An interesting bit of history was discussed in the Autumn 2018 issue of the Cunarder, the official magazine of Cunard Line.
Everyone knows the ships in the Cunard fleet, past and present, sport a bright red and black funnel – the ship’s “smokestack.” This design has been around and unchanged since 1840 and according to the article, was the brainchild of Robert Napier, the shipyard owner who built the ships early on in the Cunard Line history.
The article notes the distinctive black bands were there to disguise any leaking soot and tar. The red paint was not paint at all, yet a mixture of red ochre and whey which was baked onto the hot metal funnel. Apparently, the temperature of the funnel would cause paint to blister and peel.
So what’s the official name for the color red that can be seen today on the Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth, and Queen Victoria‘s funnels?
Cunard Red, of course!
