Port Alliway

[Foffie]

My great-grandparents and their four children emigrated to the US in 1890 and, on the ship's passenger list at New York, their travel space is given as "port alliway".  Can anyone tell me what this term means?

Thank you!
Foffie 

[*Sandra*]

Have never come across it before.  Can you give details so that we can take a look at the passenger list ?

Sandra

[inor]

"Alliway" seems to be a misspelling of "alleyway".  To a person on board facing the bow (front) of the ship, the port side is the left side and the starboard side is the right side.  I've seen a number of references to "port alleyway".  Attached is a passage from a New York newspaper dated January 1890.  The term "port alleyway" is in the 9th line from the end.

Hope this is helpful.

 

[Foffie]

Hi Sandra

The passenger list is from SS Etruria which left Liverpool on 22 November 1890 and arrived New York on 1 December 1890.  The link is https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-19272-64711-52?cc=1849782&wc=9370672 and it is image 354 (copy attached).  The column 5th from the right is headed "Location of compartment or space occupied." The term "port alliway" is given for quite a few of the passengers. 

Many thanks,
Foffie

[Foffie]

Sorry, copy not attached as file was too large!

Foffie

[*Sandra*]

Thanks Foffie,

Can see it now - "Location of compartment or space occupied. Specify whether forward, amidships or aft" - Learned something new to day. 

Sandra 

[Foffie]

I wonder if "port alliway" was literally an alleyway on the port side of the ship, as inor suggested, and that those who weren't able to procure cabins slept there, perhaps on mats that were rolled away during the day?  Interesting... 

Foffie