Please Note: Firefox
and some other search engines are not suitable – Use “Internet Explorer” for this page to load perfectly!
Click
the logo above to reach the ssMaritime FrontPage for News Updates &
“Ship of the Month”
With Reuben Goossens
Maritime
Historian
Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigational Company - P&O
RMS Kaisar-i-Hind (2)
A
delightful colour postcard of the RMS Kaisar-i-Hind
From the Author’s
private collection
Bertram
(Bert) Butcher sails on the RMS Kaisar-i-Hind
PLEASE
NOTE:
All Photograph & Images in this story were provided by Nephew, Mr. Jim
Finch -
In December 2013, I receive a most welcome
email from Mr. Jim Finch from the
Bert
Butcher seen at his desk in
Mr Finch several emails later provided some
of his Uncle’s interesting story:
Uncle Bertram (Bert) Butcher worked in Bombay India for the ‘Oxford University Press’ between from 1929 to 1937 and although, I am not sure which ship he actually sailed to India on, I would assume it would have been also the RMS Kaisar-i-Hind for he seemed to have a great affection for her!
Whilst in
On
this card we see Bert driving his beloved
Finally, having completed his time in
As it was the Peninsular & Oriental Steamship Company Centenary Year and September 1937 was the very month of their beginnings, there was a special Dinner held on board the Kaisar-i-Hind and to this day we still have that wonderful “Centenary Dinner Menu” that is dated September 2, 1937.
The
cover of the “Centenary Dinner” Menu that had a real Art Deco touch
to it
The
actual menu was sampled from a similar, but a more simple
menu from the days of P&O’s very early vessels
It
was said that it may even have been from the SS William Fawcett
In addition there was yet another wonderful item given to all First Class passengers, however I am not sure if this excellent print was also handed out to the Second Class passengers, for they would have received the booklet! This was a delightful 12 x 8 print of a watercolour of the 206-ton SS William Fawcett of 1837 by Norman Wilkinson.
There is also another menu from my Uncle’s voyage home on the Kaisar-i-Hind, yet it seems to look more modern. It was another “Centenary Dinner” that was held, but featuring very much the SS William-Fawcett and thus the menu inside is almost the same as the actual dinner on September 2, but it has fewer choices, which is understandable considering the times!
The special “Centenary Dinner” menu
cover featuring the 206-ton SS William Fawcett of 1837
The
interior of the menu
For interest, my Uncle Bert was born in Southend-on Sea in 1907 and this was his home for all of
his life, except whilst he was in India. He went to High School for boys
(Grammar School) and held the record for the one-mile race from 1925 to 1945 at
5 mins 8.2 sec's. He continued running and playing
cricket, including whilst in
Jim Finch.
In the bottom of one of my boxes I discovered a very
old postcard of the RMS Kaisar-i-Hind
This photo was in such a poor state that it took a great deal of time on
Photoshop to get it looking as good as this!
Page One: RMS Kaisar-i-Hind history page.
Page
Three
Page
Four: Bertrum
Butcher sails in 1937 the Centenary Year!
Use
the Back button on your browser or Close the Page to return to the previous
page
or go to our INDEX
***********************************