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Title Entry-Books of Correspondence: Letters to the Colonial Office. Cape of Good Hope, Sierra Leone, St Helena, 1854-1858
Date 7 Jan 1854 - 24 Jul 1858
Document Type Correspondence
Reference CO 386/107
Library / Archive The National Archives
Collection Name Colonial Office: Land and Emigration Commission, etc.
Description Letters refer to discussions over European incentives to emigrate to South Africa as opposed to Australia or Canada. Applications for tracts of land, either to rent or buy, are also prevalent, as are letters discussing regulations relative to 'coolie' emigration.
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; Religion, Ethnic Identity and Community Relations; Ships and Shipping Lines
Country (from) Great Britain; Germany; India
Country (to) South Africa; Guadeloupe; Canada; Australia; East Indies; St Helena; British Guiana
Places Cape of Good Hope, Natal, South Africa; St Helena; East Indies; Bengal, India
Nationality English; European; German; Asian; African; Indian
Ships Lady Rennaway; Dominickduli; Hopewell; Alecto
People Elliot, Sir Thomas Frederick; Murdoch, Thomas William Clinton; Merivale, Herman (1806-1874); Wood, Alexander C; Grey, Sir George
Keywords colony, colonisation, natural resources, geology, land sale, crown lands, government, emigration scheme, labourer, emigrant selection, compensation, finance, agent, charter, rent, land, application, land sale, indentured labour, pull factors, naturalisation, civil rights, land grant, loan, benevolent society, expenses, surgeon
Language English
Copyright Crown Copyright documents © are reproduced by permission of The National Archives London, UK