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Title Entry-Books of Correspondence: Letters to the Colonial Office. North America, 1847-1856
Author Murdoch, Thomas William Clinton; Rogers, Frederic; Wood, C Alexander; Elliot, Sir Thomas Frederick
Date 1 Sep 1847 - 5 Dec 1856
Document Type Correspondence; Report
Reference CO 386/83
Library / Archive The National Archives
Collection Name Colonial Office: Land and Emigration Commission, etc.
Description Copies of out-letters, mostly covering the conditions on board migrant ships, colonial legislation, land, financial questions, the regulation of migrant shipping, and statistical returns. The volume also includes a copy of Colonization Circular, No. 7, issued March 1847. An index is included 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; Arrivals: Ports and Early Experiences; Journey Conditions; Ships and Shipping Lines; Remigration
Country (from) Great Britain; Ireland; Germany
Country (to) Canada; United States of America
Places Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Canada
Ports Londonderry, Northern Ireland; Galway, Ireland; Liverpool, England
Nationality English; Scottish; Irish; Northern Irish; German; European
Ships Good Intent; Bloomfield; Blenheim; Maria Jones; Helen Thompson; Triumph; Washington; Fanny; Aeolas; Barbara; Commerce; Star; Jerome; Ocean Monarch; Susan; Abbotsford; Linden; Maria; Omega; Faithful; Pallas
People Earl of Elgin (Bruce, Victor Alexander); Lord Howick (Grey, Henry)(1802-1894); Duke of Newcastle (Pelham-Clinton, Henry Pelham); Pakington, Sir John; Stephen, Sir James; Merivale, Herman; Hawes, Benjamin
Keywords poverty, water, victualling, food, quarantine, customs, land, legislation, legislature, land sale, land grant, crown lands, land claim, money, finance, workhouse, artisan, mining, Christianity, death, disease, diplomacy, labour, labourer, child migration, female emigration, poor laws, compensation, surgeon, agent, tax, employment, journey conditions, shipwreck, shipping, remittance, agriculture
Language English
Copyright Crown Copyright documents © are reproduced by permission of The National Archives London, UK