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Promotional prints for P&O and its subsidaries

Date1965-1985

Object numberANMS0070

NameArchive series

MediumSilver gelatin print

ClassificationsEphemera

Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from P&OSNCo

Terms

DescriptionThis archive series consists of black and white and colour promotional prints for P&O and its subsidiaries (Orient Line and E&A Line). They depict images such as passengers enjoying seaboard life, facilities and services on board the vessels, and ports of call such as Noumea and Papua New Guinea.SignificanceIn 1987, on its 150th anniversary, P&O donated the National Maritime Museum a large collection of archival documents, pamphlets and photographs, originally housed in P&Os Sydney office. P&O ships have been coming to Australia since 1852. The collection spans a period of more than a century, and ranges from early passenger lists to latter-day posters and from annual reports to menu covers. Information booklets intended to promote the better functioning of P&O vessels include instructions to commanders and guides to career opportunities.

No less valuable than the 'official' material is the vast amount of ephemera, which for many researchers evokes the special quality of tourism. To the credit of the company, it preserved such items as brochure and flyers, press releases and publicity pictures, postcards and crossing the line certificates, which are now in the museum's collection. Subsidiary collections of documents relating to companied with which P&O has been associated including the Orient Line and the British India Steam Navigation Company, help to give perspective to the detailed picture.