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

Preparing to Leave

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.

	Preparing to Leave (continued)

	Embarkation Depot This was the government-run berth where ships bound for Australia docked. The depot was built to remove travellers from the poor conditions and ruthless runners and touts on the Liverpool side of the river. Around 750,000 people went to Australia from Liverpool/Birkenhead. Departures reached a peak in the 1880s, with 18,000 leaving from the port in 1889. Close

	Mersey Liverpool and Birkenhead stand on opposite shores of the river Mersey. Close

	Ship Emigrants were advised to book and pay for their tickets in advance. If they waited until they arrived in Liverpool they were prey for merchants running poor quality services. Close

	Shoving All luggage had to be carried across the river to Birkenhead and then loaded on board by the travellers themselves. Close