WORLD SHIP SOCIETY

At our June meeting, the PONY Branch welcomed Ann Haynes who shared how she came to join the famous Union-Castle Mail Steamship Company as a Purserette at sea. According to Ann, “The lavender-hulled mail ships sailed from the English port of Southampton on a regular weekly liner service to South Africa, carrying passengers and cargo, and the first mail ship I joined was TRANSVAAL CASTLE.  It was hard work during the six week voyage, but never dull.  Over the years I served on other Union-Castle Line mail ships such as the CAPETOWN CASTLE and the EDINBURGH CASTLE, and went to unexpected ports, including Ascension Island and St. Helena in the South Atlantic, as well as Cape Town and other ports in South Africa.”

Ann shared many pictures of the life she led and the uniforms she wore, and talked about her duties on board. These included typing numerous passenger lists at every port, taking part in the Crossing the Line ceremony as the ship crossed the Equator, and helping to run passenger entertainment on board, as she sailed to and from South Africa.

Ann wrote home regularly to her parents and took numerous photos, and her letters and images became the basis for her book “Union-Castle Line Purserette.” It was such an interesting and enjoyable life, that Ann is always happy to share her memories and pictures with others.

(Image: Ann Haynes)