Author Topic: Migration Records from the UK to South Africa and Australia  (Read 6491 times)

Offline AussieGaz

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Migration Records from the UK to South Africa and Australia
« on: Saturday 23 January 10 08:40 GMT (UK) »
I am trying to get some clarity to the voyages that our family did from the UK to South Africa and Australia, and although I do have basic information, my task is to get more details. Easier said than done maybe!!!

I do know that Thomas SHAW arrived in Australia on the ship SS Energia in June 1886 sailing from Portsmouth and arriving in Sydney. The associated questions which I have with this voyage are:
- When did he leave Portsmouth?
- What records would there be of his booking on the ship? Did he have to wait to catch the ship?
- How did he get from Co. Down to Portsmouth?

I know that Donald Alexander CLARK was born in Mintlaw, Scotland on 10th February 1861, and the family is not on the 1881 census, so assume they had left, but to where? Folk law has it that Donald Clark went to South Africa twice from the UK, and I want to try and get some clarity to this claim.
- Donald Clark went up to Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) in 1890, so his trip out to South Africa must have been, I assume, some time before that date.   
- Where from and when did he leave the UK to travel to South Africa and on which ship?
- Is there any information available on the ship he travelled on?

I know that Isaac MOODY was born in Corsley, Wiltshire and baptized 19th March 1820. The family is recorded as being in the 1841 Census. He married in 1852 in Grahamstown, South Africa, so in those 11 years must have made the trip out to South Africa.

I know that Frederick Thomas KING was born in Stockton, Wiltshire on 18th May 1868, and in the 1891 Census there is a Frederick T King still living in Stockton. I do not know when he travelled to South Africa, however the death certificate of his and his wife Dorothy Hanbury WHITEHOUSE show that they were married in the UK and assume, travelled out together. The same questions above would also apply here- What/when/where and how??

I know that William Frederick WHITFIELD was born in Hull, Yorkshire on 1st September 1857, and was in South Africa by 1885 when he got married.

Thank you fellow RootChatters for any information you can shed on the mystery.

Gaz
Shaw (born Tullyorior in Co. Down then Australia, South Africa and Zimbabwe)
Clark (born Mintlaw / New Pitsligo in Scotland then South Africa)
Taylor / Bruce (born Helenamore / Tyrie / Aberdour in Scotland)
Moody (born Warminster in Wiltshire then South Africa)
Whitehead (born Galton Point / Reigate in Surrey)
Whitfield (born Hull in Yorkshire then Kenya, South Africa and Zimbabwe)
Ellis (born Mafeking in South Africa)
Hanbury-King (born Stockton in Wiltshire then South Africa)

Offline Mole

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Re: Migration Records from the UK to South Africa and Australia
« Reply #1 on: Tuesday 30 March 10 05:08 BST (UK) »
I do know that Thomas SHAW arrived in Australia on the ship SS Energia in June 1886 sailing from Portsmouth and arriving in Sydney. The associated questions which I have with this voyage are:
- When did he leave Portsmouth?
- What records would there be of his booking on the ship? Did he have to wait to catch the ship?
- How did he get from Co. Down to Portsmouth?
This pre-dates the Board of Trade passenger lists (outgoing) which are available via ancestorsonboard via findmypast.com: these online lists start at 1890. Passenger lists before that year in UK were destroyed by the BT. So in such cases start at point of arrival i.e. Sydney.

I know that Donald Alexander CLARK was born in Mintlaw, Scotland on 10th February 1861, and the family is not on the 1881 census, so assume they had left, but to where? Folk law has it that Donald Clark went to South Africa twice from the UK, and I want to try and get some clarity to this claim.
- Donald Clark went up to Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) in 1890, so his trip out to South Africa must have been, I assume, some time before that date.   
- Where from and when did he leave the UK to travel to South Africa and on which ship?
- Is there any information available on the ship he travelled on?

Passenger lists to SA are all over the place, few indexed (an exception is Natal - see www.genealogyworld.net re European Immigration Registers. In the Cape though there are some shipping registers these are not indexed and
often give only captain's name and first class passengers - not 2nd clss or steerage. Not all registers have survived. As the 20th c approached the volume of shipping at SA ports trebled (at least) so record-keeping not consistent.


I know that Isaac MOODY was born in Corsley, Wiltshire and baptized 19th March 1820. The family is recorded as being in the 1841 Census. He married in 1852 in Grahamstown, South Africa, so in those 11 years must have made the trip out to South Africa.

What I said above applies and also to the next questions you ask:

I know that Frederick Thomas KING was born in Stockton, Wiltshire on 18th May 1868, and in the 1891 Census there is a Frederick T King still living in Stockton. I do not know when he travelled to South Africa, however the death certificate of his and his wife Dorothy Hanbury WHITEHOUSE show that they were married in the UK and assume, travelled out together. The same questions above would also apply here- What/when/where and how??

I know that William Frederick WHITFIELD was born in Hull, Yorkshire on 1st September 1857, and was in South Africa by 1885 when he got married.

Generally it is better to focus on an avenue other than passenger arrivals in SA - e.g. in cases where the individual died in SA, approach via deceased estate files - search NAAIRS at www.national.archives.gov.za/ under name sought.

Each one of your queries would take a professional researcher some dedicated hours' work - with no guarantee that answers would be found. I've been writing about emigration and passenger lists in my blog if you want to have a look at www.molegenealogy.blogspot.com/  Also see our free site at www.genealogyworld.net

I should also add that passenger lists DEPARTING from SA for Australia are as rare as hen's teeth. If an individual was just passing through SA on the way to another colony chances are minimal of finding any public records; many slipped through invisibly.

Your expectations may be set rather too high, as passenger lists are a difficult area - and it is v seldom that a descendant can marry all the details you require e.g. how did they get to the Port of departure (always has to be a guess unless yr ancestor kept a diary or wrote letters about his trip), info about the ship etc.

Regards, Mole
All South Africa but especially Natal colonial era.<br />GADSDEN and variants worldwide, any date, any place; large database.<br />Medieval GADDESDEN and GATESDEN<br />HAMILTON (Ayrshire)<br />BELL (Cumberland - Solway Firth area)

Offline AussieGaz

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Re: Migration Records from the UK to South Africa and Australia
« Reply #2 on: Tuesday 30 March 10 09:37 BST (UK) »
Hi Mole

Thanks for the comments and direction - first to my post. I had given up hope of getting an answer as the post covered quite a wide period of time.

Appreciate your assistance. I will start to look at those areas which I have not yet considered.

regards

Gaz
Shaw (born Tullyorior in Co. Down then Australia, South Africa and Zimbabwe)
Clark (born Mintlaw / New Pitsligo in Scotland then South Africa)
Taylor / Bruce (born Helenamore / Tyrie / Aberdour in Scotland)
Moody (born Warminster in Wiltshire then South Africa)
Whitehead (born Galton Point / Reigate in Surrey)
Whitfield (born Hull in Yorkshire then Kenya, South Africa and Zimbabwe)
Ellis (born Mafeking in South Africa)
Hanbury-King (born Stockton in Wiltshire then South Africa)

Offline jorose

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Re: Migration Records from the UK to South Africa and Australia
« Reply #3 on: Tuesday 30 March 10 12:00 BST (UK) »
One way of finding information on voyages to Australia is to look at newspaper articles on shipping. These are unlikely to list him personally but do mention ship movements and information about the voyages.

e.g.
http://newspapers.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/13631657?searchTerm=Energia
 - a description of the passage, types of immigrants, etc. Adds a little colour, at least, and gives you the date and time they left Plymouth.
Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk


Offline Mole

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Re: Migration Records from the UK to South Africa and Australia
« Reply #4 on: Tuesday 30 March 10 12:37 BST (UK) »
I'm not sure how this would help if the name of ship is not known - also without some sort of date parameter for the voyage.

Mole
www.molegenealogy.blogspot.com/
All South Africa but especially Natal colonial era.<br />GADSDEN and variants worldwide, any date, any place; large database.<br />Medieval GADDESDEN and GATESDEN<br />HAMILTON (Ayrshire)<br />BELL (Cumberland - Solway Firth area)

Offline AussieGaz

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Re: Migration Records from the UK to South Africa and Australia
« Reply #5 on: Tuesday 30 March 10 23:42 BST (UK) »
Morning Mole and Jorose

Thanks for the additional directions - I will have a look at both links this weekend.

much appreciated

Gaz
Shaw (born Tullyorior in Co. Down then Australia, South Africa and Zimbabwe)
Clark (born Mintlaw / New Pitsligo in Scotland then South Africa)
Taylor / Bruce (born Helenamore / Tyrie / Aberdour in Scotland)
Moody (born Warminster in Wiltshire then South Africa)
Whitehead (born Galton Point / Reigate in Surrey)
Whitfield (born Hull in Yorkshire then Kenya, South Africa and Zimbabwe)
Ellis (born Mafeking in South Africa)
Hanbury-King (born Stockton in Wiltshire then South Africa)

Offline Mole

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Re: Migration Records from the UK to South Africa and Australia
« Reply #6 on: Wednesday 31 March 10 06:11 BST (UK) »
Gaz - the link I mentioned is my blog, which covers a fair amount on emigration/immigration and passenger lists, the pros and cons; that's at www.molegenealogy.blogspot.com/ (though currently I'm discussing Anglo-Boer War ancestors so check the archived posts shown at left of page.

Another free site with SA flavour (though not limited to that country) is www.genealogyworld.net/
On the main page you'll find sections with other useful links - Cape passenger lists, for example. If you want a good overview of the basics of SA research, see our Beginners Guide (not only for beginners) also via the main page of Genealogy World.
Good luck with your quest.
Mole





All South Africa but especially Natal colonial era.<br />GADSDEN and variants worldwide, any date, any place; large database.<br />Medieval GADDESDEN and GATESDEN<br />HAMILTON (Ayrshire)<br />BELL (Cumberland - Solway Firth area)

Offline AussieGaz

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Re: Migration Records from the UK to South Africa and Australia
« Reply #7 on: Sunday 11 April 10 06:08 BST (UK) »
Hi Mole

Thanks once again. Sorry for the delay in getting back to you - have been away in Sydney for the Australian National Aged Swimming Championships.

Appreciate your help.

Gaz
Shaw (born Tullyorior in Co. Down then Australia, South Africa and Zimbabwe)
Clark (born Mintlaw / New Pitsligo in Scotland then South Africa)
Taylor / Bruce (born Helenamore / Tyrie / Aberdour in Scotland)
Moody (born Warminster in Wiltshire then South Africa)
Whitehead (born Galton Point / Reigate in Surrey)
Whitfield (born Hull in Yorkshire then Kenya, South Africa and Zimbabwe)
Ellis (born Mafeking in South Africa)
Hanbury-King (born Stockton in Wiltshire then South Africa)