One of the delights of writing this blog has been making contact again with old colleagues from my days working for P&O/Princess back in the 1970s.
An added bonus has been the new acquaintances that have contacted me with their tales from other shipping companies around at the time.
One such seadog is Jamie who worked for Shaw Savill who contacted me from New Zealand.
Southern Cross – Shaw Savill Line – Built: 1955 Gross tons: 20204 Length: 604ft Beam: 78ft Draft: 25ft Speed: 20kt -Propulsion: Steam turbines twin screw Passengers: 1100 Tourist – End of service: Laid up 1971
The Southern Cross was one of the most revolutionary ships ever built. She was the first aft engined passenger liner ever built and thus revolutionised ship design forever. Her example was then followed by other notable ships such as Holland America’s Rotterdam and P&O’s Canberra. Indeed many of today’s modern cruise ships follow her pioneering design principles. She was the first one-class passenger liner ever built and did not carry cargo, and as a result, she was the first true passenger-only liner.
Jamie has filled me in on working in the Purser’s department for Shaw Savill on
mv. Southern Cross
Jamie tells me:
Unlike cruise liners, I worked on immigrant liners on mainline voyages. However, we did sell shore excursions in each port we visited. Our life as young Pursers is very similar, I trained in Shaw Savill’ passenger office in Haymarket, London for 6 months before joining my first ship, Southern Cross, at Southampton in December 1967. During my time in London, actioned passenger bookings, allocation of berths, and matching single travelers with others of same-sex, in 4 or 6 berth cabins for the 5 or 6-week voyage to Australia or NZ. It was an interesting insight into how I could foresee strangers living and cohabitating together for the duration of the voyage.
Jamie onboard mv Southern Cross
Back in my early days at sea, we had no professional entertainers, until the early 70's when we had a troupe of professionals known as Vic Ogleys' mob. You were probably like me, thrown into the deep end, without any training, and told to MC the ballroom dancing in the Lounge. At that time, my only experience in dancing, was Scottish Country Dancing, at school dances.
The purser’s department on Shaw Savill was also expected to organise the deck sports as we see here in the video, taken from cine film taken by Jamie on Southern Cross.
After our passenger fleet was taken out of service in 1975 as a result of airline competition, we formed a club, Shaw Savill Society where all sea-going staff, shore staff, and even passengers were invited to join our group. Last May, was supposed to be the Final Reunion in Southampton before the UK Society wound up, which of course was postponed because of Covid. The reunion was delayed 12 months but is now put back till September 2021, which may yet be delayed again depending on the situation in the UK. In NZ, I am one of the founder members of the Society in this part of the world, and although we had our final National gathering in Auckland 3 years ago, we have since had two mini gatherings and planning another for this year. Our membership in NZ was over 200 has now dwindled to about 20 regulars
The Purser's Office - Southern Cross