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 The
Queen Mary (seen left) came into service in 1936 and now is
permanently alongside in Longbeach, California where it serves as a
Hotel, Casino and Tourist Attraction.
The original location of
the Gymnasium and Squash court was on the Sun Deck, (at the top of
the photo) as originally constructed in 1936. Sadly they are no
longer there.
Adjacent to the gymnasium was the full-sized squash court. Great care was taken in the design of the court to ensure sound-proofing from adjacent areas and to prevent vibration to the deck below. Lighting was carefully planned for uniformity. A skylight with a diffused glass
beneath was designed to preclude the possibility of shadows. Special provisions for fresh air were also made to ensure a perfect game environment.
A spectators' balcony bounded by a bronze balustrade and wall paneling of sycamore and walnut moldings completed the setting.
The plan shows where they
used to be. The pink is the gymnasium and the yellow is the Squash
court. The stern of the ship to the right.
History of Use
1936 - 1939 - This gymnasium and squash court were used as described above in the pre-war period
1940 - 1947 - The Queen Mary was used as a troopship. What happened to
the Gymnasium and Squash court during this period has not been
ascertained.
1947 - 1967 - In the postwar conversion from troopship back to ocean liner the pre-war gymnasium was relocated to the space occupied by the squash-racquets court between 1936-1939. The use then assigned to the original gymnasium was unknown. Postwar deck plans for Sun deck show the outline of the space but do not identify its function.
1968 to present - Both the original gymnasium space and the post-war gymnasium in the former racquet-squash court were gutted in the Long Beach conversion.
Below is a rather murky
photo of a game in play in about 1936.
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