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Title Register of Letters from Colonial Authorities, Vol. 3
Date 21 Feb 1851- 19 Dec 1853
Document Type Correspondence
Reference CO 386/159
Library / Archive The National Archives
Collection Name Colonial Office: Land and Emigration Commission, etc.
Description Index register of miscellaneous letters sent from colonial authorities. The index is set out by colony and country, detailing recipients, subject matter, dates sent, and ships to which they relate. The subject matter of the letters predominantly concern shipping, emigration and emigration agents. Reports of misconduct on board emigrant ships by sailors, surgeons and medical staff are mentioned regularly, along with female emigration, and records of immigration remittances.
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; Religion, Ethnic Identity and Community Relations; Ships and Shipping Lines
Country (from) Great Britain
Country (to) United States of America; New Zealand; Mauritius; British Guiana; Jamaica; Australia
Places Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, Canada; New South Wales, Tasmania, Western Australia, Australia; South Africa; New Zealand; Jamaica; Trinidad; Windward Islands; Leeward Islands; Honduras; Bahamas; Calcutta, India; Sierra Leone; St Helena; Falkland Islands; Labuan
Ports Cork, Ireland; Liverpool, England; Port Phillip, Victoria, Australia; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; New York, United States
Nationality English; European; Indian; Asian; Chinese;
Ships Alisa; Jane; Foam; Nevis; Sarah; John Knox; Nelson; Tasman; Aurora; Emperor; Lady Kennaway; Reliance; Thetis; Kate; Lloyds; Sir Robert Sale; Diadem; Elizabeth; Oriental; Jane Morrison; Northumberland; Maria; Cambodia; Joshua; Lady Elgin; London; Fame; France
People Buchanan, Alexander Carlisle; Hawkes, A B
Keywords shipping, emigrant, emigration, emigration scheme, colony, colonisation, agriculture, clothing, provisions, shipping, farming, female emigration, poverty, hospital, shipwreck, land, administration, workhouse, children, legislation, passenger, railway, convict, tax, gratuity, charter, immigration association, surgeon, medical staff, journey conditions, law, assisted emigration, finance, water, freight, translation, languages, regulations, clothing, Passengers' Act, contract, rent, indentured labour, fraud
Language English
Copyright Crown Copyright documents © are reproduced by permission of The National Archives London, UK