VOLENDAM

Some family history for you... My mom, front and centre in the shadows, at 3 years old emigrated to Canada in October 1951 with her older sister, three older brothers, and her parents. This is a picture of them on the boat on the way over. I did some digging, and I'm pretty sure this is the boat:

VOLENDAM 1922
was built by Harland & Wolff, Glasgow (engines by Harland & Wolff, Belfast) in 1922. She was a 15,434 gross ton ship, overall length 575ft x beam 67.3ft, two funnels, two masts, twin screw and a speed of 15 knots. There was passenger accommodation for 263-1st, 436-2nd and 1,200-3rd class. Purchased by Holland America Line while under construction, she was launched on 6th July 1922 after attempts on 23rd and 24th June had failed. Her maiden voyage started on 4th Nov.1922 when she sailed from Rotterdam for New York. In May 1926 she was refitted to carry 1st, 2nd, tourist and 3rd class passengers, April 1930 to 1st, tourist and 3rd class and Feb.1936 to cabin, tourist and 3rd class. Her last Rotterdam - New York voyage commenced 5th Apr.1940 and on 30th Aug.1940 she was torpedoed by a German submarine 200 miles from Bloody Foreland when carrying child evacuees to Canada. Beached on the Isle of Bute, she was repaired and in July 1941 became a troopship. Returned to Rotterdam in July 1945, she was partly reconditioned and in 1946 carried Dutch troops to Indonesia. In 1947 she was used in the Australia emigrant service and in June 1948 made her first Rotterdam - Quebec sailing for the Netherlands government with capacity for 1,500 single class passengers. In Sep.1948 she started her first Rotterdam - New York sailing and commenced her last voyage on this route in Feb.1951. In Oct.1951 she made her last Rotterdam - Quebec - Rotterdam voyage and in 1952 was scrapped at Hendrik Ido Ambacht. [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.3,p.914]