Five sisters among icons in Cunard photo exhibition

Five sisters from Liverpool are featured alongside Hollywood icons in a nostalgic photographic exhibition charting Cunard's 185 years since its first transatlantic crossing from the city.

Sea of Glamour curated by photographer Mary McCartney, daughter of the Beatles' Paul McCartney, opens on Tuesday at the Royal Liver Building.

It features 185 images sent illustrating Cunard's timeline and bond with Liverpool as well as guests who have graced the luxury cruise liners.

Siblings Julie Madden, Christine Rushton, Carol Kenny, Maria Hewitt and Irene Ashworth said their image taken in 2018 onboard the Queen Victoria captures their love for "adventure and dres".

A Cunard spokesman said the exhibition combines "glamorous" photographs selected from more than 1,000 submitted by engers.

They include images never been seen before from the Cunard archive as well as rare shots of Hollywood icons, musicians and politicians at sea to celebrate 185 years of ocean travel.

An image of Jacqueline Butcher's second voyage with her husband Tony on flagship Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2) in the Caribbean in 1980 is also part of the exhibition.

Mrs Butcher, from Liverpool, said she had longed to sail on the QE2 since her teenage years and the photograph "captures a moment of glamour and excitement as we experienced our first long-haul flight to the ship".

"The memories from those early voyages remain cherished, from the opulent midnight buffets to the elegant dress codes that are still upheld on Cunard today," she said.

The 185th image will be of the five "Liverpool icons" chosen to represent the city at the Queen Anne naming ceremony in June: Spice Girl and author Melanie Chisholm, broadcaster Ngunan Adamu, restaurant entrepreneur Natalie Haywood, artistic director Jayne Casey and Olympic athlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson.

McCartney said curating the exhibition has been a "brilliant project" to work on.

She said: "To delve into 185 years of photographic history, I had the privilege of exploring not only Cunard's iconic legacy but also the real, heartfelt moments shared by its guests on board.

"As I went through the archives and read the stories submitted by engers from all corners of the world, I was struck by the strong sense of community and connection that Cunard has fostered over the years.

"I loved seeing the personal submissions - moments of joy, connection, and family milestones."

She said it reminded her that "glamour isn't only found in images of royalty or Hollywood stars, but in the shared experiences of all Cunard engers".

The exhibition opens as the Cunard's Queen Anne ship returns to Liverpool on Monday for HRH The Princess Royal to officially start the 185th anniversary celebrations on Tuesday.

Sea of Glamour runs from 10:00 BST to 16:00 until 17 June at the Royal Liver Building

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