Journey to Ottawa
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In September 1957, Henry went to Ottawa, Canada, to take up a postdoctoral fellowship at the Microbiology Research Institute, Canada Department of Agriculture. He travelled on the Canadian Pacific Steamship Empress of Britain.
The Empress of Britain was the twenty-first ship built for Canadian Pacific Steamships by Fairfield Shipping on the Clyde in Scotland. A luxurious ship, even in Tourist class, she had a strengthened hull to allow her to operate in icy conditions and could carry 3,000 tons of cargo in addition to her passengers. Her maiden voyage was in 1956 and she made 108 round trips to Canada. She was sold in 1964 because of the terminal decline in passenger numbers, but continued to sail in various parts of the world under different names and ownership until 2008. She has since been scrapped. (For more information see www.liverpoolships.org.)
Named by Her Majesty the Queen in June, 1955, the Empress of Britain is of truly regal bearing.
Come aboard a moment. These illustrations give you some idea not merely of the unusual ease and comfort her 900 Tourist passengers can expect, but of many specifically modern features. Every room throughout the ship, for instance, is air-conditioned. Stabilizers of the latest design are fitted. The after decks, arranged in echelon, afford both more open and more covered deck spece – and the “fireman’s helmet” on the funnel keeps the smoke away from the decks, however the wind blows.
Then there is the battery of washing machines; the up-to-the-moment Cinema; and, of course, your stateroom, controlled in temperature to your individual preference, well carpeted, complete with fittings for electric shaver or hair-drier.
from the Canadian Pacific “GO Empress to Canada” Tourist booklet – part of Henry’s collection of Canadian memorabilia
Henry boarded the Empress of Britain on September 20th 1957. Among the required documents specified in the Canadian Pacific “Embarkation Arrangements” leaflet is a vaccination certificate, shown here.
Once on board, Henry sent his parents a postcard of the ship:
Dear Mum & Dad,
Arrived here at just past 3pm and am still trying to find my way about on board! It’s an enormous ship, with every mod. con. No news yet! Much love to you all, from Tim.
Henry, postcard to parents, 20th Sept 1957, 5pm
We are now sailing down the Baltic on this smart and comfortable ship. The sky is blue and so is the sea – we have had excellent weather all the way on this holiday. To-day we have had a trip ashore at Stockholm, yesterday at Helsinki. To-morrow we spend an hour or two at Copenhagen then on to Tilbury where we dock at 3.00 pm on Sunday.
David, postcard to his Dad showing the M.V. Nadezhda Krupskaya, June 18th