Behind Bute Street - Crimps at Work

Jack Sullivan shows us a darker side of his usually bright and colourful paintings.  In this night-time scene, a sailor is being attacked by a gang of criminals near Bute Street. These criminals were known as crimps, and this kind of attack was called “shanghaiing.”

In the mid-1800s, Cardiff’s coal trade was booming. Ships were coming and going, and sailors from all over the world were arriving in the city. Because of this, Tiger Bay became a busy and exciting place, but also a hot spot for certain crimes. One of its biggest problems was the crimp gangs.

Crimps often ran boarding houses, where sailors could sleep, eat, and be entertained. But they used this to trick or control the sailors and take their money.

“Shanghaiing” was one of the worst methods used to trick sailors.  Crimps would sometimes put drugs in sailors' drinks or knock them out. Then, they would kidnap the sailors and sell them to ship captains who needed workers. By the time the sailors woke up, the ship was already far out at sea, and they had no choice but to work on board.