On this day in 1954 Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II launched the £3.5m passenger liner Southern Cross (Yard No. 1498) at Belfast; the first occasion a reigning British monarch had launched a merchant ship.

17 August was a wet day with pouring rain and a heavy overcast. Not withstanding the typical Belfast weather, the Queen, flanked on either side by Sir Frederick Rebbeck, Chairman of Harland & Wolff and on her left by Basil Sanderson, Chairman of the shipowners, performed the christening ceremony faultlessly: ‘I name this ship Southern Cross. May God protect her and all who sail in her.’ With that, she operated a lever which released the launching triggers and simultaneously a bottle of Empire champagne struck and smashed on the bows of the great liner as it started to move down the ways.

Watch Pathe newsreel of Queen launching Southern Cross -1954

The 8,335-ton cargo ship Sarmiento (Yard No. 1157) was launched today for the Pacific Steam Navigation Co., Liverpool.

A fatal accident occured during the launch of the 28,094-ton ‘Illustrious’ class aircraft carrier HMS Formidable (Yard No. 1007) at Belfast today. Without warning, and half an hour before schedule, the enormous ship spontaeneously began to move down the slipways out of control. Some of the dog shores were still in place when she started to move, and the blocks started to trip (thrown into the air) causing the launching cradle to collapse.

It's a miracle the aircraft carrier did not fall to either port of starboard as there was nothing supporting her as she went down the ways. Lady Wood darted forward and had the presence of mind to smash the bottle on the bow as the ship began to runaway but the vessel was a 'bastard' in shipyard lore as the actual naming ceremony never took place. Tragically, the wife of a shipyard worker, Mrs Kirk, was killed by flying timbers and iron bolts from the burst cradle and twenty-two other spectators were injured. Some of the dog shores were still in place when she started to move, and the blocks started to trip (thrown into the air) causing the launching cradle to collapse.

(Subsequently, and perhaps inappropriately, HMS Formidable featured in promotional adverts for Harland & Wolff during the 1940s - see Advert Archive).

The 12,234-ton passenger and cargo ship Athenic (Yard No. 341) was launched today for the Oceanic Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., (White Star Line). Athenic was the first of three sister ships ordered for the new joint passenger and cargo service with Shaw, Savill & Albion between London and New Zealand.

The 1,200-ton iron sailing ship Connaught Ranger (Yard No. 92) was launched today at 10.30am for J. G. McCormick of Dublin, London and Dublin.

A considerable number of people assembled on both sides of the Abercorn Quay to witness the launching ceremony which was ‘performed without a single hitch.‘ The vessel’s dimensions were: Length, 218 feet; Breadth of beam, 34 feet, 6 inches. The three-masted vessel was built exclusively of iron and classed A1 at Lloyd’s of London. Connaught Ranger was intended for the East India and Calcutta trade and delivered to her owner on 23 October of the same year.