The full content of this document is only available to subscribing institutions. More information can be found via www.amdigital.co.uk

Title Entry-Books of Correspondence: Letters from Mr. Elliot, Agent General for Emigration, 1837
Date Aug-Nov 1837
Document Type Correspondence
Reference CO 386/20
Library / Archive The National Archives
Collection Name Colonial Office: Land and Emigration Commission, etc.
Description Correspondence covers a range of affairs relative to emigration to Australia. This includes applications made by prospective emigrants and family members of convicts already transported to Australia seeking assisted passage for themselves and often family members. Other letters refer to emigrant selections based on trades most useful in Australia, appointments of emigration agents and stores, particularly bibles, loaded on to emigrant ships such as the 'Layton'. There is an index at the back of this document listing dates, recipients and a brief summary of each letter's subject.
Series Description This series contains original correspondence, entry books and registers of the Agent General for Emigration, the South Australian Commissioners and the Land and Emigration Commission. Amongst the miscellaneous contents are registers of births and deaths of emigrants at sea 1854-1869, lists of ships chartered 1847-1875, registers of surgeons appointed 1854-1894, and volumes of The Colonial Gazette 1838-1842.
Biographical Note / History A Colonial Land and Emigration Commission was created in 1840 to undertake the duties of two earlier and overlapping authorities which were both under the supervision of the Secretary of State. These were the Colonisation Commissioners for South Australia, established under an Act of 1834, and the Agent General for Emigration, appointed in 1837. The new commission dealt with grants of land, the outward movement of settlers, the administration of the Passengers' Acts of 1855 and 1863 and, from 1846 to 1859, the scrutiny of colonial legislation. In 1855 it became the Emigration Commission. In 1873 the administration of the Passengers' Acts was transferred to the Board of Trade. The commission's powers were gradually given up to the larger colonies as they obtained self-government, and after 1873 its only duties were the control of the importation of Indian indentured labour into sugar-producing colonies and it was abolished in 1878.
Theme(s) Politics, Legislation and Governance
Country (from) Great Britain
Country (to) Australia
Places New South Wales, Australia; London, England; Ireland; Scotland
Ports Gravesend, Plymouth, England; Greenock, Scotland
Nationality English; European; Australian; French; Irish; Scottish
Ships Brilliant; Lady MacNaughten; Layton; Bussorah; Strathfieldsaye; SS Orontes; John Barry
People Elliot, Sir Thomas Frederick; Harris, W N; Stephen, James; Campbell, W; Campbell, Donald; Kebble, Reverend T; Wood, B; Meek, James; Porter, G R; Sullivan, D
Keywords government, emigration, agent, administration, surgeon, shipping, emigrant selection, trade, skilled emigration, regulations, expenses, assisted emigration, application, family, passage money, convict, Passengers' Act, legislation, clergy, colonisation, colony, settlement, wages, loan, agent, pull factors, poor laws, literature, religion, cargo
Language English
Copyright Crown Copyright documents © are reproduced by permission of The National Archives London, UK