Lesson 5: How the Irish Fled
Life Aboard
By referring to the Shipping Advertisements of the time , it is clear that the space between decks gradually increased from the 4’6 feet which was normal in the timber boats of the middle 18th century to 5’ , then 6’ and finally 7 feet between decks. Thus, Emigrants were at least able to stand upright.
Lack of space , however was an ever present problem and a danger to health. Too many people were crowded into conditions without any care for hygiene. What was found out too late for many of the unfortunate refugees was that the disease carrier which killed most on board ships were the lice which were already on clothes which they had brought with them from home. The living conditions on board were ideal breeding grounds for numerous diseases; dysentery , typhus and cholera. There was never enough water and what there was, was often contaminated. When the weather allowed , buckets and even spread canvas were used to try and catch rain on deck to supplement the tainted supplies. Toilets were insufficient for the numbers traveling and one item which sold in great numbers for those going on board were chamber pots. Although there was no privacy on board , these allowed some semblance of modesty. The conditions below deck , particularly in bad weather were appalling. Food ran out , or became moulded. Some emigrants had brought small supplies of their own food , but in bad weather it was impossible to cook anything because cooking had to be done on deck and passengers were barred from being on deck in bad weather. Bread baked three times to make it long lasting was so hard it was impossible to eat without moisture and the water was often too contaminated to use. Despite numerous Passenger Acts , the plight of the Emigrants did not improve very much . The scenes of the Emigrants in steerage in the Titanic showed how things were even in the greatest ship of its time in the 20th Century- too many people , too little space.
Emigrants had their own ‘methods’ or ‘cures’ for warding off the dangers of the trip. Most papers of the time carried advertisements for patent medicines which promised marvellous results.
‘ Evans Aperient Pills- one particular benefit of the pills are that they lend a permanent tone to the peristaltic operation of the bowel thus obviating the sad necessity of resorting to the continual use of purgatives.’ (14)
What should have been a major improvement was the inclusion of a Surgeon on Board ships carrying a certain number of passengers. However , just as the crew were often a rag tag collection of misfits , the people employed as surgeons on board ships were also often dubious characters. Good doctors found more interesting jobs . Crossing the Atlantic was dangerous and difficult and did not pay well enough to attract good men.
Surely life in the New World would have so much more to offer when the Emigrants finally arrived.
