Menus and entertainment brochures collected from SS ORSOVA and SS ORONSAY
Date1971-1972
Object numberANMS1358
NameArchive series
MediumPaper
ClassificationsEphemera
Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Joan de Hamel
DescriptionThis archive series consists of 48 menus and two entertainment brochures collected by Joan and Lance de Hamel during cruises on the P&O liners SS ORSOVA in 1971 and SS ORONSAY in 1972.HistoryJoan and Lance de Hamel acquired this collection of menus and entertainment programs during cruises on the P&O liners SS ORSOVA in 1971 and SS ORONSAY in 1972.
Onboard activities were crucial for encouraging social interaction and relieving boredom on long sea voyages on passenger liners during the 20th century. Entertainment programs promote the range of activities on offer - from table tennis and quoits, to cocktail parties and discos, bingo and card games to horse races - with appropriate prizes presented to winning owners and jockeys.
With their delightful cover illustrations, ship menus have always been cherished mementos of a long sea voyage. This collection of menus from ORSOVA and ORONSAY feature illustrations by well-known Australian and international artists and graphic designers, including Douglas Annand, Charles Sidebotham (Strom) Gould, F W Baldwin and Dorrit Dekk.
The menus are printed with the name of the ship, date, meal (breakfast, luncheon or dinner) and a vast selection of appetisers, entrees, salads, sweets, cheeses, fruits, desserts, beverages and wines. Menu covers were printed in advance on land and delivered to the ship, where menu selections would be printed on a daily basis. Passengers were able to acquire souvenir sets of unused menus from their table stewards.
SS ORONSAY was built by Vickers-Armstrong in Barrow, England in 1951. ORONSAY departed London on its maiden voyage on 16 May 1951, arriving in Sydney on 18 June. It accommodated 668 first and 833 tourist class passengers, the latter primarily migrants travelling from Britain to Australia.
In 1954 ORONSAY became the first Orient Line vessel to voyage across the Pacific Ocean, visiting Auckland, Suva, Honolulu, Vancouver and San Francisco. It completed its first voyage around the world via the Panama Canal in 1956, and departed on its first cruise to the Far East in 1960, visiting ports in Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore.
In 1964 ORONSAY was the first Orient liner to be painted white following the absorption of the Orient Line into P&O. It spent the next decade cruising the Pacific, before being broken up in Taiwan in 1975.
SS ORSOVA was launched on 14 May 1953 and departed on its maiden voyage from London to Australia on 17 March 1954. It had accommodation for 681 first and 813 tourist class passengers.
ORSOVA completed the Orient Line's first round-the-world cruise in 1955, sailing from London to Australia through the Suez Canal, then across the Pacific to the west coast of America, returning to Tilbury via the Panama Canal.
ORSOVA was repainted white in 1964 and transferred to the ownership of P&O the following year. ORSOVA was used extensively for cruising through the early 1970s and was broken up in 1974.SignificanceWith their delightful cover illustrations, ship menus and entertainment programs have always been cherished mementos of a long sea voyage. Featuring illustrations by well-known Australian and international artists and graphic designers Douglas Annand, Charles Sidebotham (Strom) Gould, F W Baldwin and Dorrit Dekk, the menus and programs provide an insight into the activities and entertainments onboard passenger liners during the 20th century.
