Built as a wooden paddle steamer by Thomas Wilson and Co. for the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O).
26 April 1842 launched under the name HINDOSTAN. Named after the Mohammedan name for the Mogul empire of Northern India, which was later generally adopted for the whole sub-continent. One sister ship the BENTINCK
Tonnage 2.019 gross, 971 net., dim. 217.6 x 35.8 x 30.1ft.
Powered by 2-cyl. side-lever engines, manufactured by Fawcett, Preston and Co. of Liverpool, 520 ihp., speed 10 knots.
Passenger accommodation for 102 passengers and 50 servants.
Cargo capacity 295 tons.
Barquentine rigged. Carried two tall white black-topped funnels.
08 September 1842 registered. Building cost £88.000.
Built for the new opened mail service between Calcutta and Suez.
She was a beautiful vessel and far in advance of any other steam vessel afloat of that time. Her bows were adorned with the traditional figurehead.
24 September 1842 sailed for her maiden voyage from Southampton. She was given a tremendous send-off, for every ship in the port and roadstead was dressed with flags, and the warships manned their yards as she passed.
She sailed via Gibraltar, St Vincent and Ascension to Cape Town, before arriving in Cape Town, she ran out of coal and made a call at St Helena Bay and a message was sent overland to arrange coal. A local schooner was sent out with coal to her assistance.
15 November she arrived at Cape Town. After sailing from Cape Town she made calls at Mauritius and Point de Galle, Ceylon before arriving in Calcutta. Then used in the regular mail service between Calcutta, Madras, Ceylon, Aden and Suez.
She was not always used in this service she visited at least two times the UK in her lifetime.
16 June 1849 she was visited by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Osborne in the Solent, Isle of Wight.
She was one time used as troopship when she took home some troops of the 10th Hussars after the Crimea War (1853-1856) back to Portsmouth from the Crimea.
June 1862 reduced to a hulk at Calcutta and employed as a store and receiving ship at that port.
06 October 1864 during a cyclone at Calcutta when nearly 200 vessels were driven ashore, the HINDOSTAN was destroyed.
P&O a Fleet History, by World Ship Society. Troopships and her History by H.C.B. Rogers.
The passenger vessel depict on the stamp is the IBERIA built as a passenger vessel under yard No 1476 by Harland and Wolff Ltd. of Belfast for the P&O line.
21 January 1954 launched under the name IBERIA, named after the Iberian Peninsula.
Tonnage 29.614 gross, 15.960 net, 10.056 dwt., dim. 718.8 x 90.10 x 40.1ft, draught 30.5ft.
Powered by six steam turbines Parson type, manufactured by the shipbuilder, single reduction geared to two shafts, 42.500ihp., speed 22 knots.
Passenger accommodation 697 first, 735 tourist class.
Cargo capacity 304.620 cubic feet bale. 147.720 ft. reefer space.
07 September 1954 ran trials and delivered 10 September 1954.
Building cost £6.930.000.
Built for the U.K. to Australia service.
28 September 1954 sailed for her maiden voyage from Tilbury on the River Thames to Bombay, Colombo, Melbourne and Sydney.
27 March 1956 in collision off Colombo with the tanker STANVAC PRETORIA, were she got extensive damage, which was repaired at Cockatoo Dockyard at Sydney
16 December 1959 in the service from London to Colombo, Melbourne, Sydney then via Auckland across the Pacific via Suva and Honolulu to Vancouver and San Francisco before returning via the same ports home.
1961 Extensively refitted by J.I. Thornycroft and Co. Ltd. of Southampton.
From 1966 got accommodation for 651 first and 733 tourist class passengers.
In the end of her life mostly used for cruising.
19 April 1972 laid up at Southampton.
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28 June 1972 sailed from Southampton and arrived 05 September 1972 at Kaohsiung.
08 September 1972 sold for scrap to Tung Cheng Steel Corporation, Taiwan for demolition.
17 January 1973 demolition commenced.
Bhutan 1974 3ch sg285
Guyana 1990 $15.30 sg2697
India 1997 1fr sg1761
Mauritius 1976 50c sg503
Mongolia 1979 1t sg1214
Qator 1974 10d sg 503
Source: North Star to Southern Cross by John M. Maber. P&O A Fleet History.