Mrs Kavanagh's Recollections - 1908
Posted: 12 Feb 2017 07:38
Passed to me from her talk by Pauline Horner, I wanted to share it with you all as it paints such a dreadful picture of the time and possible reasons why there are no mention of death registrations or location of burials.
Liverpool Echo 1908
MRS KAVANAGH Liverpool centenarian age 102 in 1908
RECOLLECTIONS
In 1836 I left Ireland to go to America, via Liverpool, but the boat was such a dreadful one, and took so many days to cross, that when I landed in Liverpool and walked up the steps of the Dock, I vowed I would go no further. I have been in Liverpool ever since 71 yrs. I was living in Mann St, Toxteth Park, when the terrible plague of ASIATIC CHOLERA VISITED LIVERPOOL in 1849, and it seemed to rage round us worse than any quarter.
People were dying all around me in dozens; neighbours might be talking at their front doors at dusk with each other and by morning most would be dead. Every morning a cart would come round, preceded by a man with a red flag, who cried "Bring out your dead". No coffin was there, not even a shroud, as the corpses were lifted out of the cellars, kitchens- anywhere they fell stricken-and thrown into the cart. Two or three might be taken from one house, and on several occasions I heard moans from the bodies as they lay in the cart, showing they were not quite dead.
They were all carried out to Bootle [which was a place of no importance at that time] and buried.
Water was distributed at the time by the city officials once a week and had to be carried home in buckets and jugs. This had to be treasured for cooking, rainwater was used for washing etc. When water was distributed twice a week we thought we were well off. Houses were poorly built at that time, in no case would landlords fit firegrates, and boilers were unknown.
Liverpool Echo 1908
MRS KAVANAGH Liverpool centenarian age 102 in 1908
RECOLLECTIONS
In 1836 I left Ireland to go to America, via Liverpool, but the boat was such a dreadful one, and took so many days to cross, that when I landed in Liverpool and walked up the steps of the Dock, I vowed I would go no further. I have been in Liverpool ever since 71 yrs. I was living in Mann St, Toxteth Park, when the terrible plague of ASIATIC CHOLERA VISITED LIVERPOOL in 1849, and it seemed to rage round us worse than any quarter.
People were dying all around me in dozens; neighbours might be talking at their front doors at dusk with each other and by morning most would be dead. Every morning a cart would come round, preceded by a man with a red flag, who cried "Bring out your dead". No coffin was there, not even a shroud, as the corpses were lifted out of the cellars, kitchens- anywhere they fell stricken-and thrown into the cart. Two or three might be taken from one house, and on several occasions I heard moans from the bodies as they lay in the cart, showing they were not quite dead.
They were all carried out to Bootle [which was a place of no importance at that time] and buried.
Water was distributed at the time by the city officials once a week and had to be carried home in buckets and jugs. This had to be treasured for cooking, rainwater was used for washing etc. When water was distributed twice a week we thought we were well off. Houses were poorly built at that time, in no case would landlords fit firegrates, and boilers were unknown.
