THE M.V. DURHAM

The Durham was built in 1934 by Workman, Clark (1928) Limited in Belfast.

Technical Data on Durham indicates that she was a refrigerated cargo vessel of 10,984 gross tons with a length overall of 510 feet 0 inches and an insulated cargo capacity of 496,878 cubic feet. Her 2 diesel engines gave her a service speed of 16 knots.

Durham was designed to be a cadet training ship, and she operated in this role between 1934 and 1939, 1946 and 1950 and, finally, 1955 and 1964. She could carry up to 40 cadets, and their living accommodation and schoolroom were housed in the No. 6 Upper Tween Deck. Full-time instructional staff included a schoolmaster, a seamanship instructor and a physical education instructor.

Whilst a cadet’s life on board one of the New Zealand Shipping Company’s cadet ships is well summarised in the Company’s prospectus printed in 1962, photographs and anecdotes are a great way to show that cadets not only worked hard but played hard.

Any material that you would like to display would be most gratefully received.

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