Item HT 2628 Pamphlet - 'To England', SS Northern Star & SS Southern Cross, Shaw Savill Lines, circa 1960s

Summary

Folded pamphlet for the S.S. Northern Star and S.S. Southern Cross, issued by Shaw Savill Lines circa 1960s. It is part of a collection of 175 items of post-war ship memorabilia collected by John McKay. John began collecting shipping brochures as a boy through an interest in travel and later used some of the material in his professional capacity as a Geography and Social Studies teacher. He finally made a voyage himself in 1957-1958, to England to attend a scouting jamboree, although he ended up staying for 18 months. He remembers lots of Australians going over at that time, and references to Earls Court as 'Kangaroo Alley'.

The Southern Cross was in service from 1955-1972 and made four world voyages each year from Southampton to Australia. It could accommodate up to 1160 tourist class passengers. The Northern Star was commissioned after the success of Southern Cross, and could carry an extra 250 passengers. Her maiden voyage was in 1962, she was the last passenger liner to be operated by Shaw Savill, and in 1975 she was sold to ship breakers after persistent problems with faulty engines.

Physical Description

Folded, double-sided pamphlet on gloss paper. Black and white and colour photographs of places visited by the ship, its facilities with passengers. Text in English.