Now we know a bit more about your father's journey, the amazing thing is we can date this photo down to the day.
It would be 13th July 1957.
Your father travelled on the troopship Nevasa from HK to Southampton, arriving in the UK on 30th July 1957. It stopped over in Durban, South Africa for less than 24hrs, arriving and then leaving on the 13th July 1957. The ship was quarantined on arrival in Durban following reports of four cases of the Asian influenza during her voyage from the Far East. As a result of the quarantine she left early in the afternoon the same day from Durban. The 'Lady in White' in the photo would firmly place it in Durban.
The Lady in White-Durban-South Africa., by Bryan Panter
Hi David & Stephen, Here’s conformation of Moddseys accurate I. D. of your fathers photo, it’s a newspaper article from my local newspaper dated 5 June 1995 that I have in the rear of my photo album l can just read my writing saying I remember this Lady singing on Durban dockside on 19 Feb. 1957 when l arrived/departed enroute to Hong Kong -just as your father did when this troopship arrived. She was in a long white dress with a red hat with a large megaphone and serenaded us with- Land of Hope and Glory-There’ll Always be an England-etc. A memory to treasure. Best Regards. Bryan.
Comments
Probably Durban
Probably Durban, South Africa. Perla Gibson, "The Lady in White" who seranaded the troopships in and out of Durban Harbour.
Now we know a bit more about
Now we know a bit more about your father's journey, the amazing thing is we can date this photo down to the day.
It would be 13th July 1957.
Your father travelled on the troopship Nevasa from HK to Southampton, arriving in the UK on 30th July 1957. It stopped over in Durban, South Africa for less than 24hrs, arriving and then leaving on the 13th July 1957. The ship was quarantined on arrival in Durban following reports of four cases of the Asian influenza during her voyage from the Far East. As a result of the quarantine she left early in the afternoon the same day from Durban. The 'Lady in White' in the photo would firmly place it in Durban.
Sources:
(1) Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail, page 8, Saturday 13th July 1957
(2) Lancashire Evening Post, page 1, Saturday 13th July 1957
(3) Belfast Telegrpah, page 6, Saturday 13th July 1957
(4) Coventry Evening Telegraph, page 1, Saturday 13th July 1957 etc
The Lady In White.
Hi David & Stephen, Here’s conformation of Moddseys accurate I. D. of your fathers photo, it’s a newspaper article from my local newspaper dated 5 June 1995 that I have in the rear of my photo album l can just read my writing saying I remember this Lady singing on Durban dockside on 19 Feb. 1957 when l arrived/departed enroute to Hong Kong -just as your father did when this troopship arrived. She was in a long white dress with a red hat with a large megaphone and serenaded us with- Land of Hope and Glory-There’ll Always be an England-etc. A memory to treasure. Best Regards. Bryan.