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P&O Collection Links
These links relate to the P&O Collection and list the many museums in the UK and Overseas where you can find items from the P&O Heritage Collection. For a full set of links click on All Links
UK Museums
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The P&O archive is on permanent loan to the National Maritime Museum where it is publicly available in their library. In addition the Museum has a substantial archive of other shipping lines and shipbuilders which are outlined in their Shipping Companies research guide. The museum also have a number of ship models and items on loan from the P&O Heritage Collection.
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National Maritime Museum Cornwall
Part of the National Maritime Museum, NMM Cornwall is concerned with the Maritime Heritage of Cornwall and the history and importance of small craft. P&O's first sailing of the ROYAL TAR called at Falmouth en route to Portugal and a painting of the P&O TAGUS (1837) is on loan to the museum from the P&O Heritage Collection.
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Until recently, The Science Museum held a number of P&O and Orient Line ship models on permanent loan and displayed in the Shipping Gallery, including a model of the engines of the screw steamship CARNATIC (1863) and a drawing of the trunk system of the screw steamship CANDIA (1854). These are now all housed back with P&O Heritage.
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Ulster Folk and Transport Museum
Included in the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum are the archives and photographs of shipping and shipbuilders from Northern Ireland including Harland & Wolff, who built several ships for P&O. In the museum's collection, look out for a ship model of the passenger liner IBERIA (1954) (on loan from the P&O Heritage Collection) and an original illuminated deck plan from CANBERRA (1961) gifted by P&O to the museum in 1998.
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Merseyside Maritime Museum has an excellent collection and substantial archive relating to merchant shipping particularly shipping companies serving the Port of Liverpool. A number of ship models in the museum are on loan from the P&O Heritage Collection.
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The Museum of London Docklands explores the social and economic significance of the port of London, for a time the busiest in the world. P&O has a long history with the Port of London where the company began. Today DP World is building a new port for London.
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The Dock Museum has a superb collection of ship models donated by the Barrow shipyard including an unusual mechanised model of ORIANA (1960). Until recently a full hull 1:48 scale, builder's model of the passenger liner STRATHNAVER was on loan from the P&O Heritage Collection.
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The Imperial War Museum is a multi-branch national museum of war and wartime life from the First World War, through the Second World War, to the present day. The museums collections and archive include a wealth of material relating to the merchant navy service during both World Wars.
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The Maritime Museum and Buckler's Hard story give an insight into the history of the village from its 18th century beginnings as a shipbuilding centre through to the vital role the river played during WWII and the D-Day landings. The Museum's current exhibition tells the story of the wreck and salvage of P&O Liner S.S. PERSIA and includes items on loan from the P&O Heritage Collection.
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Formed in 1980 the Dover Transport Museum is a large local museum set in two acres. Look out for a full hull model of the General Steam Navigation Company pleasure steamer ROYAL SOVEREIGN (1948) on loan from the P&O Heritage Collection.
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Situated in the Clock House on the quayside at Ramsgate Harbour, the Museum focuses strongly on Ramsgate and its immediate environs, with a brief introduction to the rest of the region's maritime past. Look out for the G.S.N.Co. QUEEN OF THE CHANNEL ship model on loan from the P&O Heritage Collection.
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National Waterfront Museum Swansea
Opened in 2005, the National Waterfront Museum at Swansea tells the story of industry and innovation in Wales over the last 300 years. Until recently a ship model of BRITISH COAST (1934) was on loan from the P&O Heritage Collection.
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The River and Rowing Museum at Henley celebrates the history of rowing, the Thames and the local area and artists. In his studio close to Henley, the artist John Piper created his monumental work Landscape of the Two Seasons, commissioned for ORIANA (1960), where it was the centrepiece of the Princess Room. The mural can be seen today in the River and Rowing Museum where it is on loan from the P&O Heritage Collection.
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Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts
The Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts is an inspirational public art museum at the University of East Anglia (UEA) Norwich. Included in the collections is Tidal Movements commissioned and created by the artist Mary Martin for the First Class main staircase of ORIANA (1960) and on loan from the P&O Heritage Collection.
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In 1927 Bruce Castle Museum, operated by Haringey Council, became the new home for a Postal Heritage collection which includes daily packet lists.
Overseas Museums
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Australian National Maritime Museum
The Australian National Maritime Museum explores Australia's links with the sea and occupies a spectacular location on the western shore of Sydney's Darling Harbour. The museum displays include the P&O sponsored "Passengers" exhibition with a full hull, builder's model of ORCADES (1937). The archive collections include manuscripts and printed materials relating to P&O, Orient Line and Eastern Australian much of which was deposited by P&O.
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The Queensland Maritime Museum has the most complete history of Maritime Events in Queensland, Australia. Climb on board the historic steam powered tug FORCEFUL, restored to her B.I. colours, and visit the museum's impressive collections where you will find full size, builders models of OTRANTO (1909) and ORION (1935) on display.
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Queensland Museum is home to millions of objects, specimens and artefacts that tell the changing story of Queensland's past, present and future. Until recently you would have found a full hull, builder's model of ORONSAY (1951) on loan from the P&O Heritage Collection.
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Melbourne Museum, Museum Victoria
Melbourne Museum explores life in Victoria, from the natural environment to culture and history. Look out for a full hull, builders model of ORCADES (1948) on loan from the P&O Heritage Collection and on display in the Melbourne story exhibition.
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Hong Kong Maritime Museum, located in Murray House, pays tribute to the history and development of Hong Kong and China's colourful maritime past. Look out for a painting of P&O's POTTINGER (1846) and the ships bell from NORNA (1853) on loan from the P&O Heritage Collection.
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New Zealand National Maritime Museum
Voyager New Zealand Maritime Museum is New Zealand's national maritime museum, located at the Viaduct Harbour on Auckland's Hobson Wharf. In the museum's collections and archives the New Zealand Shipping Company is well represented and P&O Heritage has loaned a painting of N.Z.S.Co.'s REMUERA (1911), by Frank Barnes, to the museum's collection.
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The Maritime Gallery at the Otago Maritime Museum was opened to the public in July 1973. At present it contains 58 model boats, original ship flags and bells. Look out for the full hull, builders models of RANGITOTO (1949) and RANGITANE (1949) on loan from the P&O Heritage Collection.
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Museum of Wellington City & Sea
800 years of Wellington's maritime history, from waka to container ship, are celebrated on the central floor of the Museum.
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The Vancouver Maritime Museum is devoted to preserving the maritime history of Vancouver, British Columbia, and the Canadian Arctic. Look out for the full hull, builder's model of the passenger liner ORSOVA (1954) on loan from the P&O Heritage Collection.
UK Archives & Libraries
See also Overseas Archives & Libraries
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The National Archive is the UK government's official archive containing over 11 million historical government and public records. Their vast collections include many records relating to ships, seamen and passengers which are referenced in our research guides.
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Southampton City Council Archives
Southampton City Council Archives hold a variety of material relating to shipping and merchant seamen. Most valuable is their collection of crew lists and agreements.
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Glasgow City Council Archives hold shipbuilding records for a number of Glasgow-based shipbuilders including Barclay, Curle & Co and A & J Inglis Ltd as well as some shipping companies archives and the Ralston photographic collection.
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University of Glasgow - Scottish Business Archives
The Scottish Business Archives records cover almost all types of businesses and industries in Scotland's history including shipbuilding and shipowning.
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Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Amongst its various functions the MCA holds the official records for the Registry of Shipping and Seamen.
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The Guildhall Library in London holds business records for some P&O affiliate companies, copies of Lloyd's List and a variety of family history resources.
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The London Metropolitan Archives is the largest local authority archive in the UK, covering the whole of Greater London (former counties of London and Middlesex). They hold business records for some P&O affiliate companies, copies of Lloyd's List and a variety of family history resources.
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Amid the vast collections of the British Library is the original prospectus for the Peninsular Steam Navigation Company published in 1834 (Shelfmark: 1890.b.3.(132.).
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Wessex Film and Sound Archive holds the majority of the P&O Film archive as well as a number of other useful film, sound and video material. The archive is a specialist regional repository based at Hampshire Record Office in Winchester.
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The Royal Philatelic Society London
The P&O Heritage Collection of stamp covers is on loan to the Royal Philatelic Society where it available to researchers by appointment only.
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The Posters Network aims to make links between UK poster collections and posters specialists, and to share knowledge, news and expertise. It is supported by Arts Council England.
What if I still need help?
Have you tried our links or research guides, viewed our timeline, explored our collections and searched our archive at the National Maritime Museum for more information? Still stuck? Use the enquiry form to contact us and we'll point you in the right direction.
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