For decades, Capetonians were greeted by a familiar sight when entering the city – the distinctive mauve and white liners with red and black funnels of the Union Castle shipping company moored in Table Bay.

Maritime educator, author and journalist Brian Ingpen will explore this iconic shipping line’s rich history when he addresses the U3A Helderberg at the Dutch Reformed church at 82 Firmount Road in Somerset West on Wednesday 8 April at 10:00.

Ingpen brings more than 50 years of experience from the southwestern Cape’s shores and seas. Educated at South African College High School (SACS) and the University of Cape Town, he served in the South African Navy and with Safmarine before becoming a teacher and principal at two Peninsula schools.

He later joined the Lawhill Maritime Centre in Simonstown, retiring in 2019.

The award-winning author will trace 120 years of the Union Castle line and its predecessor companies, which transported mail, cargo and passengers between Great Britain, South Africa and East Africa.

Ships grew progressively larger over the decades, with the flagship Windsor Castle carrying more than 820 passengers and about 16 000 tons of cargo. The line’s reputation for punctuality meant travellers could book with certainty, while many locals enjoyed the popular 10-day coastal voyages.

However, the service faced mounting challenges from the 1950s. “Air travel began eroding the passenger ocean liner market, and Jumbo jets’ arrival in 1971 provided much quicker passage between Britain and SA,” Ingpen explains.

“Rising crew salaries and fuel costs increased operating expenses, but containerisation delivered the final blow by eliminating the highly-profitable freight revenue.”

The last passenger mail ship departed the Cape in September 1977, followed two weeks later by the final mail service, ending an era renowned for punctuality, tradition and on-board elegance.

 Entry is free for members; visitor are required to pay R20 at the door. For enquiries, call Denise Fourie on 072 211 1173.