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Image Not Available for To Australia for £37, P&O One Class Service
To Australia for £37, P&O One Class Service
Image Not Available for To Australia for £37, P&O One Class Service

To Australia for £37, P&O One Class Service

Artist (1883 - 1967)
Maker (British)
Date1921-1930
Object number00008659
NamePoster
MediumColour lithograph on paper
DimensionsOverall: 1275 × 925 mm
Display dimensions: 1015 × 645 mm
Mount / Matt size (G Fini Mount): 1249 × 900 mm
ClassificationsPosters and postcards
Credit LineANMM Collection
DescriptionThis poster promoting a P&O one class service to Australia for £37 was designed by British artist Raphael T Roussel. Created during the inter-war years to appeal to those thinking of migrating, the poster draws on the much promoted vision of Australia as a land of sunshine, opportunity and rural prosperity.HistoryWorld War I served to reinforce previously held views on the size, composition and distribution of Australia’s future population. There was a sense that it should be predominantly British, that non-Europeans should be denied entry and that immigrants should be directed to rural rather than urban areas. The war also strengthened British and Imperial ties and led to plans to redistribute the population of the Empire through a variety of immigration and development projects after the war. 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 (2) was delivered in 1911 and the last in 1914. The ships offered a one class service and quickly became highly competitive.SignificanceThe poster is an example of advertising material inspired by the Australian Government campaign to attract agricultural migrants to Australia to develop the country's interior. This campaign peaked in the first two decades of the 20th century, but the theme continued throughout the century, even in the post-World War II years.