Name: Peter Bühler Comments I was a passenger on SS.Himalaya emigrating to Vancouver Canada in 1970. Thank you very much for a nice job well done. Regards Peter Name: Tom & Kay Smith Comments Emigrated to Australia on the Strathmore. A great trip and made some good friends, then on to Holmesglen Hostel and more great friends. Name: Ian Bayliff Comments I came out from the UK Feb 55 with a party of child migrants bound for the Fairbridge Farm School at Molong N.S.W. As long ago as it was that I travelled on the Strathnaver and I was only 8yrs at the time I still remember it so well. Such great food which I had never seen before, and always something to do. What a shock when I arrived at Fairbridge. Name: N.M. (Nick) Avey Comments Hi Mel. What a fantastic site. It bought back some wonderful memories for me. I travelled on the Strathaird from Kent in the U.K. with my 2 brothers & 3 other boys to an orphanage in Melbourne. We arrived in Melbourne in May 1954.I remember clearly us six boys won first prize at the ships fancy dress party dressed as the Everest Expedition which of course was still one of the main topics of discussion at the time. Also remember "The Gothic" carrying the new Queen of England ( Queen Elizabeth) back home after her first Australian tour, passing within a stones throw of our ship & the Captain calling every one up on deck to wave to her. For a six year old boy, very exciting. Kind Regards Nick Name: Albert Floyde Comments Excellent Name: Vernon M Birch Comments I sailed from Bombay to Tilbury in 1956, on board the Strathmore. I was 10 and I have held the moment in my mind. I would love to see the passenger list for the voyage that arrived at Tilbury in June 1956. All things must end, but I was saddened to discover the break up of the Strathmore. I have one photo of myself with my two sisters on one of the decks of the Strathmore. Does anyone have any information? What would I give for just one more sailing on the Strathmore! Name: Fred Dyer Comments Hi, great site, brings back memories galore! It looks like Michael Wilding( familiar name?) and I are the only ones from the Ranchi(?)...We also broke down en route to Australia...took 7 weeks all up! Made an unscheduled stop in Ceuta(sp?) and can remember walking off the boat and straight back on again, we were inundated with cries from beggars at the side of the road, so my Dad said, "back we go boys"...We stayed in the Suez for a week watching the '51 uprising in the streets, a few bullets whistling past our heads until the purser called us inside! Also John Landy had the bunk above me...quite a memory now...I was 11 1/2 at the time...if anyone was on the that trip please contact me...love to re-live some of the memories..I also was lead to believe that the old Ranchi was scrapped after returning home to England after our trip.but apparently not eh Michael? Cheers from another £10 pounder... Look again Fred. There are more Ranchi passengers. Mel Name: Robin Muir Comments I am engaged in research on the Scottish painter Robert MacBryde. He designed murals in 1951 for the S.S. Oronsay. Would anyone have any ideas of where about on the ship these murals were? And does anyone have any photographs of them? Are there any books dealing with the interiors of P&O liners? Thanks. Robin Muir, Vogue Magazine, London. Name: Don Gidman Comments I travelled to Australia from Liverpool in June 1952 on the SS Mooltan as a 14 year old. I am Interested in obtaining any information on the SS Mooltan such as passenger lists and photos. Name: George Clarkson Name: Phillip Nicholas Taffy 2 Comments Sailed as junior eng Himalaya 1974 Aussie cruising, anyone out there on that trip. Name: Bill King Comments Sailed from Tilbury Dock on Strathaird in 1959 with the Fairbridge Farm school party. Went to Molong school. Former child migrant. Name: Linda Weber Comments Woooooooow - brought some memories back! Thank you Name: Alan Logan Comments Great site. My late father worked in Bombay & I went out with my mother on one of the above docking in Bombay on 23/12/50 & returned about a year later on the other. Name: Helen Barham Name: Vivienne Smith Comments I was a Sutherland lass on the ship with my parents and two other sisters. I have always remembered bits and pieces of the journey, I was only 4/5 at the time. I always remember the dressing up party that the children went to - if I remember rightly I went as a bumble bee (or maybe it was my older sister). I also remember the stewards coming into our room and giving my parents cups of tea and us girls an orange each. Name: Paul Flindell Name: Warren Stott Comments So many wonderful memories of a vessel that brought us to a new life. Name: Ken Wilson Comments I worked as a steward in the tourist restaurant. It is nice to see the ship again and that you have taken the time to put together this site. I have a lot of happy memories from my time aboard the Arcadia. Name: Ron Kerr Comments I was a crew member on the Oronsay. Someone has told me that there is a publicity film around which was made on the ship and it's very likely that I am in it! My only chance at stardom. I'd love a copy. So help please! Name: Sandra Caines Comments I am interested to see if there is a passenger list of people who travelled on the SS Orontes in 1959. I came over when I was eight years old with my six brothers and sisters and my parents. Name: David Blythe Comments I migrated to Australia in 1950 with my Mother and family. Father migrated 6 months earlier on the Orcades. My father was aboard the Oronsay when torpedoed in the Atlantic 1942. I have sought to find a ship's crew list before. Dad, John William Blythe passed away in 1996. I would be interested if there is any further info on the Oronsay. The photo I have of 1942 shows only one funnel. It was a merchant navy troop ship when sunk. Dad was in life boat for about 11 days before being picked up and taken to French West Africa. Name: Isabella Keegan (nee Cumming) Comments I emigrated with my parents, William and Mary, and my younger brother Alister. I was 19 and my brother 16. I had a wonderful trip, had a lovely bedroom steward named Bill, came from Glasgow. He gave us loads of advice on what to do while throwing up through the Bay of Biscay. One of the dining room stewards I remember, Tony Dougherty who took wonderful care of us all. I still have a photograph of him. I still have a matchbox from the ship with the first Australian sixpence I touched. I also have a minature life belt with the name on it. I have a newspaper cutting of myself dancing on board, I remember it was about 6am when the picture was taken, I also have the cutting from the same paper of the baby who was born on board, his parents were Greek and had come on board at Piraeus. Both these pictures were in the Fremantle newspaper . Great trip, wonderful memories! Name: George and Ivy Archer Comments I travelled on the Strathaird as a troopship in 1942 and as a converted migrant ship in 1954. Would be very interested to get any info on the Strathaird either as a troopshop or a migrant ship coming into Western Australia. Name: Mike Barnes Comments My Mum and Dad came to Australia when I was 9 years old as assisted migrants. Two younger sisters came with us. I would be happy to talk to anyone who came on the same journey. I think I have an equator crossing certificate hidden somewhere but I would love to see any other memorabilia of that trip. I seem to remember that many people were sick on that trip and the hospital had to be extended. I am told I hallucinated at one stage in the public areas... you may remember me. Name: Garry Townsend Comments Sailed on the lovely Iberia via USA, Japan, Hong Kong, Philippines to Sydney Australia. I was 20 years old....travelled with life-long friend Robert Pearson. Memories of a life-time! Fondest memory: sneaking up to the bow of the ship at night in the South China Sea, nearing Singapore....and seeing the incredible phosphorus in the ocean ! Amazing ! Also...will never forget the 'dinner-gong' sounding.....time to eat ! Name: Mike Howe Comments Thanks for bringing back a lot of memories . I served as Junior Electrician on RMS Oronsay for 2 years in the early 60s. I remember the ship being fined $5000 for making black smoke as we passed under the Golden Gate Bridge, thus stopping all the traffic. Name: Michael Gee Comments Joined Orient Line as Junior engineer July 1960. Stoodbye on the old Orontes for first two weeks in Tilbury Docks then on to the Orsova sailing out on her a couple of weeks later on the first of a total of nine consecutive world trips.The first two watch keeping in the refrigeration enginroom on the 12 to 4 & 8 to 12, the next seven trips, all including Pacific Holiday Cruises out of Auckland and Sydney, plus two Medi Cruises out of Southampton as 1st refrigeration engineer on day work. Great ship to serve on. Fantastic new experiences galore.Made many lasting friendships but also lost too many more, with regret. Maybe this message will be seen by some of my old mates and friends and new contact made. John McAdam who joined Orient Line the same day as myself and went ashore after two years serving as an electrician on the Orsova traced me in NZ, after a lapse of 39 years, from his home in Glasgow. Would like to hear from old friends and colleagues. Nelson Yardley who sailed as junior 2nd engineer, Eric Steele, Jnr 4th. from Springs, outside Jo'burg in South Africa and Dennis Curry, jnr 4th from Slough are three who always spring to mind when the Orsova is mentioned. I settled in New Zealand in September 1963 and now live in the beautiful seaside resort town of Whangamata. Old mates welcome, come and try the fishing and surfing. Best Regards, Mike. Name: Colin Tissington Comments I used to work on these ships in the seventies & eighties as bell boy , waiter, public room steward & deck steward. Brings back lots of good memories. Name: Valerie Larner (nee Cross) Comments I was checking out some geneology and the name of the ship popped into my head - amazing. Checked out the nursery and saw the rocking horse that I hogged all the way from UK!!! I was four years old at the time. Would love a passenger list. Name: Kent Fenneman Comments My parents came out to NZ from Canada in Nov. 1955 (I think). I would love to get hold of a passenger list from that voyage. Name: Jean Comments Your pages are fantastic. I never knew much of our journey from England to Australia. I was only 7 yrs old at the time. If anyone has a passenger list or any other information on the 1958 voyage of the Strathaird from England to Australia I would be really thrilled. Keep up the good work. Name: Malcolm Barres-Baker Comments I work for the Brent Archive in the London Borough of Brent. We have a series of photographs of Captain Spur of the S.S. 'Strathnavar' [sic] being presented with a flag and signing autographs for children at Leopold Road School, north-west London, in 1943. The 'Strathnavar' [sic], which I am assuming was the 'Strathnaver', was the school's adopted ship. Can anyone confirm that Captain Spur was Captain of the 'Strathnaver' in 1943? Many thanks. Name: David King Comments I was 10yrs old when we left for Australia with my family and we spent about 6 weeks onboard. I remember, My family and I were having dinner in one of the lower dining rooms celebrating one of my younger sisters (Alli) 8th B'Day when a heavy storm hit us just after we left Aden, Arabia. Everyone was kept in the dining room until it was safe again. We could see the huge waves crashing against the portholes. Alli later got German Measles a few days before we got to Fremantle, WA and she had to spend a week in the ships hospital in isolation. When we were crossing the Equator, I remember there a was big fancy dress/costume party and I wanted to go but I didn't have anything to wear. Mum told me to put on my 'speedo's' and she got lipstick and wrote 'Mr Universe' on my chest and I went and ended up winning 1st prize. We arrived at Outer Harbour on the 6th of June. Name: Don Taylor Comments The Strathmore was the best of all the Straths. There was never a dull moment on her.
We were rammed by a Pakistan frigate in Colombo. Diverted to a small Greek island to take
aboard earthquake survivours. Had a major engine failure off Southend pier and returned to
Tilbury for two weeks and had a very famous pianist as our Writer in the Bureau? I
could go on and on about this grand Name: Miss Celia Ann Barker ( now Mrs Armstrong ) Comments I am the daughter of Mr and Mrs Gordon ( yorky ) Barker and remember the crossing on not only the S.S. Stratheden, but our wonderful time on the S.S.Arcadia. Remembering King Neptune and so many more times. It was a wonderful time of life. Just wish we still had the quality we had then. Name: Albert Piper (pip)aged 91 Comments Anyone remember me or my brother Les, both of us known as Pip. It would be great to hear from anyone who knew me from them great days at sea. Name: Rodney Youens Comments Enjoyed many trips on P&O/Orient in the 60s. Lovely to look back, particularly at the interiors. Name: Andrew James Willcox Comments Wonderful to be able to relive my experience on the ship. I was nine years old when I came out in 1958 to Australia with my family. I still remember the flying fish in the Indian Ocean. Name: Ray George Comments I joined the Chusan at Southampton in 1966 as Jnr. 3rd Refigeration Engineer, I stayed
with her for 4 years until 1970, finishing up as 1st Ref. Eng. In December each year we
went three quarters way round the world, via the Panama Canal (suez was closed from '67),
up the west coast of Mexico to America and Canada and then doing a 'round the Pacific'
trip to Hawaii, Fiji, Tonga, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and then
all the way back to Hawaii, the West coast, through Panama, the Caribbean and home. This
took us four and a half months and the rest of the year we cruised out of Sot'on, around
the Med, Caribbean and the Baltic, before heading off on our annual '3/4 out 3/4 back
world trip'. Name: Colin Baxter Comments Migrated in 1956 with Tommy Baxter [father-deceased] Elsie Baxter[mother] Brenda Baxter[sister]. Mum is still going strong, she would love to here from any fellow passengers who recall her or Dad. She still has souvenir menus and things from the voyage. Name: Doreen Nobes (nee Dickinson) Comments My parents and I emigrated to Melbourne late 1960 and Dad (Derek Dickinson) has very fond memories of the Orcades. I remember Mum and Dad buying me a beautiful big doll in Gibraltar and high heeled plastic shoes. There was another passenger on the ship Brenda who Mum and Dad became friendly with but lost contact over the years. I think my parents may have a passenger list from their voyage. I remember sharing a cabin with Mum and other women and Dad was accommodated with other men! Name: Dave Wilkinson Comments Trying to find a passenger list for the voyage. Name: S Brooks Comments I'm looking for anyone who travelled with my uncle Danny Haws on the SS Orsova. I'm not sure of the dates though he used to work on the ship. Please contact me with any stories. Name: Tony Avenell Comments I was a utility steward on SS Iberia from 1967, then changed ships in 1998, joined SS Arcadia. Moved from tourist to first class steward to wine steward/section waiter. Left in 1970. Does anyone remember the singing group "The Simple Image"? Name: Gwyn Jones Comments I was the drummer in a trio doing Aussie cruising on the Himalaya including the Womens Weekly world cruise, then Alaskan cruising on the Arcadia and Med cruising on the Canberra. Also did the last cruise to Hong Kong on the Himalaya.....maybe we should organise a 30 year reunion in 2004. Sydney would be the place. (Adelaide is more central for any reunions.....Mel) Name: Dick McIntosh Comments Vancouver-Honolulu on Oronsay 1959 (age 15). Summer 1962 Vancouver-Britain "via the Straits and Suez" on Oronsay, returning by Panama on Orsova. Name: Erkki Vaananen Comments Interesting website. Well done. Name: Mick Reece Comments Great site. Name: John Stephen Evans Comments I came to Australia with my parents Alec and Constance and sister Joyce. We left Tilbury in late 1957 arriving in Melbourne just before Christmas. Even though I was only seven years old, I have very vivid memories of our fantastic voyage to Australia, travelling through the Suez canal and visiting Port Said where we ran aground and sat with a list to port for about a week before we were refloated. My Dad dressed me as a kangaroo in a fancy dress competition when we crossed the equator, which as luck would have it, I won! Two girls in the cabin opposite became my girlfriends during the trip. They later went on to become the singing duo by the name of "Cheater" and had some success in Melbourne during the late seventies and early eighties. It is amazing that after all these years of collaring unsuspecting Poms and quizzing them on how they came to Australia, I have never found a fellow Strathnarian. If you have access to the passenger list I would be very interested to see it as I had a red headed mate who got off in Adelaide but I can't remember his name. I would love to try to get in touch with him just to see how his life turned out. Name: Eric Ellis Comments We were a £10.00 family, myself and parents emmigrated in 1955 to Melbourne on a cattle ship called SS Australia and returned 1st Class on the Stratheden.Interested what happened to it. Very Happy Memories. Name: Alistair Boxall Comments Firstly great job on this web site. Love all the old photos, really brings it all back. I am Travel Agent, now living in New Jersey, working in Philadelphia just a short train ride every day to the city. I first traveled on the Iberia, cabin E 257 inside 2 berth, no private facilities. I had to take that short walk. I paid AUD255.00 per person for 9 day Pacific Cruise, Noumea. Suva. Tonga & still remember like it was yesterday, seeing all those sliding gates which used to divide the ship into First Class and 2nd. By then it was all one class. It's a shame that all of these great ships have gone. Still remember seeing all of them at Circular Quay and of course who doesn't remember Pier 13 Pyrmont. Those were the days.......I am an avid collector of Ships/Airline Memorabilia if anyone out there wants to trade. Name: Bill MacKinley Comments My name is Bill MacKinley. My family is from Rutherglen near Glasgow and we departed on the Strathaird on July 12th 1954 and arrived in Sydney on August 7th. Our family consisted of my mother and father, my two older sisters and myself. I had my 3rd birthday at sea, probably somewhere in the Indian Ocean. We travelled the normal route via the Suez Canal, then Perth, Adelaide then Melbourne. Name: Roger Edwards Comments Saw the ship on a Singapore stamp and wondered if there was a web site. Name: Caryl Mayes-Coventry Comments Like so many others I would love to get a hold of the passenger list for my voyage. I travelled as a 7 year old with my parents, Bryant and Rita Mayes, my sisters Megan, Anne and Lynda. As my mother is a shocking sailor and was in the stateroom for most of the trip, my sister Anne (15 years old) was mistaken for Lynda's and my mother. However, we thoroughly enjoyed the nearly 6 week trip and arrived in Brisbane. After just getting to know my way around we had to disembark! Lynda and I had our picture taken for the front page of the Courier Mail paper with the caption "Four for Australia" (the picture included our favourite dolls). I still remember the smell of the ship and have great memories helped by this site. Love the site - good work! Name: Mozes Wasia Comments My youngest brother was born onboard SS Ranchi on January 18th 1951, one day before arrival in Amsterdam. We were underway from Djakarta (Indonesia) to Amsterdam. We appreciate if anybody has some information for us about the ship. Thanks in advance Name: Bryan Pawley Comments I was a member of crew on both ships between those years. Great page and good memories. Name: Trevor Collett Comments I remember being put into my bunk at night when the ship was about to leave Bombay. I was determined to stay awake to see the ship sailing but I didn't make it. Next time I looked out of the porthole it was daylight and sea was all around. I was just too old to be allowed in the nursery, but kept trying to get in there. Would you know the dates that the Stratheden left Bombay for England, between 1952 and 1954? Name: Chris Legge Comments Well done on the research. Great effort. The Strathnaver experience is burned in my memory. My mother, father, 3 sisters and I left our home in England to settle in a new country, not knowing what to expect. The Strathnaver was our home for a month and, to a young boy of 8, provided many adventures for me. I made a number of friends on board who are still friends today. We loved to devour the Dandy ice creams parcelled out to kids every day. The pictures of the trip through the Great Australian Bite show it on a "calm" day. I remember standing on deck with the ship at the top of a wave and looking down to the bottom of the wave. It was a long way down (guessing at about 100 feet). It makes me sea sick to think about it. Thanks again. Name: Ted Meberg Comments My parents were missionaries to India, and as a 10 year old boy, we sailed from Bombay to the UK. Name: Lucille Legge Comments Thankyou for putting this together. I was 2yrs old when we came to Australia but it still put a lump in my sentimental throat to see the old girl. Name: Michial Flynn Comments My parents sailed to Melbourne Australia on the Strathnaver from Tilbury in Dec 1959 & arrived in Melb 12th of Jan 1960. I am interested in getting in contact with anyone else who was on this journey to bring some memories back to my mother.. Name: George Wagenaar Comments I was born on the SS Ranchi. My parents travelled from Indonesia to The Netherlands. Name: Gabrielle Sherwin Comments I travelled as a child on Arcadia each year from 1954 - 61 (not 1960). She was always the best ship EVER. Still cruise annually with P&O but Arcadia will never be forgotten. Name: Terry McAloon Comments Sailed on the Oronsay for one year 1960-61 and did Medi cruises on the Orsova in 62. Was a member of a rock band on the Oronsay called "Eddie Downie and the Wingers". On the Orsova we were (at the time) to be the first western liner to visit an iron curtain port (Odessa). great days, and what an interesting web-site! Name: Mr F John Swan Comments Left Southampton UK Dec 1945 for Sudan with 8th Batt R. Warks, some ATS and Btt S. Staffs Regt. Slept in hammocks. Kapok lifejackets. Name: John Cornish Comments Travelled to Adelaide SA in 1960 on the Oronsay and returned to the UK approx 1969 (Christmas) on the Orcades. To SA as a 3 Year old and returned to UK as a 12 year old. Name: Ma Comments I cruised with my family from Vancouver - Honolulu, I think it was the summer of 65. I was only six, but remember it well. My mom made me a great scrap book, and I have all of my late fathers 35mm slides. I remember hanging out for most of the week long voyage in the play room (under the bridge, perhaps?) where they had a replica ships wheel and a window looking out on the bow. I really thought I captained that ship to Hawaii. It was magic. Name: Ralph Armitage Comments As an infant I travelled on Orontes to Australia. My family moved there under the assisted passage scheme. Do you know any more of the ship? Name: Andrew Pinkerton Comments Great photo's. Thankyou. Name: Mike Stacey Comments I travelled on the Stratheden from Singapore to Tilbury in the summer of 1958 with my parents. We were returning from my father's two-year tour of duty with the Royal Engineers in Singapore. Also on the ship as a passenger was the actress Margaret Rutherford, accompanied by her husband. A great adventure! Name: Chris Pettman Comments I still remember sailing on the Chusan's maiden voyage from Southampton to Rotterdam.
My father was an accountant at Cockspur St, London and some of the staff were invited to
bring wives and children on a 2 day trip to Holland. There was a whole fleet of coaches
waiting for us in Holland. The most memorable part of the trip was testing the
stabilisers, then the first large liner to have such equipment fitted. We stayed on deck
and just about hung on as the sea came up to meet us, first to Port then to Starboard!!
Quite frightening as I was only about 9 at the time! I would like to know if she still
plies or has she now been scrapped? Name: Pat Appleby Comments I migrated with my parents and was on the Iberia when she had a mishap with another ship off the coast of Srilanka (Ceylon ) Name: Rod Parkin Comments Emigrated to Oz with Dad Herbert, Mum Margaret, Sister Shirley and Brother Robert. Name: Harry Oliver Comments Left Tilbury with my family on 7th March 1963 had a wonderfull time. I remember the bumboats in Port Said, force 9 gale in the Bay of Biscay, salt water mixed with drinking water in the Indian Ocean, crossing the equator, big time for a 12 year old. Name: Ann Hewlett ( nee Brennan) Comments My father was serving with the British Army and stationed in Singapore. My mother, two brothers and I sailed from Southampton to join him. It took six weeks to reach Singapore. We lived in Neesoon and Dad served at Tanglin Barracks. I have photo's and postcards. Would love to hear from anyone with any more memories. Name: Virginia Nelson Comments Looking for reading material for my brother, who is very ill. He is ex merchant navy but got curious about Orontes. Many thanks Name: Pete Rose Comments I worked in the crew mess through most of 1959 with Colin Whichelo, Freddie Tebble etc.
I remember Vic Reid and Tony Palmer of the Glory Hole Gang, also Brian Kearns from Harold
Hill in Essex. I was 18 when I signed on and had to grow up very quickly. Name: Peiter Jacob (Jack) Broerse Comments Great website. Thank you. I sent an email before finding your homepage. I am now going to look at the photo of that damn nursery! Name: Lucinda Fernando Comments My father was a shipchandler in Port Said and he often referred to the 2 shipping lines the P&O and the Orient line. Were they different companies or one in the same. They were separate companies but became one. Mel |