P&O Royal Mail Liners to Tasmania

Artist Frank Norton (1916-1983)

Publisher P&O (British, founded 1837)

Date1938

Object number00027982

NamePoster

MediumInk on paper

DimensionsSheet: 1012 x 660 mm
Overall: 1012 x 660 mm, 0.05 kg
Image: 987 x 634 mm

ClassificationsPosters and postcards

Credit LineANMM Collection

Collections

Sea the world

Terms

DescriptionThe image depicts a quay at Hobart as seen from the water. A small sail boat is visible being unloaded by a group of sailors, and the stern of the boat reads ALMA DOEPEL HOBART. Buildings line the quay and mountains appear in the background. The poster advertises both P&O and Tasmania as a destination. ALMA DOEPEL was a regular features around Hobart, being in service in the area for almost 60 years.HistoryP&O was founded in 1837 when the partnership of Wilcox and Anderson secured a contract to carry mail from the UK to the peninsular ports Vigo, Oporto, Lisbon, Cadiz and Gibraltar. In 1840 the company secured a new contract to extend the service to Alexandria in Egypt, and in 1844 this contract was extended to Madras, Ceylon, Calcutta, Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai. P&O established the Far East route to Australia in the 1850s, when it took over from less efficient services such as the East India Company. The 1920s saw a dramatic change in the onboard class profile of P&O vessels when the company began changing second class to tourist class. During this period, as new ships came into operation, older ships were converted to the then innovative and economical one class. P&O constructed five new ships, the first, BALLARAT (II) was delivered in 1911 and the last in 1914. The ships offered a one class service and quickly became highly competitive.SignificanceThis poster is an important record of one of the ways in which travel was marketed to both national and international audiences.