R.M.S.P. History and Ephemera

R.M.S.P. Historical Archives

AKA La Compagnie Royal Mail Steam Packet. The Royal Mail Steam Packet Company was a British shipping company founded in London in 1839 by a Scot, James MacQueen. The line's motto was Per Mare Ubique (everywhere by sea).

The Royal Mail Steam Packet Company that provided transatlantic passenger services to and from Hamburg, Cherbourg, Southampton and New York and on occasion Quebec.

From the date of the Inauguration of the line, in September, 1839, the vessels of the company have been remarkable for the grace of the design upon which they have been constructed, while, keeping In advance of the times, the "A" and "D" steamers of the R. M. S. P. have In recent years become a household word for "Luxury Afloat."

In 1932 the company was liquidated and its assets taken over by the newly formed Royal Mail Lines after financial trouble and scandal; over the years RML declined to no more than the name of a service run by former rival Hamburg-Süd.

R.M.S.P. Collections

1923-12-19 SS Orca

R.M.S.P. Passenger Lists

Passenger Lists of the R.M.S.P. - The Royal Mail Steam Packet Company that provided transatlantic passenger services to and from Hamburg, Cherbourg, Southampton and New York and on occasion Quebec.

Vintage Brochures

Couverture de la Brochure Avant, Service RMSP New York - Première et Deuxième Classe - 1921.

RMSP Service de New York - Premières et Deuxèmes Classes - 1921

Superbe brochure de 1921 contenant de nombreuses photographies extraordinaires des intérieurs de première et deuxième classe des paquebots de la Compagnie Royal Mail Steam Packet qui naviguent d’Europe à New York.

 

Front Brochure Cover, RMSP New York Service - First and Second Class - 1921.

RMSP New York Service - First and Second Class - 1921

Superb brochure from 1921 documents with many extraordinary photographs of the first and second class interiors of the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company ocean liners plying from Europe to New York.

 

Front Cover of 1923 Brochure "Cabin Liners to Europe" from the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company.

RMSP Cabin Liners to Europe - 1923

Believed to be one of the earliest brochures produced by the RMSP to promote their newly acquired ships Orbita, Orca, and Orduña, in 1923 provides numerous interior photographs. The ships were only operated by RMSP for 3 years before being resold to the PSNCo in 1926.

Vintage Menus

First Class Dining Room - RMSP Steamship circa 1921

Vintage Menus of the RMSP

The Royal Mail Steam Packet Company provided transatlantic passenger services to and from Hamburg, Cherbourg, Southampton and New York, and on occasion, Quebec.

Other Historical Articles and Documents

  • History of the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company (RMSP) (1911)
    Soon after British-owned steamships began to run to America a company was formed by leading business men interested in the West Indies, to carry the mails from England to that part of the world. The charter of this company, to be known as the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, was granted in 1839.
  • Royal Mail’s New Atlantic Service Will Mark another Epoch in History of Line (1921)
    Weekly Sailings Ultimately Contemplated with Steady and Finely Appointed “O” Boats—Company’s Remarkable Progress during Past Eighty Years. Unusual interest has been aroused in shipping circles by the announcement that, beginning May 21, with the sailing of the Orbita, the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company will inaugurate a fortnightly passenger and freight service between New York, Cherbourg, Southampton and Hamburg.
  • Royal Mail Enterprise Adds Lamport & Holt Liners to Its Transatlantic Service (1922)
    In order to accommodate the* unusually heavy passenger traffic during the coming season, arrangements have been made by the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company to add the well-known Lamport & Holt liners Vestris. Yandyck and Yauban to its transatlantic service. These steamers will make special voyages from New York to Cherbourg. Southampton and Hamburg on May 20, June 3 and July 12, thus enabling the Royal Mail to practically maintain weekly sailings during the late spring and summer months.

Other RMSP Ephemera in the Archives

  • 1921-11-04 First and Second Class, R.M.S.P. Orbita, Hamburg to New York via Cherbourg and Southampton.
  • 1922-07-28 List of Passengers (Class Not Stated), RMS P. Orduña, Hamburg to New York via Southampton and Cherbourg
  • 1923-08-13 Cabin, R.M.S.P. Orbita, Hamburg to New York via Southampton and Cherbourg
  • 1923-12-19 First and Second Class, R.M.S.P. Orca, Hamburg to New York via Southampton and Cherbourg, Captain E. Clarke, R.D., R.N.R.
  • 1924-07-06 Cabin, R.M.S.P. Orca, Hamburg to Quebec and New York via Southampton and Cherbourg, Captain J. E. P. Matthews
  • 1924-07-22 Cabin, R.M.S.P. Ohio, Hamburg to New York via Southampton and Cherbourg, Captain W. H. Lainson. Page + Autographs of fellow passengers including Rose Braudenburg, Cora Hallaway, H. Gebers, J. R. Miur - 3rd Officer, B. C. Dodds - 2nd Officer.
  • 1924-08-01 Cabin, R.M.S.P. Orbita, Hamburg to New York via Southampton and Cherbourg, Captain W. H. Parker, C.B.E., R.D., R.N.R.
  • 1924-10-20 Cabin, R.M.S.P. Orbita, Hamburg to New York via Southampton and Cherbourg, Captain W. H. Parker, C.B.E., R.D., R.N.R.
  • 1926-09-17 Cabin, R.M.S.P. Ohio, Southampton to New via Cherbourg. Captain E. Clarke, R.D., R.N.R.

 

History of the RMSP

The Royal Mail Steam Packet Company is one of the most ubiquitous of the British steamship companies. Incorporated in 1839, the company received a payment of £240,000 a year for the carrying of the mails to and from Great Britain, the West Indies, and North and South America.

The West India Mail Line was extended to Colombo in 1868, while the following year the South American Mail Line was continued to Buenos Ayres. The company now runs steamers from New York to Jamaica, and vice versa, while in 1905 it acquired a half-interest in the Australian mail services.

Two years later it also acquired a half-share in the "Shire" Line, by which its services are extended to the Far East; while, still more recently, Messrs. Forwood's Line has been acquired, and vessels are now run to Gibraltar, Morocco, the Canary Islands, and Madeira. In addition to this, a service of pleasure cruises to Norway was successfully inaugurated in 1909, while soon afterward a regular service from New York to Bermuda, which was subsequently extended to Antilla, Cuba, was commenced.

The company also has a large number of small vessels employed in the West Indian coastal and inter-colonial services, by which the produce from the various islands is collected and taken to Barbados or Trinidad, where it is embarked by the mail steamers.

And in June 1910, this enterprising company purchased the whole of the Pacific Steam Navigation Company's share capital and has thus acquired control of its fleet and interests, thereby practically circumnavigating the continent of South America.

The most important vessels of the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company are the mail steamers Asturias, Avon, Araguaya, Amazon, and Aragon. These vessels, which are all driven by twin screws, vary in size between 12,000 and 9,500 tons. Their accommodation for passengers is amongst the most luxurious afloat, and a specialty is the number of single-berth cabins provided.

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