SS HIMALAYA gala dinner menu featuring roses
Date11 March 1950
Object numberANMS1356[008]
NameMenu
MediumPaper
DimensionsOverall: 216 x 142 mm
ClassificationsEphemera
Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from HM Hignett
DescriptionThe booklets, leaflets, menus and postcards are souvenirs from Georgina Williamson's voyages from Sydney to Colombo on RMS HIMALAYA and from Colombo to Southampton on RMS ORONTES in 1950.HistoryThis collection of booklets, leaflets, menus and postcards belonged to Miss Georgina A Williamson, who was a travelling companion of Mr H Young, former Mayor of Southampton. Both had an interest in buying and selling property in Australia. They always travelled from Southampton to Sydney on the Shaw Savill liner DOMINION MONARCH and returned on other vessels. In 1950 they sailed from Sydney to Colombo on the new P&O liner RMS HIMALAYA and from Colombo to Southampton on the Orient liner RMS ORONTES.
HIMALAYA was the first new liner built for P&O after World War II. With accommodation for 758 first and 401 tourist class passengers, it departed Tilbury on its maiden voyage on 6 October 1949, arriving in Sydney on 7 November.
In March 1958 HIMALAYA made the first trans-Pacific voyage by a P&O liner, sailing from Tilbury to Australia via the Suez Canal, then from Sydney to the west coast of America and back, arriving at Tilbury on 2 June. In March 1959 HIMALAYA made the first P&O crossing from America to Japan.
In 1963 HIMALAYA was converted to a one-class ship with tourist class accommodation for 1,416 passengers. It was used almost exclusively for cruising over the next decade, and was broken up in Taiwan in 1974.
ORONTES was built by Vickers-Armstrong at Barrow for the Orient Line and launched on 26 February 1929. It embarked on its maiden voyage from Britain to Australia on 26 October 1929, with accommodation for 460 first and 1,112 third class passengers.
ORONTES was requisitioned as a troopship during World War II, and was involved in the landings in North Africa, Sicily and Salerno. After the war ORONTES was refitted at Southampton to carry 502 first and 610 tourist class passengers, and resumed the Australia service on 17 June 1948.
In 1953 ORONTES was refitted to accommodate 1,410 tourist class passengers, carrying assisted migrants to Australia until 1961. It was broken up in Valencia in 1962.SignificancePort booklets, menus and postcards have always been cherished mementos of a long sea voyage, and provide an insight into the activities, entertainments and daily life onboard passenger liners during the 20th century.