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Title
Memorabilia album from SS Alcantara’s voyage to South America
Reference
MS/0746
Production date
1936 - 1936
Scope and Content
The album contains a comprehensive assembly of written and pictorial memorabilia from life aboard the ships, such as photographs of the interiors, passengers and ports of call, passenger lists, events details, menus, ship newspaper articles and postcards. RMS Alcantara was a Royal Mail ocean liner constructed in 1926. Originally build with diesel engines, a cutting-edge but fledgling technology at the time, she was slower by several days than the competing British and foreign ships already working the route between European and South American ports. To increase her speed and competitiveness, RMS Alcantara was re-fitted with steam turbines in 1935. The voyage to South America depicted in the album dates from 1936, representing one of her first cruises following the refit. During WWII, SS Alcantara served as an armed merchant cruiser and as a troop ship. She was returned to civilian service in 1948, and was scrapped in 1958. The album contains the following material: Brown suede covered photographic album 20 x 28cms with a coloured printing of R.M.S. Alcantara on the outside. Page 1. Inside cover. Paper coloured image, 10 x 13cms of the Alcantara moored in a tropical setting with a white liner in the background. Page 2. Gold coloured GPO greetings telegram envelope, 11 x 18cms addressed to Miss Ann Leybourne Popham, Southampton. Containing a greetings telegram illustrated in gold border and green leaves addressed to the above with the message ‘Good luck and love’ Mary +. Serial No. 191, Date 21/2. Page 3. Coloured illustration, 17 x 20cms of R.M.S. Alcantara, titled Royal Mail to South America. Page 4. Monochrome magazine cut-out picture, 16 x 22cms titled First Class Promenade Deck. Page 5. Monochrome magazine cut-out picture, 16 x 22cms titled First Class Entrance Hall. Page 6. Monochrome magazine cut-out picture, 16 x 22cms titled First Class Smoke Room. Page 7. Monochrome magazine cut-out picture, 16 x 22cms untitled. Seating Lounge. Page 8. Monochrome magazine cut-out picture, 16 x 22cms untitled. Dining Room. Page 9. Monochrome magazine cut-out picture, 16 x 22cms untitled. Stairway and hall. Page 10. Folded card, 17 x 20cms, Royal Mail Line Menu illustrated with the Alcantara in Lisbon harbour. Dated Saturday, 22nd February 1936. Outward voyage. Page 11. Gold trimmed Jantar Diner menu card, 12 x 20cms, dated 23/2/1936. Page 12. Folded card, 11 x 18cms, Royal Mail list of passengers, illustrated with the Alcantara moored in a tropical setting with palm trees in the foreground. List of passengers from Southampton, Cherbourg, Lisbon and Madeira, Tuesday, February 25, 1936 for Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina. Four printed pages. Page 13. Monochrome magazine cut-out picture 16 x 18cms, landscape view of Madeira. Two monochrome photographs 5 x 8cms, views of Madeira. Page 14. Folded printed card, 10 x 12cms, with a blue image of Madeira titled Royal Mail Tours, Daily Programme. Monochrome postcard, 9 x 14cms, of Reid’s Hotel, Madeira. Page 15. Titled, February 25th, 1936. Contains three monochrome photographs, 6 x 8 cms, of views of Madeira, titled. ‘Libbet. Mrs Green, Flower seller and Early morning’. Monochrome postcard 9 x 14 cms, titled Quay at Funchal, Madeira. Page 16. Folded paper leaflet, 13 x 20 cms, titled Royal Mail programme of sports. Southampton to Buenos Aires, 21st February – 10th March 1936. Page 17. Four monochrome photographs, 5 x 8 cms and 8 x 10 cms, portraits of Miss Popham? On the deck of the ship. One monochrome photograph, 6 x 10 cms, of RMS Alcantara under steam. Page 18. Untitled monochrome print, 16 x 21 cms of harbour view of Madeira. Page 19. Two folded coloured printed cards in orange and red, 10 x 13 cms, titled Royal Mail Daily Tours– Programme. February 29, 1936 and March 2, 1936. Page 20. Coloured folded card, 14 x 22 cms, illustrated with two dancers, titled Fancy Dress Dance. Programme of music and dinner menu. Dated 2 March, 1936. Page 21. Page titled, March 2nd. Contains one monochrome photograph, 14 x 20 cms a group portrait of passengers in fancy dress. Page 22. Handwritten list, 19 x 27 cms naming the passengers in the above photograph. Overleaf, list of prize winner. Page 23. Page titled, March 5th. Contains two coloured printed cards, 10 x 13 cms, titled Royal Mail Tours, Daily Programme, Dated March 4, 1936. Invitation card from Rio de Janeiro-Brasil, Hotel Casino Copacabana. Page 24. Contains three monochrome photographs, 9 x 13 cms, views of Rio de Janeiro. Vista do Corcovado, Botafoco and Praia Copacabana. Page 25. Coloured illustrated folded card, 16 x 20 cms, Royal Mail Line menu. Front illustration titled, Santos. Unable to open card. Page 26. Monochrome magazine cut-out photograph, 17 x 18 cms, landscape view of Santos and docks. Page 27. Titled March 6th. Contains three monochrome postcards, 8 x 12 cms showing various landscape views of São Paulo. Page 28. Folded card, 10 x 16 cms menu for Resturante, Hotel Terminus, São Paulo, dated 6-3-1936. Coloured folded brochure, 18 x 12 cms titled São Paulo Railway, The Gateway to São Paulo. Page 29. Titled March 9th. Coloured folded illustrated card, 10 x 12 cms Royal Mail Tours Daily -Programme, March 8th, 1936. Monochrome postcard, 9 x 14 cms, street view of Montevideo. Page 30. Two monochrome postcards, 9 x 14 cms, landscape views of Montevideo. Page 31. Titled March 9th. Two monochrome postcards, 9 x 14 cms, views of Montevideo. Page 32. Monochrome magazine cut-out photograph, 17 x 18 cms, landscape view of Montevideo, Carrasco Hotel and beach. Page 33. Folder illustrated printed card, 16 x 20 cms, Royal Mail Line, Buenos Aires, Menu. Page 34. Titled March 10th -13th. Two monochrome magazine cut-out photographs, 8 x 13 cms, landscape photographs of Buenos Aires. Page 35. Monochrome magazine cut-out photograph, 16 x 18 cms, illustrating city landscape titled Avenida Alvear, Buenos Aires. Page 36. Monochrome magazine cut-out photograph, 16 x 18 cms, illustrating city landscape titled Palermo Park, Buenos Aires. Page 37. Contains a monochrome magazine cut-out photograph, 8 x 10 cms, of Palermo Park, B.A. Monochrome postcard, 8 x 13 cms, of Buenos Aires, Vista Panoramica del Centro. Monochrome photograph, 5 x 8cms, of Highland Monarch ship berthed in the harbour. Printed Information card, 9 x 12 cms, from Alvear Palace Hotel. B.A. Page 38. Monochrome magazine cut-out, 9 x 14cms and monochrome postcard, 8 x 13cms, views of Buenos Aires. Page 39. Titled March 13th, Friday. Sailed at 8pm for Southampton. Folded card, 11 x 18cms, Royal Mail list of passengers, illustrated with the Alcantara moored in a tropical setting with palm trees in the foreground. List of passengers from Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Santos and Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, 17th March, 1936 for Madeira, Lisbon, Vigo, Cherbourg, and Southampton. List of officers and passengers. Page 40. Monochrome magazine cut-out photograph, 17 x 18cms, landscape view of Monte Video, March 14th. Page 41. Titled Santos, March 16th. Contains four landscape photographs. 6 x 8 cms, of Santos. One monochrome photograph, 6 x 8 cms, three ladies on deck sun loungers, titled: self, Mrs Perry, mum, Sunday Morning. Page 42. Titled March 17th. Monochrome magazine cut-out photograph, 17 x 18cms, landscape view of Avenida Rio Branco, Rio de Janeiro. Page 43. Monochrome postcard, 9 x 13cms, landscape at night of Rio de Janeiro. Monochrome magazine cut-out photograph, 8 x 11cms, of Mount Perry. Page 44. Printed leaflet, 13 x 20 cms, Royal Mail programme of Sports on board R.M.S. Alcantara, Buenos Aires to Southampton. 13th March – 30 March, 1936. Page 45. Folded printed illustrated card, 14 x 22 cms, Horse race card, Friday 20th March, 1936. Page 46. Folded printed card, 10 x 17cms, illustrated with Royal Mail Lines coat of arms, signed menu for 23rd March, 1936. Page 47. Handwritten list, 19 x 29cms, members of the fancy dress ball illustrated in the photograph below. Page 48. Titled March 23rd. Monochrome photograph, 15 x 22cms, portrait of passengers attending the fancy dress ball. Page 49. Three monochrome photographs, 5 x 8 cms, views of the quay, Funchal, H.M.S. Frobisher and Madeira, March 26th. Folder printed Illustrated card, 10 x 13cms, Race Meeting, Royal Mail Tours. Daily Programme, March 25, 1936. Page 50. Titled March 28th. Monochrome magazine cut-out photograph, 15 x 18cms, of Vigo. Folder printed Illustrated card, 10 x 13cms, Royal Mail Tours. Daily Programme, March 28, 1936. Page 51. Folded illustrated printed card, 16 x 20 cms, Royal Mail Lines, Menu, Friday 27th March, 1936. Frontispiece illustrated with the Alcantara passing The Needles, Isle of Wight. End Piece. Titled: March 30th. Monochrome photograph, 5 x 8cms, R.M.L. Alcantara in Southampton. Picture description. ‘Arrived Southampton 10.30 pm. Fog-bound for 9 hours off The Needles’.
Extent
1 item
Language
English
Level of description
TOP
Repository name
Science Museum, London

Associated people and organisations

Royal Mail Biography Biography
Built on the distribution system for royal and government documents, a postal service was known as the Royal Mail has been in existence in the United Kingdom since 1516, when Henry VIII established the position of Master of the Posts. This role was renamed Postmaster General in 1710. During its existence, the Royal Mail has been known as the Royal Mail Steam Packet Co and Royal Mail Lines Ltd. It is also known as Royal Mail Limited, Royal Mail Group and Royal Mail Holdings plc. During the 17th century, the Royal Mail service was made available to the general public, run as a monopoly by various parliamentarians, lawyers and merchants. The General Post Office was eventually established in 1660. With a network of Post Offices, members of the public could easily send and receive letters and parcels. Their post went from the Post Office to distribution points called sorting stations. From there the post was sent on for delivery. In the beginning, the recipient of the post had to pay the fee and they had the right to refuse the item if they didn't want to pay. The charge was calculated based on the distance post had to be carried, and the General Post Office kept a separate account for each item. Between 1719 and 1763, the postal network expanded, with private mail coaches provided by Wilson & Company of London and Williams & Company of Bath. The first Royal Mail coach ran in 1784, operating between Bristol and London. The first mail train ran in 1830 on the Liverpool & Manchester Railway line. The Uniform Penny Post was introduced in 1840, with a single rate for delivery anywhere in Great Britain and Ireland, pre-paid by the sender. It wasn't until 1968 that the first and second class postage rates were introduced. Royal Mail postal boxes were introduced in Jersey in 1852 and on mainland Britain in 1853. The Post Office introduced a national telephone service in 1912. British Telecom separated from the Post Office in 1980, under the British Telecommunications Act. Post codes were introduced across Great Britain and Northern Ireland between 1959 and 1974. The 1969 Post Office Act made the General Post Office a statutory corporation, known as the Post Office. In 1986, the Royal Mail's functions were split into three businesses: Royal Mail Letters, Royal Mail Parcels and Post Office Counters. In 1990, Royal Mail Parcels became known as Parcelforce. The Postal Services Act 2000 made the Royal Mail a public limited company. In 2001, the Royal Mail rebranded as Consignia, but the following year became Royal Mail Group plc, due to the lack of Consignia's success as a brand. The new chairman Alan Leighton announced that Royal Mail Group would focus on its key brands - Post Office, Royal Mail and Parcelforce. A slight change in legal status in 2007 meant that Royal Mail Group plc became Royal Mail Group Ltd. The Postal Services Act 2011 allowed for up to 90% of Royal Mail to be privatised, with at least 10% of shares to be held by Royal Mail employees. On 1 April 2012, Post Office Ltd became independent of Royal Mail Group and was reorganised to become a subsidiary of Royal Mail Holdings, with a separate management and board of directors. A 10-year inter-business agreement was signed between the two companies to allow Post Offices to continue issuing stamps and handling letters and parcels for Royal Mail. After almost 500 years of Government ownership, the Royal Mail was floated on the London Stock Exchange on 15 October 2013.

Conditions governing access
Open Access
Conditions governing Reproduction
Copies may be supplied in accordance with current copyright legislation and Science Museum Group terms and conditions

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Memorabilia album from SS Alcantara’s voyage to South America Notes Notes