31 October 2011, Liverpool Sailors on the Waterfront in the 19th Century. Dr Graeme Milne

The idea of the Waterfront conjures up a vibrant, multicultural, notorious sailor’s town. In reality it was where sailors, paid up after a long voyage, were relieved of their hard earned cash by unscrupulous tavern owners, boarding house keepers and brothel owners. Often when the sailors were destitute they were forcibly recruited into other trades. In the 19th century philanthropists and missionaries established hostels and seamen’s missions to alleviate the situation. However the advent of steamships with regular timetables meant sailors spent less time in port and the arrival of new communications technology also helped in enabling seamen to have a more responsible, respectable family life.