A view taken from an elevation section of the quayside of 'Orcades' (1948) preparing to leave an unidentified port. Streamers are coming from the decks, which are lined with passengers. A gangway can be seen on the far left of the image with a goup of people leaving the ship.

Those crowded on deck are probably on their way home from Australia, sailing from Sydney to Tilbury in Kent. 'Orcades' was the first new liner to take migrants escaping the hardship of post-war Britain to Australia in the late 1940s. By the time this photograph was taken, her passengers were as likely to be tourists.