Book Review: A Photographic History of P&O Cruises
New book illustrates P&O Cruises Australian Heritage.
This newly released photographic book details the story of P&O’s illustrious history through hundreds of rare photographs.
Officially launched by Carnival Australia CEO Ann Sherry aboard P&O’s PACIFIC PEARL, packed with rarely seen photographs and a thorough survey of P&O’s fascinating history. With story drawn from the only known surviving copy of the P&O board minutes dating back to the 1830’s, the book includes imagery from the Orient Heritage collection owned by Henderson & Cremer.
Authored by Australian historians Rob Henderson, Doug Cremer, Rachelle Cross and Chris Frame, A Photographic History of P&O Cruises focuses on how Australia and pleasure cruising helped shape P&O leading to it becoming one of the most significant and famous shipping lines in the world.
Archivist Robert Henderson said, “I was working for P&O in Sydney when the photographic archive became too large for the company to store. A decision was made to dispose of the collection however I was able to negotiate to save some of the archive and have spent the past 46 years documenting it. It contains many thousands of images, the best of which we’ve selected for publication in this book.”
Author Chris Frame commented, “Rachelle and I met Rob and Doug aboard the Queen Mary 2. I had just finished a lecture about Cunard’s history and the pair approached us to talk about P&O. By the end of the voyage we had agreed to collaborate on this project. Having access to the rare source documents and extensive imagery allowed us to trace P&O’s story from a unique angle. As Australians, it was a great thrill to see how much our country had helped shape the world famous P&O.”
Speaking at the launch, Ann Sherry, said that over a period of more than 150 years, P&O had been at the forefront of nation building in Australia which was continuing in its leadership of the resurgence of cruising.
“Whether it’s the mail steamers of the nineteenth century, the birth of Australian cruising in 1932, the assisted passage scheme that brought a million ‘ten pound poms’ to these shores or contemporary cruising, P&O has always been in the thick of it and leading it more often than not” Ms. Sherry said.
One of the world’s most loved cruise lines, P&O Cruises can trace its history back over 175 years. Through an impressive and unique collection of imagery, this book details the history of P&O Cruises and explores the impact P&O had in shaping the British Empire.
With a vast fleet of ocean liners that undertook voyages to all parts of the globe, P&O was instrumental in immigration to Australia and New Zealand, while acting as a gateway to the Far East and India. After the advent of jet aircraft, the venerable company reorganised their services to offer pleasure cruises.
In Australia, P&O held a near monopoly during the 1980s and ‘90s, with their ships Oriana and Fairstar. Today, part of the giant Carnival Corporation, P&O Cruises remains an iconic barnd, offering British-based cruises, world voyages and a specialist Australian subsidiary that sails into the South pacific.
This work is a collaboration of decades of study and well worth adding to your collection.
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Thank you Martin for such a detailed review – I hope readers enjoy the book! Chris.
This is a wonderful collection of images, both of all the well known vessels but also a rich trove of the less known ones. I particularly liked reading about the post war fleet that I was familiar with seeing in Southampton as a lad. I’d take the Blue Star tour boat from the near the Royal Pier to see them whenever there was a few gathered in the western docks. Your book is a magnificent collaboration and significant addition to the history of P&O. -thanks Martin
So how do we order it?
Hi Gary, well I think most large book retailers sell it, certainly the publisher’s site is a start http://www.thehistorypress.co.uk/index.php/a-photographic-history-of-po-cruises-pb.html
Following a most fullfilled Enrichment Lecturer role for 8 years aboard some of the world’s finest passenger vessels until retiring recently,I have a copy of this fine book.
Rob Henderson, whom I know fairly well here in Sydney, is to be admired for keeping his topic so relevant. Especially in an age of probably far more dynamic change than in much of the period the book covers.
Thank you again Martin, that feedback has made our day!
I have a significant amount of 100 80 year old P&O menus etc – is there a market for them?
Thankd
Harold