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S.S. Canton

25K views 24 replies 16 participants last post by  magsodo 
#1 ·
Could you please include another P & O ship -the Canton - which often sailed from Southampton to the Far East in the forties and fifties- and was scrapped in the early 60's?
 
#2 ·
Recall travel by SS Canton twice - from Mumbai (then Bombay) to London and return from Southampton to Mumbai. Both sailings were in 1948 when I was just 8 years old. Memorable journey and I can visualise the trip even today - especially the one to London. If I recall correctly, the return journey started from Southampton on 27 December 1948.
 
#3 ·
I was the last 3/O in Canton, initially on voyages from London to Yokohama but concluding with the final delivery voyage in October 1962 to the breakers in HK.

That last stay in Hong Kong was enlivened by the fact the previous P&O ship sold to those brokers (it was one of the Straths) was paid for by a cheque that bounced. Whilst we waited for Canton's banker's draft to clear a cyclone warning was issued for HK. All ships with power, including RN and USN warships left harbour for the comparative safety of the open sea. We rode it out alongside the runway of the old Kai Tek airport.
Ian
 
#12 ·
That's fascinating! I am currently doing a research for an article regarding Canton, in particular, I am looking for any information and stories about her last days in Hong Kong before she was sold to shipbreaker (Leung Yau Shipbreaker), and any information regarding her bell, which was presented to and received by my secondary school (Ying Wa College, Hong Kong) on 3rd October 1962, and has been placed in my school since then for almost 55 years now.

See link below to my photo gallery showing the ship in early October 1962, the bell presentation onboard in 1962, and the bell in 2017.

http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=204810

Please let me know if you have any such information. Thanks in advance!
 
#18 ·
However the time had come that P&O or (The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company) decided to build a new Turbine Steamer, and she was ordered to be built by Stephen Shipbuilding in Glasgow, Scotland in November 1936. Her keel was laid down in 1937 Yard in number 557.
When ready, she was launched and named Canton on April 14, 1938, by Miss Thalia Shaw, the daughter of Lord Craigmyle, being the P&O’s recently retired Chairman. One in the water, tugs towed the hull to her builder’s Fit-Out berths. Once the Canton was completed she headed out for her sea trails on September 9, 1938, which proved to be successful, after which she returned to the builders yard for some final touches. Once she was fully completed the RMS Canton was delivered on September 13, to the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company.
P&O had just under a month before her maiden voyage from the UK to India, Hong Kong and Japan, thus they had sufficient time in preparing their new liner and take on cargo heading to various ports during her voyage, as well as manning her. There were many last special final changes on board ensuring her passengers would not just be comfortable, but also feel completely at home aboard!
The handsome 15,784 GRT (Gross Registered Tons) P&O Liner was the last ship of the company to have hull painted black and with a white ribbon, whilst her superstructure was all white. Her boot topping was painted in P&O’s traditional red and topside there was a tall slanting black funnel, as well as two tall majestic white masts as well as kingposts with derricks for cargo movements.
The Canton offered a considerable cargo capacity with six holds that had a capacity of 10,341 cubic metres or 365,248 cubic feet, including 927 cubic metres or 32,730 cubic feet of insulated space.
Her passenger capacity was as follows; 257 in First Class and 221 in Second Class. The ship had a crew of 319: These consisted of both European and Indian. The Captain and officers, Pursers were mostly European, whilst the Engineers’ department, Stewards, and Deck crew were Indian. In addition the Canton was the very first P&O liner to have a fulltime “Cinema Operator” on the ship!
 

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#19 ·
That is so interesting thank you. As a family we travelled on the Canton twice, in 1957 and 1958, between Southampton and Singapore. I remember it fondly especially the swimming pool which was not huge but it was deep as I recall. And the crew made a big event of crossing the equator and I still have my certificate dated 16th May 1957, when I was 5 'Bestowed on Board S.S. Canton' and signed by J A Will, Captain.
 
#21 ·
To me, R.M.S. CANTON is "The" P&O mailship... and quite the most perfectly proportioned and elegant looking of them all. Her lines, her classic original livery are the epitome of British naval architecture of the period. She never looked as good in the post-war colours in my option, the traditional P&O black hull and funnel just looked well, more mailship and purposeful.

Peter Kohler
 
#23 ·
Looking forward to reading this thread more as I research my late father's time at sea. The S.S. Canton was the first ship he worked on in 1950 as a radio officer. He did 2 voyages on her lasting 5 months and 15 days. I have more details that he kept in his ship's log which I found a few years before he passed away but just beginning to gather things now.
 
#24 ·
A bit of trivia! In 1950, at 4 years of age my mother and brother and I sailed on the SS Canton from Southampton bound for Hong Kong. My father, who was a serving RAF officer had flown to Hong Kong ahead of us. It took him 3 days to get there and us 5 weeks! My recollection is that our ports of call were; Port Said, Aden, Bombay, Colombo, Penang, Singapore and our final destination, Hong Kong. We returned to Liverpool from Hong Kong in February 1953 on the 28,000 tons (huge for that time) White Star Liner, MV Georgic which, at that time, had been requisitioned as a troopship. We had to endure the awful storms that occurred in the Bay of Biscay at that time and the 28,000 ton Georgic was tossed around like a rowing boat! We were confined to below decks as we were told that 3 soldiers had been swept overboard! The Georgic lacked the comforts of the Canton, not least because it had been refloated and renovated following being partially sunk in the Suez Canal in WW2
 
#25 ·
A late reply. Thank you for sharing that.
Dad's first voyage on S.S Canton was as 4th Radio Officer. October to December 1950. Salary was £20 per month according to his records.

From his notes: "Joined at noon on 6th Oct at King George V. Docks London. Remained on 'stand-by' duty aboard until vessel sailed. Signed on her foreign going articles 16th Oct. Sailed from London 6pm 18/10 for Southampton, arriving 9am 19/10 and left Southampton 530pm for Port Said. Arrived 28/10 530am and sailed for Aden 330pm via Suez Canal. Not ashore Port Said.
Arrived Aden 730am 01/11 and left bound Bombay, India at 115pm same day. Not ashore Aden.
Sunday 5/11 arrived Bombay, India. Afternoon ashore. Sailed for Colombo at 10pm same day. Arrived Colombo 8/11 530am. Ashore in afternoon. Sailed at 2400hours same day for Penang, Malaysia. Arrived Penang at 730am Sunday 12/11 Remembrance Day. Day ashore. Left Penang for Singapore 6am 13/11".
 
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