Canberra – Further Research

Although was sent off to the shipbreaker’s yard in 1997, her legacy still lives on. Aside from P&O Heritage Collection , there are a number of other public sources where researchers can find out more about the ship. This research guide provides a brief overview of what materials are available and where to find them.

Canberra Archives & Museums

The main bulk of Canberra archives are on permanent loan from P&OSNCo to the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich . Amongst the items held at the NMM are an abstract of Canberra ’s Log Book from her World Fair cruise in 1969 (P&O/46/8), Canberra design and construction reports (P&O/60/93 and P&O/60/94), arrangements for her launch (P&O/60/103), correspondence with one of her designers Sir Hugh Casson (P&O/60/104) and the requisition of Canberra for the Falklands Task Force (P&O/70/1). The NMM also holds two clocks designed by Casson which were used in Canberra ’s Ocean Room along with a Ship’s Mooring Telegraph dating from 1960.

The Ulster Folk & Transport Museum holds the photographic collection for Harland & Wolff which contains over 70,000 shipyard images, some of which feature Canberra . In their archive, they also hold the entire series of original Canberra Log Books from her launch until her decommission in 1997 as well as an original illuminated deck plan of the ship donated by P&O Heritage Collection.

The Public Records Office holds a collection of papers from Harland & Wolff, Canberra ’s builders.

Museum Victoria holds a variety of Canberra ephemera including an advertising bookmark dated from 1968 and a Christmas card from 1963.

The State Library of New South Wales holds nearly 200 images relating to Canberra which vary from her construction at Harland & Wolff to her numerous visits to Australia.

Bibliography

Philip Dawson, Canberra: In the Wake of a Legend (London: Conway Maritime Press, 1997)

Neil McCart, Canberra: The Great White Whale (Cambridge: Patrick Stephens Ltd, 1983)

Neil McCart, Canberra & Sea Princess (Cheltenham: Fan Publications, 1993)

Neil McCart, P&O’s Canberra: The Ship that Shaped the Future (: Kingfisher Railway Productions, 1989)

Neil McCart, SS Canberra 1957-1997 (Cheltenham, Fan Publications, 1998)

William H. Miller and Luís Miguel Correia, SS Canberra of 1961 (Lisbon: Liner Books, 1997)

Page 1 of 3 © The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company William H. Miller, RMS Canberra: The First Great Cruise Ship (Stroud: The History Press Ltd, 2007)

Lt Cdr JL Muxworthy, RN (ed), The Great White Whale Goes to War (London: The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, 1982)

Carol Odell, A Liner Goes to Sea (: Angus & Robertson, 1968)

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Philip Dawson, British Superliners of the Sixties: A Design Appreciation of the Oriana, Canberra and QE2 (London: Conway Maritime Press, 1990)

Stephen Garrett, ‘Amid-Ships’ in The Architectural Review (September 1961)

Malcolm R. Gordon, From Chusan to Sea Princess: The Australian Services of the P&O and Orient Lines (Hemel Hempstead: George Allen & Unwin (Publishers) Ltd, 1985)

David Howarth and Stephen Howarth, The Story of P&O (London: George Weidenfeld & Nicolson Ltd, 1986)

Carola Ingall, The P&O Line and Princess Cruises: A Celebration in Pictures of The Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company (Coltishall: Ship Pictorial Publications, 1997)

Stephen Rabson and Kevin O’Donoghue, P&O A Fleet History (Kendal, World Ship Society, 1988)

Philip Rentell, Historic P&O-Orient Liners (Southampton: Kingfisher Publications, 1990)

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‘Canberra’ Souvenir Number ’ The Shipbuilder and Marine Engine-Builder , June 1961

‘Canberra : The Latest in Liners’ in The Sphere (26 March, 1960), pp. 485-490

‘Sir Hugh Casson’, The Independent , 17 August 1999

‘SS Canberra’ in The Architects’ Journal (22 June 1961), pp. 909-915

‘Supplement on the Canberra ’, The Times , 16 March 1960, pp. i-xvi

Videography

A Great Ship , (1961) running time 30 minutes

Canberra – Behind the Scenes: The Inside Story of a Legend of the Seas , (1994) running time 50 minutes

Canberra – A Berth in History , (1996) running time 65 minutes

Canberra – The Farewell Cruise , (1997) running time 84 minutes

The Great Liners 1 - P&O and Orient Lines, (1995) running time 55 minutes

The Great Liners 17 - A 100 Years of P&O Part 1 & 2, running time 120 minutes

Page 2 of 3 © The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company Websites www.sscanberra.com - The only website on the internet devoted solely to the great liner and cruise ship, Canberra . http://www.ssmaritime.com/canberra.htm - A website devoted to remembering the classic liners of yesteryear. http://www.seadogs-reunited.com/ - A website allowing all the men and women who worked at sea in any capacity to reunite with one another. http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/ - An online community for people with an interest in ships and shipping.

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