Staff - sea 61, STRATHEDEN final voyage luncheon
Date1920-1969
Object numberANMS0081[688]
NamePhotograph
ClassificationsPhotographs
Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from P&OSNCo
HistoryThe Peninsular Steam Navigation Company was founded in 1837 with the awarding of the British Government contract to carry the mails from the UK to Spain and Portugal. In 1840 the company was awarded a second contract for the Egyptian mails and became known as the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O). Additional mail contracts extended the company’s operations further east to India in 1842 and Ceylon, Penang, Singapore and Hong Kong in 1845. P&O’s first mail service from the UK to Australia commenced in 1852 on the paddle steamer CHUSAN.
The early decades of the 20th century marked a period of rapid expansion for P&O, as it acquired companies such as the Blue Anchor Line, New Zealand Shipping Company and Union Steam Ship Company, as well as a majority share in the Orient Line (which would later form the P&O-Orient Line in 1960).
In 1932 P&O pioneered cruising from Australia with a Christmas cruise from Sydney to Norfolk Island on the mail steamer STRATHAIRD. Prior to this cruising in Australia had been the preserve of coastal steamship companies.
P&O ships were requisitioned for service during both World Wars. After the wars they carried thousands of British migrants, including Ten Pound Poms, to new lives in Australia. The increasing popularity of air travel from the 1960s saw many P&O ships transferred to the cruising schedule. Since the 1970s P&O operations have diversified to include ferries, containers, cargo handling and ports worldwide.
In 2000 P&O’s cruising operations were demerged from P&O to create P&O Princess Cruises, which was acquired by Carnival Corporation in 2003. P&O was acquired by DP World in 2006.
STRATHEDEN was built by Vickers Armstrong in Barrow, England, in 1937, P&O's centenary year. It had accommodation for 448 first and 563 tourist class passengers and departed Tilbury on its maiden voyage to Australia on 24 December 1937. STRATHEDEN was requisitioned as a troopship during World War II. It returned to passenger service in 1946 and was refitted to carry 527 first and 453 tourist class passengers. In 1962 it was refitted to a one class tourist configuration with accommodation for 1,200 passengers. After its final voyage for P&O in 1963 STRATHEDEN was sold to Greek shipowner John S Latsis before being broken up in 1969.
