Crew Culture New Zealand Seafarers under Sail and Steam by Neill Atkinson

For the first time, here is a book that looks at the work and lives of merchant seafarers – often described in their own words. The harsh realities of shipboard life, the colourful lore and language of the sea, the struggle for control and the rise of unionism, the lively world of the waterfront, and the unique character of seafarers crew culture are all explored in vivid detail, with over 100 illustrations.

Beginning around 1840, when Maori played a prominent part in the costal trade, the book charts the rise of steamships and their eventual dominance over sail, and closes with the Second World War, by which time New Zealand’s domestic shipping industry and the distinctiveness of its workforce were on the wane.

Paperback, 2001, 172 pages, very good condition