SS Halmer Castle Passage Contract - 17 November 1906

 

Front Side, Steerage Passenger's Contract Ticket, The Union-Castle Mail Steamship Co., Ltd.

Front Side, Steerage Passenger's Contract Ticket, The Union-Castle Mail Steamship Co., Ltd., for Walter Bayley, 27, Passage on the RMS Halmer Castle, Departing from Southampton on 17 November 1906 for the Port of Natal, South Africa. GGA Image ID # 154688223b

 

Passage Contract Summary

  • Date of Purchase / Voyage: 17 November 1906
  • Steamship Line: Union-Castle Mail Steamship Co., Ltd
  • Steamship: RMS Halmer Castle
  • Route: Southampton to Natal, South Africa
  • Ticket Type: Passage Contract
  • Voyage Class: Steerage
  • Name on Contract: Walter Bayley
  • Etnicity of Passenger(s): British or South African
  • Contract Terms: In English -- Transcribed
  • Cost of Ticket: £ 19 : 19s : 0d / £2,194.00 GBP in 2020

 

Passage Contract Description

This is the original Steerage Passenger's Steamship Ticket Contract for a 27 year old man from Southampton, England for passage to Natal, South Africa in 1906. It provides rich details of the requirements of the steamship company in terms of food, water and other items supplied.

The Union-Castle Mail Steamship Co., Ltd., Donald Currie & Co., Managers., Royal Mail Service Between England and South Africa, Calling Regularly at Madeira, Grand Canary, Tenerife, St. Helena, Delagoa Bay, Beira, Ascension, Madagascar, and Mauritius.

No. 9767

 

Steerage Passenger's Contract Ticket

  1. A Contract Ticket in this Form must be given to every Person engaging a Passage as a Steerage Passenger in any ship proceeding from the British Isles to any port out of Europe, and not within the Mediterranean Sea, immediately upon payment or deposit by such Steerage—The Passenger Victualling of the e Scale whole for or the Voyage part of the voyage of must the Passage printed teMoneyd in the for body in of respect the Ticket. the passage engaged.
  2. The Victualing Scale for the Voyage must be printed in the body of the Ticket.
  3. All the blanks must be correctly filled in, and the Ticket must be printed in plain and legible characters and legibly signed with the Christian Names and Surname and Address in full of the party issuing the same.
  4. The Day of the Month on which the Steerage Passengers are to embark must be inserted in Words and not in Figures.
  5. When once issued this Ticket must not be withdrawn from the Passenger, nor any Alteration, Addition, or Erasure made in it.
  6. A Contract Ticket shall not contain on the face thereof any condition, stipulation or exception not contained in this form.

Steamship Walmer Castle of 12,546 Tons Register, to take in Passengers at the Port of Southampton on the ___ , and at Southampton on the 17th day of November 1906 for South Africa.

  • Names: Walter Bayley
  • Ages: 27
  • Equal to Statute Adults: 1

We engage that the Persons named in the margin hereof shall be provided with a STEERAGE Passage to, and shall be landed at, the Port of Natal in the Ship Walmer Castle, with not less than TEN Cubic Feet for Luggage for each Statute Adult, and shall be Victualled during the Voyage and the time of Detention at any place before its termination according to the subjoined scale, for the sum of £ 17:19:0 - including Government Dues before Embarkation, and Head Money (if any) at the place of landing, and every other charge except Freight for Excess of Luggage beyond the quantity above specified : and we hereby acknowledge to have received the sum of £ 5:0:0 in {part} - Payment.

 

Water and Provisions

The following quantities, at least, of Water and Provisions (to be issued daily) will be supplied by the Master of the Ship, as required by Law, viz.: to each Statute Adult, 3 quarts of Water daily, exclusive of what is necessary for cooking the Articles required by the Merchant Shipping Act 1894, to be issued in a cooked state; and a Weekly Allowance of Provisions according to the following Scale :—

  • 3 1/2 pounds Bread or Biscuit, not inferior in Quality to Navy Biscuit.
  • 2 pounds Wheaten Flour
  • 1 pound Oatmeal
  • 8 ounces Rice
  • 1 pound Peas
  • 2 pound Potatoes
  • 1 1/4 pounds Beef
  • 1 pound Pork
  • 2 ounces Tea
  • 1 pound Sugar
  • 2 ounces Salt
  • 1/2 ounce Mustard
  • 1/4 ounce Black or White Pepper ground
  • 1 gill Vinegar
  • 6 ounces Lime Juice
  • 1 pound Preserved Meat.
  • 6 ounces Suet
  • 8 ounces Raisins
  • 4 ounces Butter

Mess Utensils and bedding to be supplied by the ship.

/s/ A. Jameson

For DONALD CURRIE & CO.,

THE UNION-CASTLE MAIL STEAMSHIP COMPANY, LIMITED

(If signed by a Broker or Agent, state on whose behalf

  • Deposit - £ 5 : 0 : 0 paid 12 November 1906
  • Balance * £ 14 : 19: 0 to be paid at London or Southampton
  • Total - £ 19 : 19s : 0d

(Note £ stated in Pounds : Shillings : Pence )

Balance Received on the 19th November 1906 by /s/ Signature Illegible

 

NOTICE TO PASSENGERS

  1. If Steerage Passengers, through no default of their own, are not received on board on the day named in their Contract Tickets or fail to obtain a Passage in the Ship, they should apply to the Government Emigration Officer at the Port, who will assist them in obtaining redress under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894.
  2. Passengers should carefully keep this part of their Contract Ticket till after the end of the Voyage.

N.B.—This Contract Ticket is exempt from Stamp Duty.

See Back of Ticket

*The balance requires to be paid before the Passenger can embark.

 

Back side of Steerage Passenger Contract Ticket

Reverse Side of Steerage Passenger's Contract Ticket, The Union-Castle Mail Steamship Co., Ltd. - 1906.

Reverse Side of Steerage Passenger's Contract Ticket, The Union-Castle Mail Steamship Co., Ltd. - 1906. GGA Image ID # 15468d29a1

This Ticket must be produced, when required, to the Managers, or to any of the Union-Castle Mail Steamship Company's Officials.

The Union-Castle Mail Steamship Co., LIMITED.

DONALD CURRIE & CO., Managers.

TERMS, CONDITIONS, and REGULATIONS under which Passengers and their Luggage are Conveyed.

  1. This ticket is not transferable.
  2. Stewards' fees are included in the Passage-money, which also includes the use of Bedding and Linen and a Free Table, but not Wines, Spirits, Malt Liquors and Mineral Waters, which must be paid for separately. Passengers are not allowed to take on board Wines, Spirits or other liquors. Any unpaid balance of Passage-money must be paid prior to embarkation.
  3. Passengers not embarking after having engaged a passage will forfeit the Passage-money deposited and must pay any balance then unpaid forthwith.
  4. Each adult third class Passenger is allowed to carry luggage to the extent of ten cubic feet free of charge, and children and servants are allowed luggage in proportion to the amount of Passage-money paid for them as compared with the full rate. The Company will not undertake to carry any excess luggage except by special agreement with the Passenger. For all such excess luggage agreed to be carried the Company will charge at the rate of 2/- per cubic foot. All Passengers' luggage must be shipped at the Port of departure, and must reach there at the latest 24 hours before the advertised time for the sailing of the ship.
  5. Passengers may on shipment pay 1/- per cubic foot (in addition to the charge of 2/- per cubic foot for excess luggage) for all luggage and put the same under the Company's charge, in which case the packages are to be labelled and numbered and a receipt obtained for the same, and thereupon if any such luggage shall be lost or damaged the Company shall make good such loss or damage to the extent of £ 10 for each package and no more. Provided that if at the time of shipment a higher value than £ 10 for any package shall have been declared by the Passenger and a special rate for its carriage agreed to by the Company and paid to them, the Company will be liable for any loss or damage to such package to an amount not exceeding the value so declared. "The delivery to the Passenger on board the ship or at any port of call or otherwise of any such package shall relieve the Company from all liability in respect of the same.
  6. Passengers are not allowed to take on board any dangerous goods or any goods the carriage of which is prohibited by the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, or any other Statute.
  7. Merchandise and articles not being Passengers' luggage cannot be carried under the name of luggage, and if found on board will be charged for at double rates of freight. All specie, bullion, or other treasure carried by Passengers above the value of £ 50 must be shipped as treasure, and paid for at the established rates of freight.
  8. The Company will not be liable for loss of life or injury to, or detention, or delay of any Passenger at or between the point of departure and of arrival, however caused, although such loss, injury, detention, or delay be caused by negligence or default of the Company's servants, or although such loss, injury, detention or delay be caused by unseaworthiness or unfitness of the Ship, provided that reasonable diligence by the Company has been used to render the Ship at starting seaworthy and fit for the voyage.
  9. The Company will not (except on the conditions prescribed in the condition 5 hereof) be liable for loss or damage to, or detention or delay of Passengers' luggage at or between the point of departure and arrival, however caused, although such loss, injury, detention or delay be caused by negligence or default of the Company's servants, or although such loss, injury, detention or delay be caused by unseaworthiness or unfitness of the Ship, provided that reasonable diligence has been used by the Company to render the Ship at starting seaworthy and fit for the voyage.
  10. The regulations established on board of the Steamer for general comfort and safety are obligatory upon all Passengers.
  11. Passengers to Ascension via St. Helena must bear their own expenses at the latter place while waiting for, the homeward bound Ship, and Passengers waiting at any Port of Call to embark in corresponding Steamers or waiting on Shore by reason of any damage or delay to the Steamer carrying them, however caused, will have to bear their own expenses on Shore.
  12. The Steamer may tow and assist vessels in all situations, put back or into any port and deviate from the direct and customary course.
  13. Any Passenger who may appear to the Captain to be by reason of sickness or infirmity unable to proceed, or to be for that or any other reason likely to endanger the health or safety or impair the reasonable comfort of other persons on board, or to involve the Owners, Master or Agent of the ship in any liability for his or her maintenance or support, or otherwise, under or by virtue of any Colonial or other Law or Regulation, may be landed at the Port of Embarkation or at any Intermediate Port.

Note: This voyage was rebooked 17-11-1906

 

Document Information

  • Title: Steerage Passenger's Contract Ticket
  • Issuer: The Union-Castle Mail Steamship Company, Limited
  • Date of Issue: 12 November 1906
  • Place of Issue: Southampton, England
  • Dimensions: 15.6 x 26.8 cm

 

Relative Cost of Passage Ticket in Today's Currency Value

simple Purchasing Power Calculator would say the relative value is £2,194.00. This answer is obtained by multiplying £19.95 by the percentage increase in the RPI from 1906 to 2020.

This may not be the best answer.

The best measure of the relative value over time depends on if you are interested in comparing the cost or value of a Commodity , Income or Wealth , or a Project . For more discussion on how to pick the best measure, consult the Tutorials.

If you want to compare the value of a £19 19s 0d Commodity in 1906 there are four choices. In 2020 the relative:

  • real price of that commodity is £2,194.00
  • labour value of that commodity is £8,165.00
  • income value of that commodity is £12,410.00
  • economic share of that commodity is £20,720.00

If you want to compare the value of a £19 19s 0d Income or Wealth, in 1906 there are four choices. In 2020 the relative:

  • real wage or real wealth value of that income or wealth is £2,194.00
  • labour earnings of that income or wealth is £8,165.00
  • relative income value of that income or wealth is £12,410.00
  • relative output value of that income or wealth is £20,720.00

If you want to compare the value of a £19 19s 0d Project in 1906 there are three choices. In 2020 the relative:

  • real cost of that project is £2,264.00
  • labour cost of that project is £8,165.00
  • economic cost of that project is £20,720.00

Source: https://www.measuringworth.com/calculators/ukcompare/

 

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