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Title Entry-Books of Correspondence: Letters from Mr. Elliot, Agent General for Emigration, 1838-1839
Date Oct 1838 - Apr 1839
Document Type Correspondence
Reference CO 386/22
Library / Archive The National Archives
Collection Name Colonial Office: Land and Emigration Commission, etc.
Description The majority of letters refer to the organisation of emigrant ships, ship's surgeons and passengers. Many letters refer to rejections of applications made by prospective emigrants seeking assisted or free passage. Often such rejections are made on account of there not being sufficient funds to finance the schemes. Letters referring to representations to, and of, the 'Australian Economic Emigration Association' can also be found here, as can letters referring to shipments of school and religious books on board emigrant vessels. Some letters also remark on Polish refugees emigrating to New York and passages to be provided for them. 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) Colonisation Companies and Emigration Societies; Politics, Legislation and Governance; Displaced Persons and Refugees
Country (from) Great Britain; Poland
Country (to) Australia; United States of America
Places Edinburgh, Glasgow, Scotland; London, Stroud, England; South Australia, Tasmania, Australia
Ports Port Phillip, Victoria, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Belfast, Cork, Ireland; New York, United States
Nationality English; European; Scottish; Irish; Polish
Ships Asia; Strathfieldsaye; Westminster; Julian; Bussorah Merchant; Lady MacNaughten; Prince Regent; Cornwall; Navarino; Juliana; Palmyra
People Elliot, Sir Thomas Frederick; Brown, John; Crocker, Isaac; Burnett, Sir William; Parry, Sir Edward; Leyburn, William
Keywords government, emigration, agent, administration, surgeon, shipping, employment, agent, application, assisted emigration, free passage, shipwreck, land sale, women, widow, eligibility, economics, societies, family, literature, cargo, food, education, agent, regulations, unmarried, female emigration, finance, wages, refugee
Language English
Copyright Crown Copyright documents © are reproduced by permission of The National Archives London, UK