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Title Entry-Books of Correspondence: Letters from the South Australian Colonization Office, 1840
Author Walcott, Stephen; Gliddon, John
Date 1-31 Jul 1840
Document Type Correspondence
Reference CO 386/17
Library / Archive The National Archives
Collection Name Colonial Office: Land and Emigration Commission, etc.
Description Copies of out-letters, the vast majority written by Stephen Walcott, Secretary to the South Australian Commissioners. The correspondence largely relates to outstanding payments, the appointment of surgeon superintendents and emigration agents, the tendering and victualling of migrant ships (including alleged overcharging by the owners of the 'Georgiana'), the conditions on board migrant ships, and medical examination of migrants. An index of names is provided at the end of the volume.
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; Ships and Shipping Lines; Departures: Port Conditions and Organisation; Journey Conditions
Country (from) Great Britain
Country (to) Australia
Places South Australia, Australia; London, England
Ports Plymouth, Deptford, Gravesend, England; Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; Glasgow, Scotland
Nationality English; European; Scottish
Ships Fairfield; Lysander; Georgiana; Lady Lifford; Delhi; Helen Thompson
Keywords emigration, administration, politics, land price, money, accounts, finance, shipping, money, expenses, expenditure, passage money, journey conditions, surgeon, victualling, assisted emigration, baggage, land agent, medical examination, medical staff, agent, claims, land grant
Language English
Copyright Crown Copyright documents © are reproduced by permission of The National Archives London, UK