The Union-Castle Line was a prominent shipping line that operated a fleet of passenger liners and freighters between Europe and Africa from 1900 until 1977.

The RMMV Winchester Castle was built in 1930, making the 1931 voyage one of her earliest. She was requisitioned for war service before prolonged use as a migrant ship to South Africa. It was not until1949 that she returned to the mail run, operating until 1960.

MV Carnarvon Castle, built in 1926, was the first motor ship to be used on sailings between Britain and the Cape of Good Hope. In 1938, the Carnarvon Castle set a new record for passage to the Cape of 12 days, 13 hours and 38 minutes, a record that was not superseded until 1954. She was briefly requisitioned for war service as an auxiliary cruiser, after which she returned to the South Africa mail run and was scrapped 1963.

The album contains the following material:

Frontispiece: 6 x 8cms, line drawing titled Elizabeth Popham. Illustration of a girl sitting on a library ladder reading.

Page 1. Illustrated brochure, 13 x 20cms, Union-Castle Line. List of passengers, R.M.M.V. “Winchester Castle.” 6th November, 1931. Front illustration shows uniformed captain using a sextant. Eight printed pages.

Page 2. Printed folded leaflet, 14 x 19cms, Programme of sports and entertainments commencing November 11th, 1931.

Page 3. Titled: South Africa. Monochrome magazine cut-out photograph, 9 x 14cms, of Royal Mail Motorship “Winchester Castle” 20,109 tons. Inscription reads: Sailed from Southampton, November 6th, 1931.

Page 4. The Union-Castle Mail Steamship Company second class ticket for Miss E. Popham, dated November 1931. 28 x 15cms. Monochrome magazine cut-out photograph, 7 x 13cms, M.V. Winchester Castle at Cape Town.

Page 5. Folded printed card, 12 x 18cms, Remembrance Day. Breakfast menu. Illustrated with red poppies, ‘Haig’s Fund’.

Page 6. Folded printed Union-Castle programme, 11 x 17cms, illustrated with a mermaid riding a fish. Programme of concert and presentation of prizes, Friday, November 20th, 1931.

Page 7. Coloured illustrated menu card, 18 x 24cms, dated November 19, 1931. Illustration shows a lady in period full length dress titled ‘Beatrice’.

Page 8. Folded printed leaflet, 10 x 12cms, programme of the ‘Winchester Derby’ Tuesday, November 17th, 1931. Monochrome postcard, 9 x 14cms, of Queen’s Hotel, Cape Town, November 23rd, 1931.

Page 9. Two hand-coloured postcards, 9 x 14cms, landscapes of Chapman’s Peak Road and entrance to Chapman’s Peak Road, Hout Bay. C.P.

Page 10. Two monochrome magazine cut-out photographs, 9 x 14cms, seashore views of Cape Town.

Page 11. Two monochrome magazine cut-out photographs, 9 x 14cms, landscape views of The Cape, Cape Town.

Page 12. Two monochrome postcards, 9 x 14cms, landscape views of Cape Town, Adderley Street and new pavilion, Muizenberg. November 23rd, 1931.

Page 13. Titled: Port Elizabeth, November 26th – 27th, 1931. Two hand coloured postcards, 9 x 14 cms, illustrating Main Street, and Algoa Bay from the Donkin Reserve, Port Elizabeth.

Page 14. Two monochrome postcards, 9 x 14cms, landscape views of Durban, November 29th, 1931.

Page 15. Two monochrome postcards, 9 x 14cms, illustration of a rickshaw runner in tribal dress and landscape views of Balmoral Hotel, Durban, March 5th – 9th, 1932.

Page 16. Two monochrome postcards, 9 x 14cms, illustrating landscape views of Valley of a Thousand Hills, Natal.

Page 17. Titled: Peitermaritzburg. One monochrome magazine cut-out photograph, 10 x 14cms, of Imperial Hotel, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Four monochrome photographs, 5 x 6cms, of a light-coloured dog, named Toby.

Page 18. Titled: Hemyock. November 29th, 1931 – March 20th 1932. Two monochrome magazine cut-out photographs, 9 x 14cms, landscapes of Hemyock and Giants Castle.

Page 19. Two monochrome magazine cut-out photographs, 9 x 14cms, landscapes of Hemyock.

Page 20. Two monochrome magazine cut-out photographs, 9 x 14cms, landscapes of Hemyock.

Page 21. Two monochrome magazine cut-out photographs, 9 x 14cms, landscapes of Hemyock. View from Kamberg and The Gorge.

Page 22. Two monochrome magazine cut-out photographs, 9 x 14cms, landscapes of Hemyock Garden.

Page 23. Two monochrome magazine cut-out photographs, 9 x 14cms, landscapes of The Uplands and Bridge over Mooi River.

Page 24. Two monochrome magazine cut-out photographs, 9 x 14cms, landscapes of native Rondavels and haymaking.

Page 25. Two monochrome magazine cut-out photographs, 9 x 14cms, landscapes of Hemyock sheep.

Page 26. Monochrome postcard photograph, 8 x 14cms, portraits of Edward and Alick in school uniform with Toby the dog. Two monochrome photographs, 5 x 6cms, family pictures, outside locations. Faded monochrome photograph, 9 x 14cms of tornado.

Page 27. Titled: February 29th – March 3rd, 1932. Newspaper cuttings titled: Racialism and the Depression by E.L. Popham of Nottingham Road. Handwritten note: Written by my mother’s cousin who lived in South Africa.

Page 28. Titled: National Park, Natal. January 28th -Feb. 1st, 1932. Two monochrome photographs, 9 x 14cms, of Natal National Park, Hotel and Environs. In The Tugela Gorge, Natal National Park.

Page 29. Two monochrome photographs, 9 x 14cms, of Natal National Park. The Grotto. The Beacon Buttress & Sentinel.

Page 30. Four monochrome postcard photographs, 7 x 9cms, showing various views of the Drakensberg Mountains in the Natal National Park.

Page 31. Five monochrome postcard photographs, 7 x 9s, showing various views of the Natal National Park.

Page 32. Titled: Ladysmith. March 22nd, 1932. Six monochrome postcard photographs, 7 x 9cms, showing various views around Ladysmith.

Page 33. Titled: Johannesburg. March 23rd – 28th 1932. Contains a printed road map, 12 x 17cms, of the route taken from Johannesburg to Durban. A monochrome postcard, 9 x 14cms, showing Commissioner Street, Johannesburg.

Page 34. Titled: March 23rd, 1932. Contains a four page printed vaudeville programme, 24 x 16cms, of The Empire Theatre, Johannesburg, for week commencing Monday 21st March, 1932.

Page 35. Contains a 36-page printed brochure, 13 x 18cms, for Luthjes’ Langham Hotel, Johannesburg.

Page 36. Titled: Pretoria, March 25th 1932. Contains two monochrome postcards, 9 x 14cms, of the Old Houses of Parliament and Central Court, Pretoria.

Page 37. Titled: Lawn tennis S. A. championship, March 27th, 1932. A printed programme, 20 x 33cms, of the South African National Championship, held on Sunday, 27th March, 1932.

Page 38. Titled: March 29th – April 1st, 1932. Printed label, 12 x 20cms, of Hotel Assembly, Queen Victoria Street, Cape Town. Newspaper cutting, 2 x 6cms, recording: Mr. and Mrs. H. T. Popham and the Misses E. and M. Popham arrived from Johannesburg yesterday in the Union Limited. A monochrome photograph, 6 x 9cms, of the steamship Carnarvon Castle just off-shore.

Page 39. Titled: “Carnarvon Castle.” Left Cape Town April 1st, 1932. Monochrome postcard, 9 x 14cms, of the Royal Mail Motorship, “Carnarvon Castle”. 20,063 tons underway.

Page 40. Folded eight-page coloured brochure, 21 x 13cms, Union Castle Line, R.M.M.V. “Carnarvon Castle.” 1st April, 1932. List of Passengers.

Page 41. Printed leaflet, 13 x 20cms, R.M.M.V. “Carnarvon Castle.” Programme of sports & entertainments, commencing Tuesday 5th April, 1932.

Page 42. Printed leaflet, 13 x 20cms, R.M.M.V. “Carnarvon Castle.” Programme of The Carnarvon Derby, Tuesday 12th April, 1932.

Page 43. Coloured folded printed card, 10 x 17cms, programme of concert to be held on Wednesday, April 13th, 1932.

Page 44. Titled: Madeira, April 14th, 1932. Two hand-coloured postcards, 9 x 14cms, of poinsettia and begonias in Madeira.

Page 45. Two hand-coloured postcards, 9 x 14cms, of a jacaranda tree weigandia in Madeira.

Page 46. Two hand-coloured postcards, 9 x 14cms, views of Madeira.

Page 47. Two hand-coloured postcards, 9 x 14cms, views of Madeira.

Page 48. Two hand-coloured postcards, 9 x 14cms, views of Madeira.

Page 49. Titled: Arrived Southampton 18th April, 1932. Two newspaper cuttings and photograph illustrating the story of Mr. Mollison Back who completed a record-breaking flight to Cape Town, joining The Carnarvon Castle at Southampton. On arrival at Southampton he was given a civic welcome. Afterwards he flew with Sir Alan Cobham to Basingstoke.

Page 50. Monochrome illustrated (Camps Bay, near Cape Town) folded card, 13 x 19cms, Menu for R.M.M.V. “Carnarvon Castle.” Sunday April 10th, 1932.

Page 51. Monochrome illustrated (Castle gateway, Cape Town) folded card, 13 x 19cms, Menu for R.M.M.V. “Carnarvon Castle.” Monday April 4th, 1932.

Page. 52. Monochrome illustrated (Town Hall & War Memorial, Durban) folded card, 13 x 19cms, Menu for R.M.M.V. “Carnarvon Castle.” Saturday April 9th, 1932.

Page 53. Coloured illustrated (Town Hall, Durban) folded card, 13 x 19cms, Menu for R.M.M.V. “Carnarvon Castle.” Monday April 11th, 1932.

Page 54. Coloured illustrated (Coral Reef) folded card, 13 x 19cms, Menu for R.M.M.V. “Carnarvon Castle.” Thursday April 7th, 1932.

Page 55. Coloured illustrated (Devil’s Peak) folded card, 13 x 19cms, Menu for R.M.M.V. “Carnarvon Castle.” Sunday April 17th, 1932.

Page 56. Monochrome illustrated (Victoria Falls) folded card, 13 x 19cms, Menu for R.M.M.V. “Carnarvon Castle.” Thursday April 14th, 1932.

Page 57. Monochrome illustrated (Victoria Falls) folded card, 13 x 19cms, Menu for R.M.M.V. “Carnarvon Castle.” Wednesday April 13th, 1932.

Page 58. Monochrome illustrated (The Sentinel, Drakensburg, Natal) folded card, 13 x 19cms, Menu for R.M.M.V. “Carnarvon Castle.” Friday April 1st, 1932.

Page 59. Monochrome magazine photograph, 19 x 25cms, The Sentinel, Drakensburg, Natal.

Page 60. Monochrome magazine photograph, 19 x 25cms, The Sentinel, Drakensburg, Natal.

Page 62. Monochrome magazine photograph, 19 x 25cms, The Sentinel, Drakensburg, Natal.

Page 63. Monochrome magazine photograph, 19 x 25cms, The Sentinel, Drakensburg,

Page 64. Monochrome magazine photograph, 19 x 25cms, The Sentinel, Drakensburg,

Page 65. Monochrome magazine photograph, 19 x 25cms, The Sentinel, Drakensburg,

Page 66. Titled: National Park, Jan. 29th, 1932. Two monochrome photographs, 9 x 14cms, titled, Devils Teeth and Self, Biddy.

Page 67. Two monochrome photographs, 9 x 14cms of a group of Durban Boy Scouts at Hemyock and cloudburst, Hemyock – Self.

Page 68. Titled: Leaving Hemyock. March 19th, 1932. Two monochrome photographs, a group of four people standing in front of a white building, assumed to be Mr. and Mrs. H. T. Popham and the Misses E. and M. Popham. Landscape of Hemyock, Natal.

Page 69. White envelope labelled ‘telegrams and cables’, 11 x 14 cms containing 10 greeting telegrams to the Winchester and Carnarvon Castle.

Loose Items. Monochrome magazine photograph, 6 x 22cms, of a steam train in front of a range of mountains titled, ‘Where the railway stretches across the plains of the Great Karroo’. Printed folded brochure 19 x 25 cms, advertising The Union-Castle Line, weekly mail service to South Africa. Opening out reveals a 37 x 50cms colour map of Africa.