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*Migration Histories > Jewish > Journeys
* Journey via Kiel Canal 
 
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Logbook, written by Wilson Line Captain and sometime Arctic explorer, William Colbeck, describes the journey from Libau to Hay's Wharf on the River Thames.
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Logbook of the SS Romeo. This logbook, written by Wilson Line Captain and sometime Arctic explorer, William Colbeck, describes the journey from Libau to Hay's Wharf on the River Thames. The vessel started her journey in Riga, called at Libau for pork, general goods, horses and emigrants, and sailed to London via the Kiel Canal. Many of the emigrants stayed at the Poor Jews' Temporary Shelter after disembarkation at Hay's Wharf.
The emergence of Libau as a major emigration port was due to a series of factors:

  • the extension of the railway network from Kovno to Libau;
  • the introduction of hygiene checks on the Russian border with Germany. Travel from Libau obviated the need for another medical examination before arrival in England;
  • the opening of the Kaiser Wilhelm Canal (Kiel Canal) in 1895. This reduced the travel time from the Baltic port from four/ five days to three/ four. The journey west was as quick from the Baltic as trekking overland.
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The movement of passengers from the Baltic ports to London and Hull was dominated by DFDS of Copenhagen and the Wilson Line of Hull.
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SS RomeoThe movement of passengers from the Baltic ports to London and Hull was dominated by DFDS of Copenhagen and the Wilson Line of Hull. These firms established a joint enterprise, the United Shipping Company (USC), which owned the Romeo and many other vessels engaged in the emigrant trade. The Romeo arrived on 23 August 1909 with 38 passengers listed in her logbook, of whom 29 stayed at the Poor Jews' Temporary Shelter en route to South Africa
The Kiel Canal linked Helena (near Kiel) on the Baltic with Brunsburg (near to the entrance to the River Elbe) on the North Sea. When the ship entered or cleared the navigation, passengers suffering from illness could be removed to prevent other passengers from becoming infected.

For migrants travelling on overcrowded cattle ships, the problems went beyond the lack of space and the fitted berths in which they had to sleep. Although the British Merchant Shipping Act of 1894 had introduced regulations to ensure that cattle and emigrants were not carried in the same part of the ship, inevitably the drive for profit and the demand to leave the Pale meant that many immigrants travelled in extremely dirty and unhealthy conditions.

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Creators: Nicholas J Evans

 
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