Vintage Menus of the White Star Line

Early 1900s Dining Saloon in a White Star Line steamship.

Early 1900s Dining Saloon in a White Star Line steamship.

While half a century has elapsed since the White Star Line commenced running a regular steamer service between New York and Liverpool, the Line has actually been in existence since the middle of last century. Its original fleet consisted of some half dozen American-built clipper ships plying between England and Australia. 

From time in time the Line has presented Father Neptune with lusty and lustier twins. The first pair were the Britannic and Germanic; then came the Majestic and Teutonic, then the Cedric and Celtic, then the Adriatic and Baltic and finally the leviathans Titanic and Olympic.

Breakfast Menus

RMS Celtic Breakfast Bill of Fare Card 5 July 1919

RMS Celtic - 5 July 1919

Post World War I Breakfast Bill of Fare Card from the RMS Celtic of the White Star Line offers typical breakfast fare of Eggs, Saratoga Potatoes, Broiled Wiltshire Bacon and Broiled Palethorpe Sausage with Savoury Rice.

Daily Menus

 

Dinner Menus

RMS Albertic Dinner Bill of Fare Card 15 June 1928

RMS Albertic - 15 June 1928

Vintage Dinner Bill of Fare Card from 15 June 1928 on board the RMS Albertic of the White Star Line features passenger annotated Bill of Fare selections offering Chicken Okra, Poached Kingfish, Homard, and Delaware Pudding. The reverse side has the Delaware Pudding recipe ingredients written out by the ship's chef.

 

SS Albertic - 17 June 1928

Vintage Dinner Bill of Fare Postcard from 17 June 1928 on board the SS Albertic of the White Star Line features Broiled Salmon with Hollandaise Sauce and Consommé Cloiseul with Chancellor Pudding for Desert. The reverse side contained the Bill of Fare and Postcard (postally unused).

 

Menu Card for a Dinner Menu, White Star Line RMS Albertic

RMS Albertic - 18 June 1928

Vintage Dinner Bill of Fare Card from Monday, 18 June 1928 on board the RMS Albertic of the White Star Line featured Poached Halibut, Trouvillaise, Fore and Hind Quarters of Lamb, Mint Sauce, and Ice Cream and Wafers for dessert.

 

Menu Card for a Dinner Menu, White Star Line RMS Albertic - 19 June 1928

RMS Albertic - 19 June 1928

Vintage Dinner Bill of Fare Card from 19 June 1928 on board the RMS Albertic featured an image of a French Frigate of the Olden Times. Bill of Fare selections included Cream Argenteuil, Poached Brill, Shrimp Sauce, and Chocolate Pudding for dessert.

 

Menu Card for a Dinner Menu, White Star Line Albertic - June 20, 1928

RMS Albertic - 20 June 1928

Vintage Dinner Bill of Fare Card from Wednesday, 20 June 1928 on board the RMS Albertic of the White Star Line. The Bill of Fare featured Cream Valencienne, Poached Turbot, Sauce Homard, and Bermuda Pudding for dessert.

 

Menu Card, White Star Line RMS Celtic - 1919

1919-07-06 RMS Celtic Dinner Menu Card

Vintage Dinner Bill of Fare Card from 6 July 1919 on board the RMS Celtic of the White Star Line featured a limited Bill of Fare including Potage Brunoise, Boiled Salmon-Cucumber Hollandaise, and Brandy & Hard Sauce for dessert. The reverse side contained handwritten notaions from the passenger.

 

SS Regina Dinner Bill of Fare Card - 13 June 1927

SS Regina - 13 June 1927

Vintage Third Cabin Tourist Dinner Bill of Fare Card from 13 June 1927 on board the SS Regina of the White Star Line featured Sea Bass à la Commodore, Ribs and Sirloin of Beef Horseradish, and Pouding Baronne for dessert.

Luncheon Menus

Menu Card - Luncheon Menu, RMS Titanic, 14 April 1912

RMS Titanic - 14 April 1912

Privately published reproduction of the famous Luncheon Bill of Fare from the RMS Titanic feature such specialities as Cockie Leekie, Roast Beef, Veal & Ham Pie, and Virginia & Cumberland Ham.

Specialty Menus

Menu Cover for a Gala Dinner Menu, White Star Line SS Laurentic, 1928

SS Laurentic Gala - 27 January 1928

Vintage Gala Dinner Bill of Fare from Friday, 27 January 1928 on board the White Star Line SS Laurentic features gala selections for that era including Salmon `'rout, Bercy, Prawns a l'Indienne and Vermont Turkey.

Vintage Menus from the GG Archives collection are representative of the menus, typically printed on board each steamship during the voyage onto a blank pre-printed graphic cover. The bill of fares was intended as souvenirs of the journey and provided to each passenger for that class (First, Second, Third, Tourist, etc.). Many survive today as delightful displays of gourmet meals served in elegant dining saloons on the ocean liners of yesteryear.

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