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Administrative / biographical background
The PENANG is the vessel featured in the iconic photograph of the vessel in Britannia dry dock, owned by the museum. She was one of the fleet employed by Gustaf Erikson, mostly in the wheat trade, in the inter war years, and commonly took on board passengers to provide extra funds. Dorothy Laird was one such of these, although by the end of the voyage she had risen to be an ordinary sailor. The issue of taking passengers on board ships, and women in particular, was controversial – see Hurst’s “Square Riggers – the Final Epoch” for details of a man who claims to have been exposed to the “charms” of various female passengers. Interestingly, there were at least two women on board this voyage - Catherine Bridger from 1937-1938 [MSS/80/080], another paying passenger, offers an interesting contrast in their views of the voyage. Additionally within the pamphlet collection we have a brochure issued by the company in 1920, advertising their ships, as well as a copy of their passenger leaflet.