary started life in
1930 at the John Brown Shipbuilding
Yards in Scotland as ship #534.
With the Depression and the collapse
of the trans-Atlantic travel, work
on #534 was stopped, and for 28
months she sat. In March of 1934
the British government granted
the Cunard Lines a loan to finish
the ship and six months later she
was ready to take to the water
as the R.M.S. Queen Mary.
There are many stories about how
ship #534 came to be known as the
Queen Mary. One story suggests
that Cunard had intended to name
the new ship the "Queen Victoria",
but in 1933 Cunard chairman Sir
Percy Bates approached King George
V about christening the liner after "England's
most illustrious Queen." The King,
supposing this to be a compliment
to his wife, was deeply touched
and answered, "I shall ask Queen
Mary's permission." The real reason
may have more to do with the nine
and half million pound sterling
loan granted by the government
to finish the liner.
It should be noted here that King
George V (1865-1936) was one of
Britain's most tattooed monarchs.
During a visit to Yokohama in 1882
as a midshipmen on the H.M.S. Bacchante
George, then the Duke of York,
visited the world famous Hori Chyo
and was tattooed with a dragon
design on his forearm. Tattooists
in Kyoto and Jerusalem later added
to this design. Years later at
Queen Mary's suggestion, Britain's
leading tattooist, George Burchett
was called in to make some improvements
to what was no doubt known as the
royal tattoo.
At one time one of the many smoking
rooms on board the R.M.S. Queen
Mary was decorated with a tattoo
theme. This may have been from
the influence of the tattooed King
George V.
The R.M.S. Queen Mary had a very
distinguished career before becoming
a tourist attraction in Long Beach,
California. She set many speed
records crossing the Atlantic,
and during World War II she served
her country well as a troop carrier.
In 1967 she made her last trip
around the Horn and was dry-docked
in the Long Beach Naval Yards where
she became the most well traveled
hotel in the world.
Tattoo Archive © 2003
See
Queen Mary convention
poster and convention
ticket in our
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