WHAT is the common link between a luxury cruise liner from 85 years ago and a York cafe?
Well, when the luxury liner Queen Mary set sail for her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York back in May 1936, on board was Frederick Belmont, master confectioner and founder of Yorkshire's legendary Bettys tea rooms.
The Queen Mary was a temple to Art Deco design and Frederick was so impressed with the stylish grandeur of the ship's interior that on his return to Yorkshire he employed the craftsmen who worked on the Queen Mary to design the interior of his new Bettys tea room in York's St Helen's Square.
No expense was spared: walnut pillars and panelling, etched glass and exquisite marquetry were all installed.The grand opening was on June 1,1937.
You can still see this stunning interior in the upstairs Belmont Room at Bettys in St Helen's Square, York.
The room is still used - often for afternoon teas - and captures the air of style, elegance and opulence that Frederick must have enjoyed on the maiden voyage of the Queen Mary 85 years ago.
In recent years, Bettys Belmont Room has been used to host events too. Pop star Lulu held an afternoon tea and beauty Q&A back in 2014, and more recently local fashion designers have held catwalk shows during York Fashion Week.
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Queen Mary fact file
The RMS Queen Mary sailed mainly across the North Atlantic from 1936 to 1967
Operated by the Cunard-White Star Line, she was built by John Brown & Company in Clydebank, Scotland.
Her maiden voyage was on May 27, 1936 and she arrived in New York five days later on June 1.
The 80,000-ton liner had five dining areas and lounges, two cocktail bars and swimming pools, a grand ballroom, a squash court and even a small hospital.
Her top speed was more than 30 knots; she had a crew of 1,100 (more than one for every two of her full complement of 2,100 passengers).
Supplies for the maiden voyage included 50,000lbs of fresh meat, 50,000 eggs, 14,500 bottles of wine and 25,000 packets of cigarettes.
During the Second World War, she was converted into a troopship and ferried Allied soldiers during the conflict.
The rich and famous were on her maiden voyage, including film stars of the day: Jack Buchanan, Olivia de Havilland and Frances Day.
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