Emigrants setting off from Waterloo Docks, Liverpool. Taken from the London Illustrated News, 6th July 1850. Larger version [opens in new window]

Leaving from Liverpool

Birkenhead

Today William and I took our luggage, by boat, to the embarkation depot at Birkenhead. Sarah and Joseph stayed at the hostel – she is homesick and worried. As we crossed the Mersey I saw some rough looking vessels and prayed ours was in better condition – thankfully ours looks a good ship to my untrained eye.

If I thought Liverpool was busy it was nothing compared to the scene at the depot. I showed our embarkation order to the officer, then along with what seemed hundreds of other people tried to get our belongings onto the ship. There was much panic with pushing and shoving.

Liverpool - Birkenhead (continued)