These Rangitiki menus ~ any Rangitiki menus (particularly after 1939), come to that ~ hold a particularly personal connection for me; after all, as Head Chef my father's choices and specialities would be reflected in the meal selections recorded on these flimsy cards.

The contents of these menus was printed on board by "Inky" the Ship's Printer who would meet Dad in the galley every morning to pick up the day's menu.  I believe the cards were pre-printed with the cover scenes.

This selection, from an early 1953 outbound trip and its following inbound trip, came to me by way of an eBay auction. Auckland Harbour records give us the clue that the January menus are from the last week of the voyage to New Zealand ~ January 25th. being the day the Rangitiki arrived in New Zealand waters at Auckland at 9:10 p.m., putting into dock early the following morning.