Maria Wilhelmina Johanna (Mary) Soulier - nanny and flight attendant
On this website, historical women from the maritime sector share their stories. This is the story of Maria Wilhelmina Johanna (Mary) Soulier.
About Maria Wilhelmina Johanna (Mary) Soulier
- Lived: 1929–2001
- Employer: Holland-America Line
- In which maritime sector did she work? Passenger shipping
What kind of work did she do?
From 1959 to 1965, she worked as a nanny and occasionally as a stewardess (both civilian positions) aboard the cruise ships Maasdam (IV), Nieuw Amsterdam (II), Rijndam (II), and Statendam (IV). During that period, she stopped working a few times, only to return to the ship after a short or slightly longer break. She made a total of 54 voyages. She had reportedly dreamed for years of going to sea to see something of the world. That dream came true: through her work, she traveled to North, Central, and South America, Canada, Scandinavia, Portugal, and other countries around the Mediterranean. She created several scrapbooks of her travels, filled with photos, notes, and other mementos from her journeys. It is not known what education she received. In addition to Dutch, she also spoke English and French. A nephew described her as “an elegant, refined, sweet-smelling woman, dressed chicly and with style, a true lady of The Hague. My aunt had many sides; her refined side would sometimes shift into a side that didn’t suit her at all or that you wouldn’t expect from her. My aunt was incredibly good with children and very sociable.”
What else is there to say about her maritime life?
What she did after her life at sea is unknown. She never married and, as far as is known, had no children.
*In the exhibition
Mary Soulier at work in the nursery, 1959–1965. Maritime Museum
Mary Soulier on deck of the Maasdam (IV), 1959