Eliza JONES - Stony Stratford

[Rochdalian]

Mornin' everybody.  Yes that e-mail is that Bob who stated it all and I can't believe what a busy day you had while I was trying to sleep what with the heat and smoke from the bushfires an all.

As Tazzie says it was very common for assisted passage immigration schemes to be operating in that time period.  The schemes were privately run and, in Victoria, it was to address a labour shortage brought about, in part by the gold rush.  The gold rush also had the effect of increasing the wealth of a lot of people which made some of them think they needed servants hence the schemes.

Bob

[seahall]

Hi Bob

Heard elsewhere of the terrible fires your way.

I read that to be when she arrived.   and that she had assisted passage.

Was it usual for the person in Australia to pay this?

Are you saying then that Mrs Smith paid her passage.   

Sandy

[Rochdalian]

Hi Sandy

Thats it, Mrs Smith would have paid plus a commission to the immigration agent.  At least that was the usual arrangement.  Eliza was then tied to her employer for a set period of time at, usually, pittance wages.  I think it was twelve months in this case - can't check at the moment as I'm at work.

I suppose its a bit like when I migrated as an assisted migrant (a long time ago) the government paid and I wasn't allowed to leave the country for three years unless I paid back the passage money.

Bob

[tazzie]

   Hi Bob....

 Hope all is well over there with you all. As you see Eliza is causing some work at the moment. Will keep looking .

               Tazzie

[Rochdalian]

Thanks Tazzie

Its in our nature to complain but we'er not doing to bad, unless you are an England cricket supporter.   

Bob