# RMS Caledonia - built 1948



## swansontheloch

Hello there, I am researching family history and looking for info on an Anchorline passenger-cargo ship called Caledonia, it had sister ships Cilicia and Circassia, was built to do the Liverpool-Bombay route in late 40s. I had two family members use this ship in 1950s and I am very curious about their experience. They have passed away now so I cannot ask them. I want to know specific things like how they passed the time, would there have been entertainment on a ship this size, I know it wasn't huge...I am guessing the voyage would have been around 6 weeks? Just wondered how they passed the time. Also what kind of food would they eat? And would it be noisy in the cabins from engines? Also, I have read the route would be Gibraltar then Port Said, Aden then Karachi/Bombay. Would passengers disembark at these ports? I am also curious about whether they would have passed many other ships during the voyage and what the sunsets and sunrises are like. Thanks so much for any details you can give which might be of interest. As you can tell, I really know very little!


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## R58484956

MV* Caledonia*. 11252 tons Built 1948. 483.6 ft long, 66.4 wide 31.0 depth.
2 diesel engines built by ship builders. DF,ESD, GyC, Radar. 2 decks. Cruiser stern. Code flags GCKR. Registered Glasgow. Built by Fairfield Shipbuilding Co; Glasgow. Owned by Anchor Line Ltd.


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## trotterdotpom

In the late '60s she was tied up in Amsterdam and used as a hostel for the riff raff that eventually destroyed Amsterdam. Went aboard looking for the usual but missed out due to it still being the tie wearing days - they probably thought we were in the drug squad. You could still see what a beautiful ship she had been.

John T


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## swansontheloch

Thanks so much, both, for your responses. I have actually googled quite a lot of the technical stuff, and I am keen to find out more about life on board! Trotterdotpom, Fascinating that you were almost on board...I have such a romantic notion of this ship, having seen photos online of the interiors of the sister ships. I understand too that she ended up as scrap in Hamburg. I wonder is there anywhere on the forum I could perhaps find someone who may even have been passenger or part of crew in 50s/60s? Thanks again.


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## Bob L

I sailed as Cadet and then Junior Deck Officer on Cilicia and then Circassia in the 1960's - passage time Liverpool to Bombay was app. 21 days - passengers could disembark at most of the ports - at Port Said you could leave the. Essel and visit the Pyramids etc and rejoin the ship at Suez. Passenger capacity was 300 on Cilicia and Circassia and 320 on Caledonia. Catering was first class and all passengers had the full run of the ship. Plenty of entertainment - films, small salt water swimming pool plus dances etc. The design of all the vessels was " Scottish Country House " style - very comfortable and relatively quiet at sea.
Many passengers were return bookings and they had favourite vessels - all in all happy ships, well run and very informal and friendly with a very Scottish feel.
Officers mainly Scottish with Indian Crew - many of the Indian Crew were third generation Anchor Line employees and very loyal.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent on board - we had a lot of fun and met some interesting passengers.
Hope this helps - let me know if you want further info.
Bob L.


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## swansontheloch

Hello, Bob L, Thanks so much, so interesting to hear of your time on board these ships! I am still curious about a few things, if you have time, I'd love to know (if you know):

1. What did you do for drinking water, was it just kept in huge fridges?

2. Was eating at the captain's table still a big deal on the smaller ships?

3. Do/did these ships have special pilots come on for the Suez canal stretch?

4. Did you ever come across the 'gullygully' man, an Egyptian magician, whom I've read would come aboard to entertain?

5. So I guess even the smaller ships like the Caledonia had bands come on board for dancing?

6. Was there both Indian and European/UK food, I imagine so?

I am a writer, hence my fascination with the details.

thanks so much, kind regards, Swansontheloch


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## Bob L

In Reply :
Drinking Water was available - chilled in flasks in each cabin - top ups available from the Cabin Stewards who were on duty 24 hours for all passenger requirements
The Captain and Senior Officers all had passengers at their tables and yes it was regarded as a perk for passengers - we had some well known passengers at various times.
Suez Canal Pilots advised during the Canal Transit but it should be remembered they were only advisors - The Master was in overall charge of decision making
The Gully Gully Man came aboard both Southbound and Northbound - his " cry" was Gully Gully - No chicken no mongoose !!!!!
No Band on board all dancing was to records / tapes - All the Catering Staff were Goanese and had mostly been schooled in mission schools where they learned to play musical instruments so they usually had their own Band/ Small Orchestra but any performances were usually only for the Ship's Staff
Choices of European ( and Scottish ) food plus Indian was always available - the ships were well known for their very high standard of catering and as Officers we were permitted to order any of the food on the menus so were all very well fed !!!
The vessels were maintained to the highest standard with decks pristine and all brass shining - they were very popular in their day but of course you cannot really compare them to the modern cruise vessels.
Both Cilicia and Circassia had been armed merchant cruisers during the second world war - Caledonia was built after the war - by the mid sixties competition from aircraft was the beginning of the end for the Passenger Ships - our competition was Lloyd Triestino ( Italian Flag ) and Messageries Maritime ( French ) although they ran from Genoa and Marseilles respectively - they also withdrew around the same time as Anchor Line.
Hope the above helps

Bob L


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## swansontheloch

Thanks, Bob, most helpful. I have, in fact, recently been reading about Goan musicians, they were also often very skilled jazz players. You must have wonderful memories of this era on board these ships!


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## wildcolonialboy

*sistership rms circassia*

on 14th August 1955 I sailed from Liverpool to Karachi on the Cicassia. Life on board was very much the same as the Caledonia. I was 17 at the time travelling to Pakistan with my parents. Cabins were small and shared. You were allocated one and had little choice, I was in a cabin with a tea planter from somewhere in Assam he was about mid 30 and the other occupant was a Jute mill manager from East Pakistan seemed very old at the time, both travelling to Bombay. Life on board was pretty tedious, no real exercise, sports being deck tennis, and shuffleboard and walking round the boat,5 to 10 minutes per circuit. It was not a large ship. Rolled a lot in the bay of Biscay. First port of call was Port Said, with Simon Artz' Emporium being the only real shop and of course the Bum boats. We had a visit from the Gulli-gulli man who was very, very entertaining. We went down the canal at night until the convoy got stuck in the salt lakes, we roasted for a day and the crept down the Red Sea until we reached Aden for a blessed shore break. An unusual side line on this trip was a diversion to Muscat to drop off one passenger. Not a regular feature. After some 18 days we reached Karachi. Hope this has been of some interest.


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## swansontheloch

WildColonialBoy, Wow, thank you for such gorgeous details! So interesting for me. I have read about Simon Artz store - can you recall at all what kind of things they sold? Was it just tat, albeit 1950s tat? Or was it high quality stuff? Also, were the first class cabin windows above water level? What would you see typically from cabin the windows? And can you recall anything about arrival in Karachi, going through passports/customs? Was it Keamari wharf?And what kind of luggage, did people use trunks, or were suitcases being used then? These tiny details fascinate me from the writing point of view. Anything else you can remember is most welcome too. Many thanks indeed! Swansontheloch


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## Bob L

Swansontheloch - All the "C" Boats were First Class - all Passengers had the full run of all Decks and Facilities - the differences were the Cabins - The Boat Deck had Staterooms with windows - A Deck and B Deck Cabins had Portholes and were smaller - all Passenger Cabins were above the waterline - as were all Crew Accommodation.
One of my additional duties was as Baggage Officer and the Baggage Room was open every morning for Passengers to access voyage clothing - mainly large suitcases or trunks - for " Not Wanted On Voyage" clothing/ Personal Effects it was caged in a Baggage area in No.3 Tween Deck Hatch but was accessible if the Passenger urgently required - One of the Quartermasters acted as Baggage Master. 
There were no inside Passenger Cabins - all Cabins had " Sea Views " 
Trust this helps
BobL


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## swansontheloch

Hello, Bob L, Thanks again, very useful. I had read elsewhere about 'Not Wanted on Voyage' effects but in my head that would only have been for really long trips like Australia, but I guess not! So the first class cabins were pretty small, I guess staterooms only for VIPS? Could you ventilate the passenger cabins at all? And, also, when you go through Suez is it quite hypnotic - I have watched footage from 50s, what did you actually see, just sand on both sides for hours and hours? Many thanks! swansonloch


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## Bob L

Swansontheloch - All the cabins were quite adequate as far as space was concerned - obviously the Staterooms were the best - All cabins had opening windows or Portholes - you could slot in fly screens at the open windows to keep mosquitoes etc. out. - all Cabins had permanent fans - only the Dining Room was airconditioned - Yes the Suez Canal was sand on both sides with the occasional palm tree - both the southbound and northbound convoys met in the Great Bitter Lakes in order to pass ( in the 1960's ) - Passenger ships led the convoys so it was always a bit of a race to be lead ship ! - ahead of our "competition " Lloyd Triestino and Messageries Maritimes vessels - quite interesting times - it was the same at leaving ports like Aden or Bombay. - always tried to be first out and a lot of the regular passengers were aware of this - as a matter of interest, the first British Merchant Ship to sail through the new Suez Canal in 1869 was an Anchor Line Passenger Ship - and an Anchor Line Ship was in the first convoy after the Canal reopened in the late 1960's - the Company timed the vessel to do this - I was Chief Officer on the vessel - it was one of the nostalgic points that the Owners felt was important ! - and saved time from going round the Cape.
Regards. BobL


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## wildcolonialboy

*anchor line circassia memories*

found your reply and would add the following to my earlier comments. Also a correction I was 18 not 17 when I went out to Pakistan. We embarked at Liverpool having joined the special train from London at Crewe. We had ordinary suitcases and my school trunk (not wanted on voyage). As my parents were going out for a longish time all our household goods were sent in wooden lift vans, very large packing cases, by freighter. My cabin must have been on c deck and my folk were a bit better off on B deck. My cabin was about the size of a 4 berth cabin on Brittany ferries and had a wash basin using salt water. I seem to remember the head and other facilities were communal. Mealtimes were held in two sittings, one at six and one around 8 . On the later time most people dressed for dinner, but not the earlier one..Other onboard occupations were the Bridge fiends, playing every day and getting more and more annoyed with each other. Housey housey was a frequent evening pastime and Scottish dancing lessons in the afternoons . Apart from these the bar was a full time occupation for some. 

Simon Artz was a very grand department store selling a lot of very good products, cameras, watches, clothes and perfumes all good brands not available for the most part in the UK at that time very little tat.The tat was sold by the bum boats and street vendors, watches powered by beetles, that worked for a day if you were lucky.

One other thing sticks in my memory is the number of Indian ladies who knitted nonstop from embarkation to disembarkation.

I do not remember the Cirsassia's dining room being air conditioned
in 1955.

My parents returned from Pakistan on the Caledonia in 1965, and made an intermediate but I am not sure how they travelled. I am trying to see if there are any photos they took on these trips still in existence.

I left Pakistan on an American Export line ship, don't know it s name and went to Beirut, in 1961 it was a marvellous place.


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## Bob L

Wildcolonialboy - Your comments bring back a lot of memories of the goings on whilst at sea - yes, fresh water was a problem and after a salt water bath you used fresh water finally - Your return from Pakistan must have been with one of the American Export Lines cargo vessels that carried 12 Passengers as none of their large passenger ships called at Indian Subcontinent ports.
Some Passengers on the homeward run left the vessel in Gibraltar and flew back to UK - The Lloyd Triestino Passenger Ships terminated at Genoa and I understand some passengers then got the train(s) back home.
Yes, first sitting for Dinner was informal ( if wished ) and second sitting was definitely formal - we had to comply with "rig of the day" and from 1900hrs itq was formal for all Officers who had any business in the Passenger areas.
These were interesting times and the end of an era - it was good to be involved. Regards, BobL


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## gullygullyman

I travelled on all three ships between 1950 and 1965, from Bombay to liverpool and vice versa via karachi, Aden, Port Said (thru' the Suez Canal) through the med, Bay of Biscay (via Gibraltar) and to Liverpool. I was very young, but I absolutely adored it, as you can imagine.....there is A LOT I can tell you about the ships......for me it was heaven whenever we travelled on these ships (12 times!!!) and I can truly say that I have experienced the world of cruising!!!!! (although for our family, it was a means of transport at the time)


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## Barrie Youde

RMS Caledonia

My own recollections of this ship and of Anchor Line are amongst my earliest and fondest memories, only because my father was Anchor Line’s appointed pilot at Liverpool. In consequence I was privileged to visit the ships many times. The mixture of Scottish Country House and final days of the Raj in India summarises my own recollections completely. “Genteel” is probably the wrong word to use, but civility and gentility governed everything that I saw and learned – including, not least, how to mix a pink gin and to appreciate drinks properly served on crisp white linen on a silver tray – with Bombay mix, of course! I treasure a set of boxwood parallel rulers which somehow came my way, together with a pair of brass dividers, when the three passenger ships were sold. The parallels sit on my coffee table at home.

My father wore the Anchor Line tie regularly and I have inherited that, too, but did not aspire to wear it until recently, having always felt unqualified to do so. What has changed? Recently my good friend Rev Murdoch Mackenzie died. Murdoch was the son of Captain MacKenzie who was Marine Superintendent of Anchor Line. Directions for his funeral in Edinburgh declared that “dark clothes need not be worn” ; and so it seemed right to wear Dad’s Anchor Line tie, for Auld Lang’s Syne. A few days later my own brother died, too; and I recalled just how much he and I both owed to an education in which Anchor Line had played such a large part. And so I wore it to my brother’s funeral, also. I now feel properly qualified to wear it and intend to do so with great pride and pleasure!

Thanks for the memory!


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## Bob L

Guess our paths must have crossed as you were such regular travellers - we had a very loyal "clientelle" who had used the company vessels for years - indeed many of them timed their voyage for a specific ship - even a specific Master !! - which I can understand having sailed with all of the passenger ship Masters myself - only now do I realise how fortunate I was to have been working on the "C" Boats - never a dull moment on board ! Bob L.


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## Barrie Youde

#17

Or might they be cedar-wood? Can anybody please confirm the type of wood which was used for Captain Field's Improved version of parallels? Once taken for granted, they are now treasured!


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## ArthurCarrick

*Former passenger*

Have just found this forum.
My wife and I sailed to India in RMS Caledonia in December 1957 when I was going to take up a job in a copper mine. We left Liverpool on the afternoon of Saturday December 7th. Tannoys were playing "Elizabethan Seranade" After settling into our cabin, afternoon tea was served in very dainty china. Ominously wind was whistling through the rigging even while alongside the dock in the Mersey. The next two days, through St George's channel and Bay of Biscay, storms so bad the ship rolled constantly - we were told later it had gone to 44 degrees from vertical. It had to heave to and head into wind. We got to Gibraltar too late so had to stand off overnight, making the ship one day late for rest of voyage. At Gibraltar they had to take on full new set of crockery, so much had smashed.
It was not long after Suez crisis, so we were allowed ashore at Port Said, but only briefly to shops. Because of what Egyptians called "The Action", stock in the shops had mostly passed its sell-by-date - my wife bought a swimming costume, but when using it later in the Caledonia's swimming pool its elastic had perished and it nearly came off as she dived in! After initial bad weather, a most enjoyable trip. I recall late nights on deck admiring the stars as we sailed near Aden. Deck quoits and other games passed the time. Two others who came to the copper mine six months later had bad weather in the Indian Ocean. The crew told them "this is nothing - you should have been on our voyage last December!"
I notice the original enquirer wondered what food was eaten on board, and I find I have three of the Caledonia's dinner menus in my scrap book.


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## Bob L

Interested to hear of your bad weather experience but noted you had sailed in December and obviously got caught in a North Atlantic heavy sea/swell - usually this was the only " bad weather " part of the trip although during the monsoon season in the Indian Ocean you could get a bit of rolling - all three "C" Boats were very stable at all times but the rolling could be accentuated if there was a heavy cargo in the lower holds making the vessel "stiff" The Swimming Pool was salt water and was emptied/cleaned and refilled daily but only when we were in over 100 fathoms of water - I had to oversee the refilling during the 4 to 8 Watch daily. You probably remember watching films from the after end of the Promenade Deck - under the stars ! - and 11 times round the Promenade Deck was equivalent to one mile !
I was fortunate to have sailed on these vessels for 5 years - really enjoyable and, as a bonus, got paid for it !!
Your comments brought back great memories. Bob L.


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## Ian A.L.Walker

Bob L said:


> Interested to hear of your bad weather experience but noted you had sailed in December and obviously got caught in a North Atlantic heavy sea/swell - usually this was the only " bad weather " part of the trip although during the monsoon season in the Indian Ocean you could get a bit of rolling - all three "C" Boats were very stable at all times but the rolling could be accentuated if there was a heavy cargo in the lower holds making the vessel "stiff" The Swimming Pool was salt water and was emptied/cleaned and refilled daily but only when we were in over 100 fathoms of water - I had to oversee the refilling during the 4 to 8 Watch daily. You probably remember watching films from the after end of the Promenade Deck - under the stars ! - and 11 times round the Promenade Deck was equivalent to one mile !
> I was fortunate to have sailed on these vessels for 5 years - really enjoyable and, as a bonus, got paid for it !!
> Your comments brought back great memories. Bob L.


I did one trip as a cadet signing on 15th March 1961 and off on 25th June 1961. I then transferred onto the Cilicia where I did seven trips before finally leaving and signing off for good on the 16th July in 1962. I was wondering if we actually sialed together.


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## Bob L

Ian - Your name rings a bell but do not think we ever sailed together - I joined Sidonia on 3/10/61 for 13 cross atlantic trips then Cilicia late '62 and then Circassia '64 - Cilicia Cadets were Ron Murray then Iain Buchanan - with Captain Barclay / Captain MacVicar - Bobby Crawford and Bill Sawyers were Chief Officers - where did you go after Cilicia ?


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## Ian A.L.Walker

Hi Bob

My career with Anchor Line started in March of 1958 and I began with seven trips on the Tahsinia on the whisky run to New York. Then in May of 1959, transferred onto the Egidia for a further six trips to Bombay before I transferred onto the Caledonia for my one trip betwen March and June of 1961. There then followed seven trips on the Cilicia as Junior Third under Captain Barclay with Robert Crawford as Chief Officer. I eventually left in July of 1962 just before it appears you joined her.

As I am not too familiar with this site, is there somewhere where we could converse by email rather than this particular means.


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## Nickboy

*Passenger on the Caladonia*

Hi, I was a passenger, as a child aged 7, in 1961 on the Caladonia. My parents and my 2 siblings travelled from Liverpool to Aden and these are my memories such as they are!
The ship was definitely scottish in feel, we were put under the care of a lovely scottish lady on the crew and I'm not sure my parents saw much of us from that moment on. We had different meal times from the adults except breakfast. The ship became a fantastic play ground and we were very spoilt by the crew.
The first memory is crossing the Bay of Biscay in a gale with all the furniture tied down and the ship rolling violently. All the adults were sea sick but we were fine and had the run of the ship. The lounge was great, cleared of furniture and adults, for rolling our dinky toys across as the ship rolled. I also remember a new friend of my mother's falling out of her seat and sliding across the room on her behind with a full cup of tea in her hand.
We called in at Gibraltar and had an on shore trip with my parents to see the apes.
I don't remember the Med particularly as we were kept busy by the crew with all sorts of games and pastimes but it was warm and sunny.
We then called in at Port Said and were surrounded by the small boats selling a huge range of souvenirs from lines thrown up to the rails on the ship. I remember them being called 'bumboats' but that may have been a slang name. My first experience of bargaining! I also remember the magician coming onboard and doing slight of hand tricks.
We left the ship for a trip to Cairo where we saw the bazar, belly dancers, the pyramids and Tutankhamun's treasure, while the ship went down the canal and we rejoined at port Suez. It was a trip i remember to this day. 
Then it was down to Steamer Point in Aden where we left the ship as it went on to india.
The trip took about 14 days.
I remember the pilot coming onboard at all the ports as it was fun to watch his small boat come along side and the pilot jump across to the steps lowered on the side of the ship.
The cabins were small and we slept in bunks but we didn't spend much time there!
I remember my parents made several friends with other couples on the trip who were also going out to Aden. They remained friends for many years.
We did the return trip 2 years later but my memory is far less clear as I was not keen to return to the UK.
I will ask my mother for her memories of the trip and add to this if she remember other aspects.
Hope that is of some interest.


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## Bob L

Nickboy - You have a very good memory of your outward bound trip to Aden and it brings back memories of my time on Cilicia and Circassia - there was a Children's Nurse on board the ships and you might remember the nursery was on the starboard side aft - The " Magician " at Port Said was called " The Gully Gully Man !!! " - he used to say Gully Gully No Chicken No Mongoose - then produced rather scrawny chickens as if by magic !!!! One of the good points of all three vessels was they were all First Class so Passengers had the run of the ship - can you remember which vessel you returned on ? The passenger Service ended in 1966 - with the advent of the jumbo jet it quickly became the end of all passenger ships worldwide. Hope you enjoy the SN Site and if you have any further questions then contact me. I think the Captain on Caledonia was Captain Brown in 1961. BobL


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## Bob L

Ian - I must have joined Cilicia just as you were leaving - as I recall Bill ? Murray was Junior Third Officer, Second Officer was Kenny MacArthur, Bobby Crawford Chief Officer and Captain Barclay - it was a happy ship, ran like clockwork - always was my favourite vessel. BobL


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## Brenj1918

I've really enjoyed reading all the posts in this thread, they have brought back a lot of memories
I travelled from UK to Bombay on the Caledonia in 1962 when I was 10, with my parent and 2 brothers, my memories are fairly distant, but I do remember going ashore in Gibraltar and taking a tour to see the apes.
I spent quite a bit of time in the Nursery 'helping' with the small children as there was no one else my age to play with. I also remember stopping at Port Said and the small boats trying to sell their souvenirs. We then went through the Suez Canal and I remember seeing the pyramids
I have some photos somewhere, if I can find them is it possible to post them here? 
I sailed back in '63 and remember the Bay of Biscay on our last night, I would have been 13 at the time and was to be allowed to stay up late for the final night on board, but it was so rough the grand piano slid backwards and forwards across the floor, and the evening dance was cancelled!


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## R58484956

Greetings* Brenj1918 *and welcome to *SN.* Bon voyage.


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## Nickboy

I asked my mother about the voyages we had to and from Aden in the 1960's, she did not remember too much more but said that there was an other class on the vessel as she remembered all the saris being dried on the lower open decks - I don't remember this and she may be confusing it with something else but I pass it on for what it is worth. She also thinks we returned on the Cassia but then gave me two menus she has kept that were from the return voyage and clearly state the Caledonia so I am not sure! But I will scan the menus as soon as I can get them to the right format and size! You will then be able to see the menu was quite extensive. One states luncheon the other I am sure is the dinner menu.


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## Bob L

Nickboy said:


> I asked my mother about the voyages we had to and from Aden in the 1960's, she did not remember too much more but said that there was an other class on the vessel as she remembered all the saris being dried on the lower open decks - I don't remember this and she may be confusing it with something else but I pass it on for what it is worth. She also thinks we returned on the Cassia but then gave me two menus she has kept that were from the return voyage and clearly state the Caledonia so I am not sure! But I will scan the menus as soon as I can get them to the right format and size! You will then be able to see the menu was quite extensive. One states luncheon the other I am sure is the dinner menu.


Nick boy - Your msg noted - FYI the three "C's" we're all First Class - but here were three different classes of Cabins - 26 Staterooms on the Boat Deck, A Deck on the Main Deck and B Deck but all Passengers had the run of the vessel and all dined together ( two sittings - first smart informal and second more formal if wished ). At sea washing lines were rigged over hatch 4 aft of the verandah cafe for all passengers use if they wished. Hope this helps. Bob L.


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## Nickboy

*RMS Caledonia Menus from April 1964*



Nickboy said:


> But I will scan the menus as soon as I can get them to the right format and size! You will then be able to see the menu was quite extensive. One states luncheon the other I am sure is the dinner menu.


Menus attached as promised (finally!). Hope they are of interest.


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## Bob L

Nickboy - A happy days - all three "C" Boats were well known for the excellent feeding - full silver service at all meals - we were fortunate to have an Officer's Table dining with the Passengers where we had full choice of anything on the menus ( But no alcohol !!! ) The Curry's served were especially good. It was an excellent Company to work for and we had loyal Ship's Staff - some of the Crew were third generation sea employees. - the end of an era and I was fortunate to experience it. Bob L.


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## ElwinCockett

I’m fascinated by all those accounts. I travelled with my family from Bombay to Liverpool on the Caledonia at the age of just 18 months, arriving in December 1960.
I’m now a priest in the Church of England, and was preparing for a service in a church a couple of years ago when I got into conversation with an elderly man who was assisting me. It turned out that he was on the very same sailing of the Caledonia that we were on.
I don’t have any real memories from the trip, but my siblings tell me that it was a real shock, after several years for them in India, to find that it was snowing in Liverpool when they arrived. Our grandfather was waiting for us, with coats for us all, but apparently it was still a long, cold and dreary train journey to London, compared to the warmth and relative luxury of their voyage from Bombay.


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## Ibnalim1971

Hi I am keen on any photos from the Caledonia. My father now aged 80 came to the UK aboard the Caledonia in March 1962. He has vivid memories and I am keen to share any pictures to jog his memory.


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## Greenock

*Anchor Line's CALEDONIA, CILICIA and CIRCASSIA*

There are lots of images of the interiors of these three ships and timetables, passenger information, etc. on the website www.shipsoftheclyde.com. Well worth a look.


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## Stephen J. Card

Looks like most of the ships I sailed in with J&J Denholm! Perhaps not the whole lot of the items on the menu, but very similar.

Food on cruise ships today 'seem' to be much better. It is a bit a 'con', same food... just different fancy names for the items!


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## elaine80

Bob L said:


> Ian - I must have joined Cilicia just as you were leaving - as I recall Bill ? Murray was Junior Third Officer, Second Officer was Kenny MacArthur, Bobby Crawford Chief Officer and Captain Barclay - it was a happy ship, ran like clockwork - always was my favourite vessel. BobL


Bobby Crawford was my grandfather. I found this site whilst trying to piece together family history. I was a baby when he died so I never knew him.


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## MarkBJ

swansontheloch said:


> Hello there, I am researching family history and looking for info on an Anchorline passenger-cargo ship called Caledonia, it had sister ships Cilicia and Circassia, was built to do the Liverpool-Bombay route in late 40s. I had two family members use this ship in 1950s and I am very curious about their experience. They have passed away now so I cannot ask them. I want to know specific things like how they passed the time, would there have been entertainment on a ship this size, I know it wasn't huge...I am guessing the voyage would have been around 6 weeks? Just wondered how they passed the time. Also what kind of food would they eat? And would it be noisy in the cabins from engines? Also, I have read the route would be Gibraltar then Port Said, Aden then Karachi/Bombay. Would passengers disembark at these ports? I am also curious about whether they would have passed many other ships during the voyage and what the sunsets and sunrises are like. Thanks so much for any details you can give which might be of interest. As you can tell, I really know very little!


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## MarkBJ

I did the journey from Bombay to England on Caledonia, in 1952, with my parents. My first ever memory was being bought a 3rd birthday present in the little ship’s shop so sadly can’t help you with your other questions. On our way back to India 18 months later I remember Karachi docks where we were moored briefly with her sister ship Circassia, which was going the other way. We did not get off the ship, just loaded and unloaded passengers and probably re-fuelled and took on fresh milk, stores, mail etc.


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## Netherlee

swansontheloch said:


> Hello there, I am researching family history and looking for info on an Anchorline passenger-cargo ship called Caledonia, it had sister ships Cilicia and Circassia, was built to do the Liverpool-Bombay route in late 40s. I had two family members use this ship in 1950s and I am very curious about their experience. They have passed away now so I cannot ask them. I want to know specific things like how they passed the time, would there have been entertainment on a ship this size, I know it wasn't huge...I am guessing the voyage would have been around 6 weeks? Just wondered how they passed the time. Also what kind of food would they eat? And would it be noisy in the cabins from engines? Also, I have read the route would be Gibraltar then Port Said, Aden then Karachi/Bombay. Would passengers disembark at these ports? I am also curious about whether they would have passed many other ships during the voyage and what the sunsets and sunrises are like. Thanks so much for any details you can give which might be of interest. As you can tell, I really know very little!


Hi it’s been interesting reading about the Caledonia, my Grandfather was the Chief steward on her.
I can remember being taken to the docks in Glasgow by my parents to see my Grandfather he instructed one of the crew to SHOW THE BOY OVER THE SHIP, 
Family history suggests Grandfather was the commodore chief steward, the Senior chief steward in the company, could this be correct ? He was certainly with the Anchor Line for many .
My Grandfather served on the Caledonia from first to last sailing, he served in the merchant navy throughout his working life, he was torpedoed twice, first occasion during WW1 then again WW2, he received an MBE on the
first January 1949.


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## RKJ

My parents travelled to England aboard the Circassia in 1955.
I have some menus and post cards from their trip and happy to share images if anyone is interested.
Does any one know the approximate cost of travel from India to UK in the 1950s?
Ogdens produced a cigarette card set in the 1930s with 2 cards showing the Circassia


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## Matt Munro

Suspect I may be a bit late for this. I did two trips on the Caledonia. The first was a return to Karachi leaving Liverpool on or about the 7th January 1962. It was my first expereince at sea, I was 7 years old and was returning along with my sister and Mother to Karachi aftetr a 6 month leave in the UK. The trip started badly with a big storm that seemed to last for days. All I recall was laying in my bunk watching the "porthole" alternate between full sky and full sea. I remember my sister and I trying to go to breakfast while crossing the Bay of Biscay but found it too difficult to stay upright. Eventiually things calmed down and we had a great trip. A very Scottish ship, it suited us because, we were Scottish. We had all sorts of things to keep us busy including walks all round the promenade deck. A sports day in which we were led by a bag piper and always afternoon tea at 4pm on the deckchairs on the promenade deck when we had tea cakes. The ship's shop also seemed awesome. Gibraltar and the rock apes was interesting and Gibraltar, being duty free, provided a good opportunity for our parents to buy stuff. The trip through the Med was good and things started to warm up. We seemed to transit Port Said at night as I don't remember much. I do recall the trip through the Suez canal and the Red Sea. At Aden we could go ashore but I don't think we did. We then sailed on to Karachi. I made a good friend on the ship, Johnny Milne. We returned to the same school in Karachi afterwards. I still have a keepsake from that trip. A small Scottish Rampant Lion flag. 
Then
We came back on the same ship in April 1964 when I was 10. I can remember a lot more. There were indeed washing lines rigged on the focs'l because my Mum was washing nappies for my infant sister. There was a friend of my father who provided daily rope splicing classes on the focs'l hatches where we would meet in the morning, usually accompanied by several flying fish that somehow managed to find their way onto the deck.They would rig a screen and show a movie on the afterdeck at night. I remember sneaking out of our cabin to watch a movie one tropical night I think it was called "The Counterfeit Traitor". I was hiding behind a ventilator on the deck above. At Aden my dad bought a Japanese cine camera and projector. I still have the film they took of life at sea on the Caledonia. My dad also bought me a small red portable transistor radio with an earpiece off a bum boat trader in Aden. I have since written a song about it. The Red Sea was awesome and the trip through the Suez Canal was very poignant as I recognised the desert from the Lawrence of Arabia film I had seen earlier that year. My mother left the ship at Port Suez and went on a bus trip to visit the pyramids, returning to the ship at Port Said. It was quite warm in the Med but the swimming pool on board became very rough as we neared Gibraltar where we went ashore for the day. I got supposedly lost and they sent out search parties. I was actually sitting below deck in the PAS boat totally absorbed by a Victor comic. When I emerged I was pounced on by everybody. I think the ship may have been delayed. We eventually returned to Liverpool and for some reason I can still remember the last breakfast on board very vividly. It was in fact the end of a wonderful era for me. It was a sea journey of a lifetime. It just seemed luxurious to us. I had to leave the family and go to Boarding School for a year with out seeing them. I have digitised the video of life on board.


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## Steve Armitage

I've only just come upon this blog about RMS Caledonia. I and my parents had a few trips to and from Bombay on both the Caledonia and the Circassia back in the 50's. I was only a small child at the time so have little real memories. My father was sent to represent his engineering company and took his small family with him. I do remember stopping at Port Said and Aden, and the Gully Gully man who came on board to entertain the children. Games on board were deck coits and a game pushing a puck towards a target with a stick (name?) I do have photos and 8mm cine film footage taken by my father though, now on DVD discs.


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## GBSS

Netherlee said:


> Hi it’s been interesting reading about the Caledonia, my Grandfather was the Chief steward on her.
> I can remember being taken to the docks in Glasgow by my parents to see my Grandfather he instructed one of the crew to SHOW THE BOY OVER THE SHIP,
> Family history suggests Grandfather was the commodore chief steward, the Senior chief steward in the company, could this be correct ? He was certainly with the Anchor Line for many .
> My Grandfather served on the Caledonia from first to last sailing, he served in the merchant navy throughout his working life, he was torpedoed twice, first occasion during WW1 then again WW2, he received an MBE on the
> first January 1949.


Hi there, Just spotted this. i served on the Caledonia 1962 into '63 (before I moved on to the Queen Mary). i was 2nd Radio Officer. I so remember your Grandfather. Especially on Thursday nights wearing his kilt and calling us ALL to attention as the Haggis was piped into the dinning room! happy memories... Cheers David


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## dipram

Nickboy said:


> *Passenger on the Caladonia*
> 
> Hi, I was a passenger, as a child aged 7, in 1961 on the Caladonia. My parents and my 2 siblings travelled from Liverpool to Aden and these are my memories such as they are!
> The ship was definitely scottish in feel, we were put under the care of a lovely scottish lady on the crew and I'm not sure my parents saw much of us from that moment on. We had different meal times from the adults except breakfast. The ship became a fantastic play ground and we were very spoilt by the crew.
> The first memory is crossing the Bay of Biscay in a gale with all the furniture tied down and the ship rolling violently. All the adults were sea sick but we were fine and had the run of the ship. The lounge was great, cleared of furniture and adults, for rolling our dinky toys across as the ship rolled. I also remember a new friend of my mother's falling out of her seat and sliding across the room on her behind with a full cup of tea in her hand.
> We called in at Gibraltar and had an on shore trip with my parents to see the apes.
> I don't remember the Med particularly as we were kept busy by the crew with all sorts of games and pastimes but it was warm and sunny.
> We then called in at Port Said and were surrounded by the small boats selling a huge range of souvenirs from lines thrown up to the rails on the ship. I remember them being called 'bumboats' but that may have been a slang name. My first experience of bargaining! I also remember the magician coming onboard and doing slight of hand tricks.
> We left the ship for a trip to Cairo where we saw the bazar, belly dancers, the pyramids and Tutankhamun's treasure, while the ship went down the canal and we rejoined at port Suez. It was a trip i remember to this day.
> Then it was down to Steamer Point in Aden where we left the ship as it went on to india.
> The trip took about 14 days.
> I remember the pilot coming onboard at all the ports as it was fun to watch his small boat come along side and the pilot jump across to the steps lowered on the side of the ship.
> The cabins were small and we slept in bunks but we didn't spend much time there!
> I remember my parents made several friends with other couples on the trip who were also going out to Aden. They remained friends for many years.
> We did the return trip 2 years later but my memory is far less clear as I was not keen to return to the UK.
> I will ask my mother for her memories of the trip and add to this if she remember other aspects.
> Hope that is of some interest.


I just happened to see this post as I was browsing .
I was on the same ship as a child , aged 8, going from liverpool to Bombay . My father was the Airforce attache at the Indian embassy in London and the whole family ( my parents and four kids) were returning to India. Your description of the trip exactly matches my memory - especially the storm in the Bay of Biscay. We were all very sick , though I managed to eat Breakfast before I threw up. I remember Port Said and Aden very well. At Aden my dad bought a movie camera and I remember after he got back on board forund that the good "german" lenses had been switched to "cheap" Japanese lenses ( how things have changed). 
We kids were in small cabins with bunkbeds while our parents had first class cabins .


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## dipram

Steve Armitage said:


> I've only just come upon this blog about RMS Caledonia. I and my parents had a few trips to and from Bombay on both the Caledonia and the Circassia back in the 50's. I was only a small child at the time so have little real memories. My father was sent to represent his engineering company and took his small family with him. I do remember stopping at Port Said and Aden, and the Gully Gully man who came on board to entertain the children. Games on board were deck coits and a game pushing a puck towards a target with a stick (name?) I do have photos and 8mm cine film footage taken by my father though, now on DVD discs.


Is there any way you can share the 8mm film footage ? Maybe post it on Youtube.


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## GBSS

Hi everyone, this has indeed made interesting reading. Such happy times for me on the Caledonia. I was still very young and given the length of time ago, sadly I have lost all contact with fellow crew members. I spent most of 1962 and the first few months of 1963 on her before as 2nd Radio Officer before moving to the RMS Queen Mary and later the RMS Queen Elizabeth. So, yes, very fond memories indeed. To answer one question that came up regarding visits ashore. As passengers were 'in transit' they would only be permitted ashore if then had a transit visa. But these were easy to obtain back then and often passengers would disembark in Port Said or Aden. Activities onboard were limited with a dance evening on Thursday nights. These were well attended as I remember.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a healthy 2023!


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