Scale: 1:768. The celebrated miniature modelmaker, Charles Hampshire, has created two models in one. On the plaque attached to the case, the title of the little scene depicted is: ‘The past and present. P.S. William Fawcett 1829 P.O. Viceroy of India 1929’. Both models have been expertly made at 1/64 of an inch to the foot; the paddle steamer ‘William Fawcett’ (1929) a minnow to the ‘Viceroy of India’s’ (1929) whale. Hampshire’s technique of a deceptive combination of drawn and actual detailing is utterly convincing at such a small scale. On seeing his work one of his granddaughters said that, when she was a small child, he would use her hair for rigging and rope work. ‘As you can see from the model, my hair used to be golden, but now its grey’, she commented wryly.

Built by Alexander Stephen & Son, Linthouse, Glasgow, the ‘Viceroy of India’ was one of the most unusual passenger-cargo liners in P&O’s huge fleet. It was designed for the London – Bombay (Mumbai) service and was very much a one-off design. In the years which saw the Empire at its largest extent the company’s route to India was extremely important and there was always a great demand for berths and cargo space on P&O ships. The company’s decision to install turbo-electric propulsion was an unusual feature in a British ship and the contract to build it was considered highly prestigious. It was also striking with a straight stem, cruiser stern and twin elliptical funnels. The decoration of both the first-and second-class public rooms were lavish and first-class cabins all had running water which, at the time, was not a common feature.

In addition to the main function as a passenger liner it also had capacity for a considerable amount of general and refrigerated cargo. There were six cargo hatches served by no less than 19 derricks. The ‘Viceroy of India’ was converted to a troopship in 1940. On 11 November 1942, during Operation Torch, it was torpedoed off Oran, though of 454 persons on board only four were lost. As the ship slowly sank, the survivors were rescued by HMS ‘Boadicea’.