The growth of commercial liners and the increase in voyages across the Atlantic gave women their first opportunity to forge a career at sea.

At first the domestic staff that sailed were in the direct employ of female passengers, who would not be waited on by men. Then when the numbers of poor women emigrants increased there was a greater need for female staff to guard their physical and moral well-being. Initially they were employed by emigration societies, only later finding work with the shipping companies when the trade increased. These female crewmembers were called ‘Ship’s Matrons’ at a low grade and ‘Conductress’ if they were of higher status. Generally Conductresses were expected to take charge of the moral welfare of the charges particularly those of a higher social class, with the Matron responsible for the physical work (cleaning and acting as lady’s maid) and the third class passengers.

Southampton slums in 1890

As early as 1840 Union Line, Royal Mail Steam Packet Company and Peninsula and Oriental Line (P&O) employed women to sail distances as far as Australia, India, South America, and the West Indies. Company widows were among them, offered work instead of compensation or pensions if their husbands died or were lost at sea. This was attractive to women left unsupported in the poverty stricken dockland communities. Not that women going to sea was very common. In Southampton for the years 1866 to 1871 there are 4,500 local crewmembers recorded on crew logs. Only 20 of these are women and no ship employed more than two.

Massive growth in passenger shipping and the main opportunities for women began in 1893 when the large trans- Atlantic liners started to leave from Southampton. The White Star Line and Cunard followed P&O in setting up bases in the city. Apart from the more common but hard-to-get roles of Conductress or Stewardess, jobs were also created as bathing attendants, nursery nurses, laundry attendants and masseuses. Although this was still domestic work and the women would be far from home in cramped conditions, the shipping companies received applications far beyond the amount of vacancies available.

If the women dreamed of glamour aboard the ocean liners, in the vast majority of cases they were mistaken. Up to 80% of vacancies available to women were as Stewardesses. This in effect meant nurse, waitress, cleaner and chambermaid. The women were forbidden on the public promenades or in the restaurants and also could not mix with the male crew. Outside of duty hours the female crew were expected to keep to their cabins. The pay for a Stewardess with Royal Mail in 1879 was £3 a month. This is equivalent to just £154 a month at the start of the 21st Century. To this tips from passengers could possibly be added. Often the women were working to support their children at home, and over a third of their monthly pay could be deducted for this.

Life at sea for a woman still courted controversy. They weren't always welcome on board ships, even when working in what were traditionally seen as 'women's roles'. There was the danger of a bad reputation at home as well. Those that worked at sea and in docks risked being associated with prostitutes, the women most traditionally associated with the sea and sailors.

Shipboard hairdresser

The range of opportunities for women at sea was not to change for many years to come. Well into the twentieth century women were still working in domestic roles; it took women a long time to break into clerical positions and from there to challenge men’s work in every area on board.

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