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Cape Town, South Africa Passenger Lists 1911-1955

Cape Town Docks - View From End of Breakwater - 1907.

Cape Town Docks - View From End of Breakwater - 1907. GGA Image ID # 175886fb9e

Cape Town is the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape in South Africa. The city is famous for its harbor, natural setting in the Cape floral kingdom, and well-known landmarks such as Table Mountain and Cape Point. Today it is one of the most multicultural cities in the world, reflecting its role as a major destination for immigrants and expatriates to South Africa.

Cape Town Harbor

View of Cape Town Harbor.

View of Cape Town Harbor. The Syren and Shipping, 4 January 1905. GGA Image ID # 1d3fc32da0

The metropolis of South Africa is fortunate in possession of a harbor commensurate with the retirements of the volume of trade and the floating tonnage passing through or touching thereat.

Massive is the only word to apply to the tonnage, while the variety of merchandise handled at Cape Town's docks is probably unique, like the infinite mixture of colors in its urban streets. The inception of the present harbor works dates back to 1860 when Sir John Coode recommended that a breakwater (now 3,600 ft. long) should be run out into Table Bay.

Under the shelter of that breakwater, two dock basins have been constructed of eight and sixty-four acres, the depth of all the outer quays being from 28 ft. to 30 ft.

Until recently, the equipment of the Cape Town docks was insufficient, and the storage accommodation, except on the South Arm, was poor and meager.

Early in 1900, the Harbor Commissioners recognized this fact and determined to mend matters, and, Parliament having voted the necessary funds, immediate steps were taken to supply every deep water quay in the port with the most approved electrical cranes; to remove the old warehouses, to construct others of modern design; and to re-arrange the lines of rails, so that it would be possible on every wharf to load directly from ships into railway trucks.

Although not yet completed, these improvements have been largely carried out, and it is hoped in the course of another year. Cape Town may, in every respect, claim to be a thoroughly up-to-date port.

1911-07-15 RMS Walmer Castle Passenger List

Steamship Line: Union-Castle Line
Class of Passengers: First and Second Class
Date of Departure: 15 July 1911
Route: Southampton for Capetown via Madeira, Algoa Bay, East London, and Natal
Commander: Captain F. Whitehead, R.N.R.

Front Cover of a First and Second Class Passenger List from the RMS Armadale Castle of the Union-Castle Line, Departing 12 November 1920 from Southampton to Natal via Madeira, Cape Town, Algoa Bay and East London

1920-11-19 RMS Armadale Castle Passenger List

Steamship Line: Union-Castle Line
Class of Passengers: First and Second Class
Date of Departure: 12 November 1920
Route: Southampton to Natal via Madeira, Cape Town, Algoa Bay and East London
Commander: Captain J. W. Hague, R.N.R.

Passenger List, Aberdeen Line TSS Sophocles - 1925 - Front Cover

1925-08-13 TSS Sophocles Passenger List

Steamship Line: Aberdeen Line
Class of Passengers: First Class
Date of Departure: 13 August 1925
Route: United Kingdom to Australia
Port of Calls: London to Brisbane via Tenerife, Capetown, Albany, Melbourne, and Sydney
Commander: Captain A. Ogilvy

Passenger Manifest, Aberdeen Line TSS Demosthenes - 1926 - Front Cover

1926-01-16 TSS Demosthenes Passenger List

Steamship Line: Aberdeen Line
Class of Passengers: Saloon
Date of Departure: 16 January 1926
Route: Australia to the United Kingdom via South Africa and Spain
Port of Calls: Melbourne » Fremantle » Durban » Capetown » Tenerife » Southampton
Commander: Captain F. A. Orriss

1927-11-04 Passenger Manifest for the R.M.M.V. Carnarvon Castle

1927-11-04 R.M.M.V. Carnarvon Castle Passenger List

Steamship Line: Union-Castle Line
Class of Passengers: First and Second Class
Date of Departure: 4 November 1927
Route: Southampton for Capetown via Madeira, Algoa Bay, East London, and Natal
Commander: Captain W. F. Stanley

1929-11-29 Passenger Manifest for the RMS Walmer Castle

1929-11-29 RMS Walmer Castle Passenger List

Steamship Line: Union-Castle Line
Class of Passengers: Cabin
Date of Departure: 29 November 1929
Route: Capetown to Southampton via Madeira
Commander: Captain W. Morton Betts

Front Cover of a First and Tourist Class Passenger List from the SS Kenilworth Castle of the Union-Castle Line, Departing 18 October 1935 from Natal to Southampton.

1935-10-18 SS Kenilworth Castle Passenger List

Steamship Line: Union-Castle Line
Class of Passengers: First and Tourist Class
Date of Departure: 18 October 1935
Route: Natal to Southampton via East London, Port Elizabeth, Capetown, and Madeira
Commander: Captain E. S. Vincent, R.D., R.N.R.

Front Cover of a Cabin Passenger List from the SS City of New York of the American South African Line, Departing 21 July 1937 from Beira to New York

1937-07-21 SS City of New York Passenger List

Steamship Line: American South African Line
Class of Passengers: Cabin
Date of Departure: 21 July 1937
Route: Beira to New York via Lindi, Dar-Es-Salaam, Zanzibar, Tanga, Mombasa, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Capetown, and the Island of Trinidad
Commander: Captain C. W. Schmidt, Lt. Cmdr. USNR

1939-07-14 Passenger Manifest for the RMS Windsor Castle

1939-07-14 RMS Windsor Castle Passenger List

Steamship Line: Union-Castle Line
Class of Passengers: Cabin and Tourist Class
Date of Departure: 14 July 1939
Route: Cape Town to London via Madeira
Commander: Captain R. W. Goodacre, R.D., R.N.R.

Front Cover, Union-Castle Line RMMV Stirling Castle Cabin and Tourist Third Cabin Passenger List - 13 July 1939.

1939-07-13 RMMV Stirling Castle Passenger List

Steamship Line: Union-Castle Line
Class of Passengers: Cabin and Tourist Third Cabin
Date of Departure: 13 July 1939
Route: Southampton to Durban via Madeira, Capetown, Port Elizabeth, and East London,
Commander: Captain H. R. Northwood

1939-07-14 RMS Windsor Castle Passenger List

Steamship Line: Union-Castle Line
Class of Passengers: Cabin and Tourist Class
Date of Departure: 14 July 1939
Route: Cape Town to London via Madeira
Commander: Captain R. W. Goodacre, R.D., R.N.R

1949-04-21 Passenger List for the R.M.M.V. Capetown Castle

1949-04-21 R.M.M.V. Capetown Castle Passenger List

Steamship Line: Union-Castle Line
Class of Passengers: First and Cabin Class
Date of Departure: 21 April 1949
Route: Southampton for Capetown, Port Elizabeth, East London, and Durban via Madeira
Commander: Captain W. D. Roach

Front Cover, Union-Castle Line RMS Warwick Castle First Class and Tourist Passenger List - 15 December 1949.

1949-12-15 RMS Warwick Castle Passenger List

Steamship Line: Union-Castle Line
Class of Passengers: First Class and Tourist
Date of Departure: 15 December 1949
Route: Southampton to Durban via Madeira, Capetown, Port Elizabeth, and East London
Commander: Captain J. Trayner

Front Cover of a First and Cabin Class Passenger List from the RMS Edinburgh Castle of the Union-Castle Line, Departing 31 March 1950 from Capetown to Southampton via Madeira

1950-03-31 RMS Edinburgh Castle Passenger List

Steamship Line: Union-Castle Line
Class of Passengers: First and Cabin Class
Date of Departure: 31 March 1950
Route: Capetown to Southampton via Madeira
Commander: Captain T. W. McAllen

1954-12-09 Passenger List for the R.M.M.V. Winchester Castle

1954-12-09 R.M.M.V. Winchester Castle Passenger List

Steamship Line: Union-Castle Line
Class of Passengers: First and Tourist Class
Date of Departure: 9 December 1954
Route: Southampton to Durban via Madeira, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, and East London
Commander: Captain G. W. B. Lloyd