Railway travel 1857

[Elwyn Soutter]

Syd,

To answer your question generally, yes there were agents around the country. Many adverts for emigration at that time would mention who the local agents were. I took a copy of a completely random page from the Durham Chronicle of 29th May 1857 which contains loads of adverts for emigration, with details of the agents for the Durham area. Though I haven’t spotted one yet, I am sure the local papers for Buckingham would have been the same.

I also found an article in the Evening Standard of 24th April 1857 which mentions that in 1856 11,101 emigrants sailed under the “Black Ball” flag. It explains how a Commissioner had been set up with 6 Sub Commissioners around the country to find and manage the flow of migrants to Australia and elsewhere. If you send me a pm with your e-mail address, I can send you the full articles.

[phenolphthalein]

Australian newspapers were also full of immigration and shipping agents. No doubt they connected back to emigration agents in the UK.

I do not believe there was anything like a package. I think they probably were responsiblre for their own journey to Liverpool.  But in some cases the local parish may have assisted.
 I do know that early arrivals in South Australia got a few weeks in the immigration barracks before having to find their own accomodation -- basically it was the period of time until the vessel after the next arrived. So if there was only a short period of time between the arrival of a number of vessels then you only had a short time in the barracks.

Presumably the same happened at the Liverpool end. You only received accomodation for a limited time before the departure of the vessel.

Usually an assisted immigrant had their service offered to an employer either prior to or on arrival in Australia.  Assisted single females often had guardians for their journey (usually a married relative) not to protect them but to guarantee that they did not hire themselves out prior to arrival. The agent who brought them out only got paid when they were hired for service.

Both the British newspapers and the Australian ones (the later free on Trove) are full of advertising material -- also in your case do not forget the NSW Archives.

Regards
pH

[Crumblie]

I have read somewhere, unfortunately I cannot remember where, that whilst people were waiting in Liverpool for their ship to Australia they were robbed blind by the local populace and conmen.

[Syd R]

Interesting in so much as the family immigrating the husband had served time for assault when caught poaching interesting that he could then have been confronted by con-men and crooks

Have checked Trove for the arrival and there was not much on the ship.

All helps build a picture

Thanks
Syd