Research Guides: Shipping and Passenger Records: Assisted passengers

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Assisted passengers

What is an assisted passenger?

An assisted passenger is someone whose journey was paid for by someone else such as the government through a government immigration scheme or by a family member or employer.

Ancestry Library Edition

Need help using Ancestry Library Edition?

Assisted Immigrant Passenger Lists, 1828–1896 — Ancestry Library Edition [eresource]
Uncover details about your ancestors who came to NSW as assisted immigrants. Find the name of the ship, the date of arrival as well as their age, calling and marital status. In some cases you might find the names of their employers and relatives in the colony as well as the names of parents and where they lived in the UK.
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Once in Ancestry Research Library, select Immigration & Travel > Passenger Lists > Australia > New South Wales.
NSW - Immigration Deposit Journals 1853 - 1900 on Ancestry Library
Subscription Database. These are records of money deposited in the Colony by people wanting to sponsor the immigration of someone, usually a family member or someone for specific employment.
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Once in Ancestry Research Library, select Immigration & Travel > Immigration & Emigration Books > Australia > New South Wales.
Bounty Immigrants List, 1828–1842 — Ancestry Library Edition [eresource]
Search for your ancestor to see if they were a Bounty immigrant. A Bounty immigrant was someone who came to NSW as part of the government immigration schemes. You can uncover who their sponsor was, if family members travelled with them and the name of the ship they travelled on. You can also find their age or date of birth, birthplace, the names of their parents, their native place and occupation.
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Once in Ancestry Research Library, select Immigration & Travel > Passenger Lists > Australia > New South Wales.

Findmypast.com.au

Australia - Emigrants from Hamburg to Australasia 1850 - 1879 (Findmypast.com.au)
Covers all available departure lists for ships from Hamburg to Australia and New Zealand during the period of 1850-1879. Migration was not only from Germany but other European countries such as Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland and Italy. Also included is information on the ship and reports extracted from contemporary newspapers. Peviously released in both book and microfiche format by the Queensland Family History Society for, the 20-volume print and 35-fiche versions are also available in the Family History Service at REF 10/NQ929.308931/ 1-2 SET. Document supply NOT available.

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Deane index re-indexed 1823-1840 [catalogue record | CD-ROM]
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An index of correspondence received by the UK Colonial Office, including names of letter writer and persons mentioned in the letter. Find information about your convict's family through letters sent to the UK Colonial Office. You may find letters from your convict’s spouse requesting passage to join them or from relatives enquiring about your convict.
You can view the original records in the Special Collections area.
Help with the Deane Index
The deserters : a complete record of military and naval deserters in Australia and New Zealand, 1800-65
Check out this book, available in the Family History area of the Governor Marie Bashir Reading Room, to find out!
Irish assisted immigrants to New South Wales, Australia, 1848–1870 (Reid Index) [catalogue record | microfiche]
Search the index to see if your ancestor came to Australia as an assisted immigrant. You can find information about their arrival as well as their age, parish and religion, the names of their parents and native place.
This resource is also known as the ‘Reid Index’. Ask for the ‘Reid Index’ at the desk in the Special Collections area. Remember to search the Alphabetical index (microfiche 1-3) first so you can search the Chronological sequence (microfiche 4-8).
Help with Irish Assisted Immigrants to NSW and Australia 1848-1872 (Reid Index)
Log of logs [catalogue record]
Use this guide to find records such as ships' logs, journals, letters, diaries and passenger lists held in Australian institutions. You will find valuable information about the immigrant passengers and their voyage.
Check all three volumes as each volume contains different information. Use the details found in the guide to locate the original records.
Help with Log of Logs
Ships card index [card catalogue]
Search the index to find records relating to ships and voyages held at the Mitchell Library. You can learn about those on board, events at sea and life on board from revealing records such as master’s logbooks and surgeon’s journals.
Ask at the Special Collections desk in the Mitchell Library Reading Room to search the card index.
Help with Ships card index

Available Online

Assisted Immigrants (digital) Shipping Lists (State Archives & Records NSW)
Browse through digital shipping lists from 1828 to 1896 (State Archives & Records microfilm reels 2134-2145).
NSW State Records - Index to Miscellaneous Immigrants 1828 - 1842
This index contains the names of some passengers who paid their own fare and some assisted immigrants. There are over 9000 entries to search.
NSW State Records - Index to Assisted Immigrants arriving in Sydney, Newcastle, Moreton Bay and Port Phillip 1839 - 1896
NSW State Records offers online indexes and online 'microfilm' copies of the following assisted immigrants records it holds : (1) Assisted immigrants arriving at Port Phillip, 1839-51 (2) Assisted immigrants arriving in Sydney and Newcastle, 1844-59 (3) Assisted immigrants arriving at Moreton Bay (Brisbane), 1848-59 (4) Assisted immigrants arriving in Sydney, 1860-79 and 1880-96 The term 'assisted immigrant' refers to those people whose passage was subsidised or paid for through one of the several assisted immigration schemes which operated to New South Wales from the United Kingdom and other countries.

Search Historical Newspapers

Newspapers can provide shipping and passenger information that is often unavailable elsewhere.

Digitised Australian newspapers on Trove

Shipping intelligence columns

Shipping intelligence columns can be found in the major Australian and British newspapers. You can find information about a ship's voyage, including the date and port of departure and arrival, ship movements, the name and status of passengers and any references to ship deserters and shipwrecks.

Digitised Australian newspapers on Trove
Library eresources for international newspapers
Library catalogue
Search for newspapers available on microfilm at the library

Emigrants on board the Royal Tar (not before 1893)
MPG/14

Abbreviations

bv	born on voyage, in quarantine etc.
b&dv	born and died on voyage, in quarantine etc.
cob	child(ren) on board (listed separately)
dv	died on voyage, in quarantine etc.
inft	infant
pob	parent(s) on board (listed separately)
sf	stepfather
tw	travelling with