The ANSELM is now complete, having taken just over one month to build.? ? The ANSELM & her sister ship, HILARY, were not particularly large vessels, being only 5,954 gross tons with a length of 423 feet.? ?They carried 40 passengers in first class and 106 in 3rd class.? ?The total crew was 82.? ? The ANSELM was sunk during the war, but the HILARY survived and sailed for a number of years after the war.? ? Ships like this are now a thing of the past.? ? They represented a way of sea life which could be rather uncomfortable (especially in hot weather), but was surprisingly free from the stresses that we are subject to today.? ? There were no internal telephones apart from those linking the key parts of the ship, bridge, engine-room, & radio room.? ? ?Use of public address systems were strictly limited and there was no such thing as ?piped music.?? ? Accommodation for crew & officers was small & cramped, but ships like this were very popular.? ? ? For the passengers, it was rather better, but still far from approaching the luxury to be found in modern cruise ships.? ? ?The ANSELM cost ?158,875 17s 6d to build.? ?She had a service speed of 13 knots & was driven by a single-reduction three-stage Parsons turbine driving a single four-bladed screw.
In addition to the passengers, the ship carried a large amount of general cargo.? ? She was torpedoed in 1941.