Orcades: Museum Victoria

Post World War II Migrant Ships: Orcades

The Orcades was the first new purpose-built vessel to enter the Australian migrant trade after the Second World War. She set a new standard in style and accommodation, offering multiple saloons, shops, a hair salon, hospital, swimming pool, and a range of cabin choices. Many immigrants to Australia travelled on the Orcades and remember her sense of style and the feeling of “old world” luxury they experienced.

The Orcades at full steam during acceptance trails off Arran in which she recorded the remarkable maximum speed of 24.74 knots.
Photographer: unknown. Source: Orcades Album, Museum Victoria.

Facts at a Glance

Dimensions: 709 x 94 ft (216 x 28.7 m)
Registered Tonnage: 28,164 tons gross
Service Speed: 22 knots
Propulsion: Reduction geared steam turbines/twin screws
Shipping Line: Orient Line

History of the Ship

The Orcades was the third ship of this name to serve the Orient Line. Built at a cost of 3,500,000 (English) pounds, she was the first replacement for four large passenger ships that the Orient Line had lost during World War Two. When commissioned, she was the largest and fastest passenger ship on the Australian trade, achieving up to 24.74 knots in her acceptance trials, although 22 knots was always stated as her service speed.

After being launched on 14 October 1947, the Orcades was fitted out with accommodation for a total of 1,545 passengers over two classes – 773 in first class and 772 in tourist class. Having been built for the Orient Line’s regular scheduled Australian passenger service, the Orcades carried government and business passengers, as well as maintaining a mail contract. Of course, as a British ship, she also carried immigrants from her maiden voyage.

Immigrant Ship to Australia

The Orcades left Tilbury Docks, London, for her maiden voyage to Australia on 14 December 1948, arriving in Fremantle on 6 January and Melbourne on 10 January. During this voyage, she set a new speed record for the London to Melbourne route, taking ten days off the pre-war record.

She made well over 55 voyages to Australia between 1948 and 1972, travelling via the Suez Canal until 1955 when she made her first voyage via Panama. During the Olympic Games of November 1956, the Orcades spent two entire weeks berthed in Melbourne, and was used as a floating hotel, accommodating thousands of visitors to Australia.

In 1956, she was refitted by Harland & Wolff. Air-conditioning was installed throughout the entire ship and a new swimming pool was added to first class, with the old pool being allocated to tourist class. She was again refitted in 1964 – this time to accommodate 1,635 passengers in a single class, but after this time was used for cruising more often than immigration travel.

Passenger Experiences of the Journey

Many immigrants travelling on the Orcades recall her grandeur and the luxuries they experienced on the journey – a far cry from the war-ravaged countries they left behind.

In an anonymous journal, recording a journey on the Orcades from September to October in 1949, the author’s tone is positive and light hearted but their glowing descriptions of shipboard fare are coloured by the memory of post-war England, rationing and straightened circumstances:

'For lunch we had soup, oxtail and vegetables, rice pudding rolls and cheese (a helping which is greater than a person’s ration for a week). What there is for dinner this evening I can’t remember, anyway I have rumbles in my tummy just to anticipate it. I’m doing justice to my “inards”, the first time in years…' September 1949.

Dinner setting in the Orcades First Class Dining Saloon on F Deck.
Photographer: unknown. Source: Orcades Album, Museum Victoria

Glenn Shorrock, former lead singer of the Little River Band, migrated from England on the Orcades in 1954:

'We came from working class London, and to have waiters and dining rooms … it was all a bit posh, but a great adventure!'

Interior of an Orcades four-berth Tourist B Class cabin on G Deck.
Photographer: unknown. Source: Orcades Album, Museum Victoria.

Her Final Voyage

When her immigration travels came to an end, the Orcades left Sydney for the last time on 3 June 1972, bound for Britain. For a while, she made a short number of cruises out of Southampton, but departed on 28 December 1972 for the shipbreakers in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

Comments (61)

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As a young Canadian girl, I married my Australian husband, Neville, in July 1970. We travelled to Europe and sailed out of Southampton in October, 1970, on our way to Australia. Our ports of call were Rotterdam, Lisbon, Dakar in West Senegal, Capetown and Durban in South Africa and then, after a 9-day crossing of the Indian Ocean, Fremantle. We stopped again in Adelaide before arriving in my new home, Sydney, Australia. We made a wonderful group of friends onboard and thoroughly enjoyed our five-week journey.

Did you know that the Orcades (1960-69) features in a 20-minute P&O promotional film “I am a Passenger”, and you can view it online at http://www.britishpathe.com/video/i-am-a-passenger-reel-1? My 5-year-old loves the story of my coming to Australia when I was nearly his age in 1967, and I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw a link to a movie about it when I went online to find a photo this morning. It was quite a find! The movie was presumably targeted at migrants so shows some of the everyday aspects of the voyage, not just the glitz - visiting the booking agent, going on the boat train, and what happens to the kids, as well. If you want a trip down memory lane or to show your kids what it was like (or not, as the case may be, for I remember plotting an escape from the crèche), I highly recommend it!

I am tying to trace Gwen who travelled 1967 to Perth any ideas please. forgotten sirname

I currently own & live on one of the original life boats from Orcades 3. It's a pleasure to have such a connection with what was once the greatest & fastest cruise ship.

Begin jaren vijftig wilden Jantje en Arie, zoals 16.000 andere Nederlanders begin jaren vijftig, naar Australië emigreren. Arie ging, op 17 oktober 1950, eerst en als 1 van de ca. 800 emigranten aan boord van de ss Volendam ( van de Holland America Line, 175,6 meter lang en 20,5 meter breed ), getuige de volgende ansichtkaart, gedateerd de 27e, die hij vanaf boord naar Jantje verstuurde. Hij verliet het ouderlijk huis in Bergenschenhoek, Hoeksekade 118 en vertrok vanaf de Wilhelminakade te Rotterdam, de thuishaven ( hoofdkantoor) van de HAL, bij Hotel New York. Arie zag op 20 november 1950 , na een 34 dagen lange tocht, de Australische westkust. De ss Volendam meerde op die datum aan te Fremantle / Perth ( met de niet te beschrijven combinatie van heerlijke warme lucht, rode aarde, Australische bloemen en de zilte zeelucht, met dat beroemde briesje: de ‘Fremantle doctor’ genaamd ) en op 26 november 1950 te Melbourne, waar Arie van boord ging en verbleef in Essendon Melbourne VIC, 74, Fletcherstreet 3040 Australië !!!!!!!!!! Van 26-11-1950 tot 13-02-1951 verbleef A.J. Blom te Surry Hills, 78 Middlesex Road ( Victoria ) 3127, Australië, een veilige, rustige, vredig, goed onderhouden buurt met veel Art Deco en Victoriaanse huizen aan brede straten met veel bomen en groen. Hij had als beroep ‘’ deck hand ‘’ ( visserij en maritieme werkzaamheden op land en zee in de ruimste zin van het woord ) Jantje, inwonend bij haar toekomstige schoonouders, vertrok in de 1e / 2e week van Augustus 1952 vanuit Bergschenhoek en volgde Arie met de ss Johan van Oldenbarnevelt naar Fremantle ( in totaal maakte de Johan van Oldenbarnevelt 44 Australië reizen ) en reisde over een afstand van ca. 410 km. door naar een verblijfadres, 2 miles van Albany, waar Arie op 24-12-1951 ( hij was dus al zo’n 8 ½ maand in Freemantle, Jantje opwachtend ), vanuit zijn laatste verblijfplaats te Surry Hills, naar toe is verhuisd in de tussentijd dat hij in Australie verbleef. Afstand: 1e adres in Essendon ( Melbourne ) – 3e adres in Albany: 3.068 km. Jantje was in Nederland met ‘’ de handschoen gehuwd ‘ ( Trouwen met de handschoen is een huwelijkssluiting waarbij een van de partners niet aanwezig kan zijn en wordt vervangen door een gevolmachtigde ) met zwager Johannes ( Han / Joop ) Blom, broer van Arie. Emigratie was vanaf 1946, de late jaren 40, een toverwoord. Het avontuur voor Arie en Jantje was echter, vanwege heimwee, maar van korte duur en zo waren er twee Nieuwe Australiërs minder. Arie verbleef er van 20 November 1950 tot 20 September 1953 en Jantje van 11 September 1952 t/m 17 November 1952, 68 dagen. Arie bleef nog een tijdje in Australië om te werken voor zijn terugreis. Op 20 September 1953 vertrok hij met de Engelse Oriënt liner de RMS Orcades ( http://cruiselinehistory.com/?p=5866: die op 13 september uit Sydney was vertrokken, Melbourne, Adelaide, Fremantle, Colombo, Aden ), via Port Said / het Suez kanaal, Napels, Gibraltar en Londen - Tilbury docks -, naar Nederland, aankomst ca. 18 oktober 1953 ( reisduur ca. 28 dagen ), capaciteit 773 1e klas passagiers en 772 toeristenklas. In totaal maakte de Orcades 55 Australië reizen. Terug in Nederland kreeg hij zijn baan terug bij de Sloperij van Willem Schotte, ‘s-Gravenweg te Rotterdam, familie van zijn moeder. Tot zijn vertrek naar Australië had hij al 14 jaar voor het bedrijf van Schotte gewerkt. Jantje ging na haar terugkomst in Nederland inwonen bij een familie ( conciërge lagere school ) in Bloemendaal, waar Arie in de oorlog ondergedoken had gezeten.

My french father came out on the Orcades in 1952 when he was 26. Is there anyone who has any information about this journey. A passenger list would be a dream come true. My father is 83 now.

i was a deck boy of 17 on orcades last trip,7months out to aussie then 3 cruses to japan hong kong,then back to southamton,what a great time for a 17 yr old,did some growing up on that great ship,

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I travelled on the orcades from london to sydney in 1954. I have a menue with a list of birthdays during that voyage, it contains mine. I turned 2 years old during that voyage 26 august 1954

Hi Anne. The National Archives in the UK has, unfortunately, not kept incoming passenger lists after 1960 but the National Archives of Australia holds a number of outgoing passenger lists from South Australia. Oddly on the Adelaide office page they indicate that they have these from 1941 to 1964 & from 1967 to 1976 but not 1965. We recommend that you contact the NAA to enquire further about the records that you are seeking.

In the 1970s, the Science Museum in Swanston St used to have an approximately 1m long model of the Orcades III. Does the Museum still have it or was it on loan from the Orient Line or P&O?

Hi Karen, UK Incoming Passenger Lists from 1878 to 1960 can be found on the website Ancestry. You do need to pay for this service but, it is likely that, like Australia, many libraries probably offer their clients this service for free. Good luck with finding your records!

My parents and I immigrated to Sydney on the Orcades in early 1956, sailing through the Suez Canal, either just before or just after the closure of the canal. I can't find any records of this voyage or of any passenger lists. Any help in finding this information would be greatly appreciated. Regards Gordon Taylor

Hi Julien, thanks for the comment. Check out the donation guidelines here for information about donating objects to the collection.

I have in my possesion the Orcades passenger list, departing from Sidney 13th February 1951 My mother, brother and myself were passengers from Sidney to London. Other embarkation points for this voyage Melbourne 17th Feb. 1951,Adelaide 18th Feb. 1951, Freemantle 22nd Feb. 1951. The Captain was Captain I. E. G Goldsworthy

Capt IEG Goldsworthy was my grandfather

I travelled to Adelaide on the Orcades in 1950 with my Mum (Pheobe),I was only 5 yrs old but I remember heaps of stuff. It was the first time I had ever eaten watermelon,it was great.

My family travelled from England to Australia on this ship in 1969. Coca Cola was free on board and we drank so much of it. We had a wonderful waiter who was always late for breakfast service. I still have an "Orcades " sailor doll. I loved our time on board especially King Neptune celebrations.

I worked on the Orcades from 14/08/1969-01/08/1970 as a Able Seamen, i am trying to to put together a portfolio of all the places i visited during my sea career, would anybody have any information on the ports that the orcades visited during the above dates. Many Thanks David Mark Chatham

I am trying to find out the dates my family left London on the Orcades in MAR or APR 1951 and arrived in Sydney during the May

Any passinger on the Orcades(dept.U.K.)February 1969, arriving Melbourne 1969, sailing via South Africa.Thanks,Aine

Yeah, I was on that trip....originally scheduled to go through the Suez canal, but canal was closed shortly before departure from SouthHampton... good storm crossing the bay of biscay too as i remember :)

Hi, my mother travelled on the 1965 SS Iberia from Adelaide to Tilbury Docks. There is a long story to this which I will not bore everyone with, but any help or direction towards a passenger list could begin the search to find out who my real father is. Many thanks

Hi Archie: the information that you require is available from the National Archives of Australia. Their records can be searched at this part of their website. Hope this helps!

I travel to Sydney on the Orcades in 1956. I too would like to know the ports we visited after the Suez Canal. and would like to make contact with any body who traveled on her Maureen

my mum and dad came out in 1965 on the orcades. dad had an 8mm camera and filmed alot of the journey.i have not converted it over to dvd yet,but will do so soon.

I travelled on the Orcades for a 14 day cruise from Southampton in September 1972, just before she was sent to the scrapyard later that year. Does anyone happen to know the ports of call on that particular cruise? I know the ship left Southampton bound for Vigo in Spain and I know it called at Lisbon, Ponta Delgarda in the Azores and it was suppose to call at Madeira but a message was flashed from London saying that there was an outbreak of polio in Madeira and so the ship diverted course and made a unscheduled stop in Casablanca. Does anyone still have a list of all the places it actually called at (in the correct order)? I would dearly love to know so as to complete my family history.

Hi Lance,

The model of the Orcades is actually on display in The Melbourne Story at Melbourne Museum.

My mother travelled on the Orcades to Sydney whilst carrying me. I was born in King Georges Sydney on July 12th 1950. She often told tales of a fire and losing all her wordly goods as the cabin took water. There is also a more lurid tale of spending weeks in (Aden?) after the fire with no cash, pending consulate intervention - and bids by a local shopkeeper to secure her as an additional wife. Although pregnant with one dress to her name, she remained a 'looker!' She continued on to Sydney but returned to England (after being traumatised by the spiders) whilst I was still a toddler. I hold an Australian birth certificate and my parents were permanent residents whilst there. I think my father may have been in the Australian Navy for that period of time. What is so very strange is the feeling of Australia being my "Country". Perhaps I was so relieved to reach dry land - and be born in a safe place, rather than a slightly sinking Orcades.....

I travelled from Long Beach California in October 1958 on the Orcades with my Irish parents and two younger brothers. We landed in Fremantle in WA in November of that year - having visited several ports along the way. I have a copy of the passenger list from that voyage.

My late father bought the ships bell from Orcades sometime in the early 1980's. Following his death mid 1980's, I now have it & a letter from P&O detailing Orcades history, hanging on my wall.

I was only five when we came to Australia from England on the orient ship and have some information.

The Wells family which included me as 7yr old boy and my two elder sisters (the youngest turning 16 at Gibraltar) from Glasgow sailed for a new post war life in Western Australia as 1st class passengers in April 1951 arriving Fremantle 24 April. The 23 day Suez passage saw the ship day stop at Gibraltar, Naples, Port Said, Aden, Colombo, then six days across the Indian to Fremantle. Alas the great ship's arrival into Fremantle was to be frustrated by me being isolated in hospital with a Chicken Pox rash outreak near the equator and the Orcades berthed flying the quaratine flag because of my illnees. My parents were not popular as their through passengers friends were not permitted ashore for paid up tours and I was quickly isolated in the WA Australian Quarintine Station for a week (the fear being the possibility of my illness being scarlet fever). In 1954 my father returned to the UK for a visit returning on the outward maiden voyage of the Orient Liner SS ORSOVA. This ship arrived displaying for the first time the distinct "flower pot" smoke control funnel extension which was later fitted during refit to the rest of the old Orient Line fleet post 1954. My time aboard RMS ORCADES in April 1951 remains a vivid and detailed childhood memory living on 'E' deck eating on 'F' swimming on 'C' and games on 'B'. Our passage was a month before the first voyage of our wonderful ship's sister ship RMS ORONSAY maiden voyage. She did roll a bit then and I think her stabilisers were fitted during a later refit to control the rock which on the trip following ours the night before Fremantle a major tip of the ship resulted in extensive parlour/lounge glass and furniture damage. A ship of dreams and great memories for many.

Hi David – Perhaps you could contact the company that owned the ship, P&O - Orient Lines. Know operating as P&O cruises you can find their contact details here. Good luck with your search!

Thge Maiden voyage of the ORCADES went to Fremantle and Melbourne that I know of: where else did it visit during the maiden voyage? 1948/1949

As a family we travelled to Australia in Sept-Oct 1959, the big highlight of my life. I have also made a website at http://www.pnc.com.au/~byceme/home/home.htm

At the Immigration Discovery Centre, we often get asked where to find passenger lists. Here is a link to a quick guide that may help you begin your research.

Hi Meville, please see our response to Anne directly above, which gives information about where to obtain outgoing passenger lists.

sailed on the orcades march/april 1957 via the cape cant find any record or passenger lists for this voage can you help please

(Oh, I found an image of it at http://www.flickr.com/photos/24233011@N06/2342761184/ - looks like it's back in the UK. Sigh)

I travelled to australia on the 'Orcades' from London in April/may 1965 with my sister Geraldine, and parents, Bill and Annette Ball, im interested in anbody who sailed that time, I was 8 years old my sister was 12. What an adventure it was, the memories will stay with me forever.

I found the passenger list for the Orcades passage to Australia on 28th March 1956 on the "findmypast" website. The actual passenger list is stored somewhere on www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

I and my older brother and parents travelled on the "Orcades" from England to Australia. We left England on the 23rd May 1960 and arrived in Adelaide, South Australia on the 17th June 1960. We were lucky, in that we had a cabin only one deck down from the main deck and did not therefore have the misfortune of being in the bowels of the ship like many others. The cabin number I still remember "E292". The main deck was only a few steps up from our cabin and the door to the outside was often left open. This meant fresh air was often blowing down to our cabin. This was wonderful, as I am sure it prevented us from the seasickness that many others suffered from. My father had been a physical training instructor in the British Army for 21 years. He had served time in Ghana and Nigeria during the early to mid 50's when the two countries were preparing for their independence from Britain. My brother and I went with my parents, but I only remember the time in Nigeria. My mum and dad liked their time in Africa and for a time, they were considering migrating to Rhodesia (Zimbabwe). However, dad was offerd a job in Adelaide and we headed here instead. A week into the voyage, he was asked by the ship's Captain if he could arrange some games and physical activities for the many children on board. This really helped pass the time, as the ship had more children than usual and the activities normally available couldn't cope with the numbers. Trying to keep so many children from becoming bored and therefore a nuisance was hard work, but I heard the Captain praise my dad for his good organisation, so it must have worked! We passed through the Suez canal. It was fascinating watching all the arab people, the camels, the sounds and smells coming from shore. To an eight year old it was an exotic new world. We also stopped at the Rock of Gibralter, Naples in Italy, Aden, Colombo (Sri Lanka), Fremantle (Western Australia) and finally Adelaide. We had a waiter who took a shine to my brother and I. We were too young to join the adults for afternoon tea or the formal dinner time. The waiter would sneek out cream cakes and other goodies to us and a couple of friends occasionally. Our dinner was usually sandwiches, jelly and watery rice pudding, so these cakes etc, were a wonderful treat. My family and I made a happy life in Australia, although I do have good memories of part of my childhood in England. Most of my relatives still live in England and Scotland. A few years ago, I went to see a new doctor. I entered his office and to my surprise, there on the wall was a large painting of none other than the "Orcades". I questioned the doctor and found he had come out on the same ship, a few years after me. A friend had painted the picture from a photograph. I could even see the porthole of the cabin I travelled in. What a wonderful surprise. I remember the weeks we spent on the ship, the fun we had, the friends we made, the places we visited with great fondness. What an adventure, travelling to a country I had never heard of on the other side of the world. Another "ten pound Pom" travelling on the high seas on the "P&O Orcades". Laura Potter (nee Gibb)

As an 8 year old in 1965, I was with my parents and two younger sisters travelling to England on the Orcades as my father had an Army posting to Austral House in London. I have memories of crossing the equator and being dunked by the "polywogs" and travelling through the Suez Canal. From Melbourne we stopped in Adelaide, Fremantle, Columbo, Bombay, Aden, Barcelona, before arriving at Tilbury. We spent 3 years in England.

Gorden I also sailed on the Orcades on the 28/03/1956.to Melbourne.Do you remmber the kidnaping which delayed our sailing time.

My mother Mrs Olivia Estelle Mary Fernando travelled from Melbourne Aust to Colombo Ceylon (Sri Lanka) on the SS Orcades on 8th April 1954,with myself 3 years 3 months & my brother Malcolm 1 year 10 months. I will most appreciate if some good soul out there can help me with passenger list or some relevant information. Many thanks in anticipation.

What a wonderful adventure for a young 16 year old, traveling alone from Tilbury and arriving at Fremantle March 13, 1952. It was wonderful to have so much good "tucker". What a joy to arrive in Port Adelaide a short time later. Met by a child welfare representative and a farmer, I was quickly escorted to a small farm where I was trained to use and axe for clearing forests. No chainsaws those days. Having to work 7 days a week and long hours I wanted to jump ship and return to UK. But, those days were so wonderful in this marvelous country. I left Adelaide and drove across to Victoria after completing my 2 years and of course found a much better life. Looking back, what wonderful days those were, we were so free, and with so much opportunity. I'm afraid, the country I live in now is so far removed from the wonderful country that I came to in early 1952. How I'd love to meet anyone who came with me on that wonderful voyage.

According to researcher Peter Plowman, the Orcades left Tilbury on her maiden voyage and docked at Fremantle, Melbourne and - finally - Sydney. Hope this helps, Roger.

Hi... please could anyone help me? I believe that when I was just 4 months old I came to the UK with my parents. I was born in Trincomalee, Ceylon (Sri Lanka) as my father was in the Admiralty. I asked my late mother about the trip home and she could only remember that it was a P&O lines ship (she had travelled out on the Himalaya) and the name began with an 'O' possibly Orcades. I have a photo of her standing on the deck and the back is annotated 'July 1951 off Marseilles'. Does anyone have a passenger list that I could see/buy/copy? I suppose that if the ship docked in July then it will have started off from Australia about 6 weeks before but I'm not sure. My parents travelled from Colombo. Thank you... Karen

I am trying to find out about my father and his family. My father is believed to have travelled from Australia on the 1st of September 1970. He lived in Bordertown (I think) his full name is Michael Kenneth Childs. I believe he had a brother called 'Danny' who left for America worked in computers? Wondered how I would go about finding birth records, with them I would be able to know his fathers name and mothers and try and find out more. Any help would be great.

Hi Liahll,

You can search the National Archives of Australia's (NAA) database for your father's records. Please be aware, not all records are online yet. If you cannot find it online, you will have to contact the NAA directly and request a search.

I have in my possession the personal trip record of a Mrs T. Sutcliffe of Clifton Hills in Victoria who travelled on the Orcades from Sydney in June 1957. She travelled to NZ, USA and on to the continent. She kept a pretty good log of the journey. I do not know Mrs Sutcliffe or how the journey log came into my mother's possession, but would like to pass it on to a relative of Mrs Sutcliffe as it would mean more to them.

As a 15 year old in 1964 I emigrated from the UK to Melbourne on the Orcades with my mum & dad & two brothers via the Suez canal. We arrived in Melbourne on Septemeber 7th. This was for us a trip of a life time, we visited countries that we had only read about and had a great time. I won the junior section of the fancy dress ball dressed as Doctor Kildare and I still have the photo to prove it as well as an Orcades embossed autograph book which was my prize. I also have a dinner menu with a picture of the Orcades on the front. I had in my possession up until a few years ago a copy of the passenger list but lost it in one of my house moves. Great memories and it seems just like yesterday.

travelled on the Orcades from Melbourne to Durban in 1972 Think this was the last trip back to UK. Lots of South Africans returning from a cruise around the south pacific I seem to recall? Be interested to hear of anyone else on that trip

I was a passenger on the Orcades In April 1972. The voyage before its last one, with my parents and two brothers. I was 11 years old. We travelled to Japan, Hong Kong, (where the ship caught fire) Also to Guam. Had a great time with the other chidren, Always lots of games. I went in a fashion parade and remember the Seekers paying on board one night! The ship was caught in a cyclone at one stage, ropes all over the ship for hanging on, things smashing and the resturant flooding. At the time my brothers and I thought it was all great fun, but of cause now as an adult, I would be completely freaking out... Still, it was a most memorable and happy time. Does anyone know where I could find a list of the passengers that where on that cruise?

Hi Chris, The National Archives of Australia holds records like passenger lists. Perhaps a keyword search there would get you started?

Stan and Muriel Peers sailed from Tilbury April 1st 1962 on the Orcades with their five children. Doug 16,Linda13,Ronnie10,Karen 3 and Janet 6 months old. We arrived at Outer Harbour Adelaide 30th April ( fifty years ago today). Disembarked here and spent three weeks at the Elder Park Hostel in Adelaide, it was comfy enough but nothing like the service that we had received on the Orcades, we all loved it, particulary me as I loved the no cooking,no washing and willing baby sitters. After three weeks in Elder park we bought a house in Elizabeth Vale ,loved Elizabeth, there was a few migrants that were on the Orcades with us settled in Elizabeth to name a few Ian and Jean Rose and Mr and Mrs Bill Presswell who had young families. My family have all loved their life in Australia and we definitely call Australia home. Ron is one of Australia's leading guitarists performing in many bands including " Stylus" It was a great decision of my husbands to bring us out here, sadly he passed in 1980.

Hai, I was a traveller on the orcades. My parents where dutch emigrants from Holland to australië. They couldn't make a living there. So we left australië in January 1972. I would like to met some people who travelled on this same trip.

I was an officer aboard Orcades in the early 1950's and sail with a ray trustee and peter everett, if any one knows the whereabouts of these two men please adv.

Do u have any crew lists for 1950 thru 1953?

Hello Edward,

The Museum does not hold any passenger or crew records. We suggest you contact the National Archives of Australia to see if they can help you with your search.

I saw on ABCTV's Paper Giants last night a contemporary news clip which included the bows of the Orcades docked in Circular Key with the Opera House and ferries in the background. The date stated in the show was 1974, so a little continuity error there, but it was amazing to see "my" ship again (and prompted me to find this website.) I was a 5-year old immigrant with my parents and 2yo brother in May-June 1964. The four or five families we befriended all eventually went back (for a variety of reasons), but not us! To the best of my memory we travelled Tilbury - Athens - Suez - Aden - Colombo - Fremantle - Adelaide. What an experience for a five year old! It ranks with the moon landing as one of the highlights of my life.

Post World War II Migrant Ships: Orcades

Facts at a Glance

History of the Ship

Immigrant Ship to Australia

Passenger Experiences of the Journey

Her Final Voyage

Further Reading

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