On-board gala menu card for the P&O Line S.S. Strathmore; Monday 28 July 1952; image by R.B.S.

Printed gala dinner menu for the P & O line S.S. 'Strathmore', dated Monday, 28th July, 1952. The card is folded once vertically.

On the front is a colour image printed from original artwork, showing a clown and jester. The clown has white face make-up with red and black accents, is dressed in a blue suit decorated with pink stars and moon shapes and with pink-edged ruff and frills, and has red shoes and a large yellow pon-pon and pink feather head-dress. He holds a yellow disk with the words Gala Menu in red and black. The jester wears pink and green with red boots and is playing cymbals whilst jumping in the air. A monogram R.B.S. is in pale blue just below the clowns left foot (i.e. bottom right).

On the inside the menu is printed on the left in a sans serif font, in blue type, except for 'Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company.' across the top, which is in red in an italic display font. Opposite in two italic fonts (one sans serif capitals, the other serif) are the wine suggestions in blue.

Given by Pamela Griffiths

Gift of Mrs. Pamela Griffiths, whose late husband collected them while a passenger on board.

Reason For Production: Commission

This menu card was made for a voyage on board the P&O cruise liner "Strathmore" in 1952. Illustrated menus such as this were printed in advance on land with the inside (menu part) left blank, to be printed on board ship. Passengers often kept them as souvenirs. The menus reflect the luxury of cruise liner travel during its heyday. "Strathmore" was built in 1935 for P&O. She was kept until 1963, when the newly merged P&O-Orient Line replaced its pre-war fleet.

E.348-2005