Could you travel under an assumed name?

[maccalenny]

My husband's g-grandad went out for a packet of cigarettes and never came back - or so the story goes. This was some time between 1925 - 1930, I think. Family rumour says he went to New Zealand to a sister who ran a sheep farm. I have found that the sister was actually in Australia, and her husband was a butcher. But I can't find g-grandad on  a ship anywhere. So - if he went - how easy was it to travel under a false name? And any ideas how else I might track him down?
Thanks for any advice
Kate

[Billyblue]

Where did he go out from?

In 1925-1930 would he have needed a passport to get into NZ?

Once in NZ he could travel between NZ and Australia without a passport until relatively recently, if he was a British subject.

Dawn M

[maccalenny]

Hi
We don't know where -or even if- he left from! It's just a family rumour that I've been trying to prove or disprove. He had quite an unusual name...William Needle.... so I was expecting to find him either in England or Australia if he was using his own name. That's why I wondered if passports were needed, or what checks on identity there were. Could you hop on a boat, give a name and sail off wherever you fancied?

[muss]

Hi

He may have joined the ship as crew and worked his passage.

Which state in Australia did his sister live ?



Muss

[Billyblue]

Hi
We don't know where -or even if- he left from! It's just a family rumour that I've been trying to prove or disprove. He had quite an unusual name...William Needle.... so I was expecting to find him either in England or Australia if he was using his own name. That's why I wondered if passports were needed, or what checks on identity there were. Could you hop on a boat, give a name and sail off wherever you fancied?

You don't even know which country he emigrated from???

Have you checked any Australian online BDMs for his death?
(Can't check NSW this weekend as it's closed for maintenance)

Dawn M

[maccalenny]

Sorry, thought you meant which port! We assume he left from England - but he literally went out to the shop one day, in Birmingham, and never returned. His sister lived in Queensland.
Thanks for the help both.

[Billyblue]

No NEEDLE deaths at in Qld. index 1925-1964 [latest yr available]
None for his specific name in NSW BDMs but 5 male Needle deaths NSW 1925-1981

And there are some of that surname on Ryerson up to 2012.

None for his specific name.  Do you know if he had another name?
Parent names?

Dawn M

[Billyblue]

The Adelaide Advertiser of 3 June 1932 has the following death notice:

NEEDLE  -- on 29th May, at his sister's residence, Thomas William Needle, aged 75. At rest.

Dawn M

[Billyblue]

But that may not be him.  The West Australian has a funeral notice for wife of Thomas William Needle in 1925 (Mrs Mary Anne Needle, with 8 children named, at Fremantle.)
What was his occupation?  If he was in the merchant navy, could he have had a second family in Australia?

Let me know if you want the full notice.

Dawn M