The Princes Landing Stage at the Pier Head in Liverpool was the point of
arrival and departure for the large number of Liners that then used the
port. Transatlantic - Cunard and Canadian Pacific, West Africa - Elder Dempster,
India - Anchor Line, South America - PSNC, and assorted troopships and assisted passage emigration ships.
These large ships came alongside the Stage which
was a floating berth in the river itself. After passenger landing the ships
then docked to their various berths to discharge cargo and load before
returning to the stage to embark outgoing passengers. Some other ships, for example
Furness Withey Line from Canada or Booth Line from South America and the Monte boats
, which carried about 150 passengers, docked directly and the
passengers and their baggage were transported to the baggage hall at the
Landing Stage for clearance. In some cases where the number of passengers was
less than 100, clearance would take place on the quayside in temporarily created facilities.
At the Stage itself baggage was offloaded by crane and then wheeled to the
hall where it was laid out alphabetically. When the
passengers arrived, Officers circulated, complete with Notice No 2 and the
appropriate colour chalk, clearing passengers, who could then leave making
their own way or using the linked London train from the adjacent railway platform.
