Assisted Immigration records

[Lenore]

Hi, I am looking for details on my g-g grandfather John Osborne D'arcy who came to Australia in 1876. I have the information on his passage, his marriage when he got to Australia and also have his death certificate. All of these state that he was born in England around 1855 and and that his fathers name was Anthony.I can not find any on the british census with matching fathers name. I was just wondering if it was possible that he was actually Irish and passed himself off as English? And also does anyone know if there are records kept in England on passengers to Australia? or would the Australian government keep all that info as he was an assisted immigrant?
Thanks
Julie

Hi Julie,

Anything and everything is possible. However, in the absence of other clues, I would be sticking closely to the known facts.

You have his passenger record. Were there any relatives travelling with him? They may not have had the same surname of course. If he had relations travelling with him, or out here already, they might well have witnessed his marriage. If you haven't already done so, put the marriage witnesses under the spotlight and find out who they were.

If you cannot find John in the Census with a father Anthony, it may just mean that Anthony had died prior to the Census. What about the mother? I suppose you have her name? Have you located a birth record for her, either through the IGI or other sources?

If John was born in England in 1855, he should be able to be found in the GRO. If he is not immediately apparent under the name D'Arcy (and any other variant you can think of - Dorsey, Dancey, etc), perhaps you should be looking for Osborne. He may have been an ex-nuptial child, with Anthony and the mother marrying AFTER his birth - have you looked for a marriage for the parents after 1855? Or before, for that matter?

If you are relying on the Free BMD indexes to find a record of his birth, you should check the coverage charts for 1855 https://freebmd.rootsweb.com/progressB.shtml and you will find the coverage for that peri

You have his passenger record. Were there any relatives travelling with him? They may not have had the same surname of course. If he had relations travelling with him, or out here already, they might well have witnessed his marriage. If you haven't already done so, put the marriage witnesses under the spotlight and find out who they were.

If you cannot find John in the Census with a father Anthony, it may just mean that Anthony had died prior to the Census. What about the mother? I suppose you have her name? Have you located a birth record for her, either through the IGI or other sources?

If John was born in England in 1855, he should be able to be found in the GRO. If he is not immediately apparent under the name D'Arcy (and any other variant you can think of - Dorsey, Dancey, etc), perhaps you should be looking for Osborne. He may have been an ex-nuptial child, with Anthony and the mother marrying AFTER his birth - have you looked for a marriage for the parents after 1855? Or before, for that matter?

If you are relying on the Free BMD indexes to find a record of his birth, you should check the coverage charts for 1855 https://freebmd.rootsweb.com/progressB.shtml and you will find the coverage for that period is still very limited. You would need to look at the GRO Index for a birth. 1853 Marriages are similiarly not well represented on Free BMD.

What was the father's occupation? Can he be found in a trade directory in the county where they originated?

Have you checked for obituaries for John in case it mentions something about relations (eg, "Mr D'Arcy came to Newcastle where he worked for his uncle in the ironmongers trade before opening a shop of his own at Orange," or whatever.) What about death notices, which may mention relations?

Assisted Immigrants were assisted under a number of schemes, not all of them government. Records in Australia cover arrivals, not selection of emigrants. Emigrants records are probably kept in British archives which will be difficult for you to access, so I'd be inclined to stick to the more obvious resources that are easier to access, such as Census and Civil registration, and parish records.

My own theory is that everyone is *there*, if only you could work out what name they were lurking under. So I reckon he will be found where he said he was, but he may not have had quite the name you expect.

Good luck with it.

Lenore Frost
Essendon, Vic

[ozEgal]

Hi Lenore,
Thanks for your response . Greatly appreciated when people help you with questions.I didn't even think of looking for obituaries so it has given me another line to follow. I will find the info if it's the last thing I do. So it looks like another trip to the library.
One more thing I remember seeing your name whilst trawling through the net and had seen a few ties to Tasmania (is that correct?)and I was wondering if you were related to any of the Frosts' buried at Ulverstone Cemetery? My great grandfather went awol in the 1960's and no-one had heard from him since.. anyway I found an Edward Osborne D'arcy who's details match up but he is buried with an Alfred, Ethel, Maryanne Frost. Any relation?
Julie

[Lenore]

One more thing I remember seeing your name whilst trawling through the net and had seen a few ties to Tasmania (is that correct?)and I was wondering if you were related to any of the Frosts' buried at Ulverstone Cemetery? My great grandfather went awol in the 1960's and no-one had heard from him since.. anyway I found an Edward Osborne D'arcy who's details match up but he is buried with an Alfred, Ethel, Maryanne Frost. Any relation?
Julie

Hi Julie,

Short answer, yes. Crikey, how weird is that? I'll respond privately.

Best wishes,

Lenore

[ruthrrr]

If he received assistance to emigrate, the records should be held at The National Archvies (TNA) at Kew, London. They will be in a series of records with the class number MH12.

Unfortunately, this is some distance from Australia - also, the records are arranged by Poor Law Union and parish within that union. So you have to know where he was living at the time and applie for assistance. If you can overcome those hurdles, the records themselves can be very useful.

Geoffers

Would this be the same for emigration to New Zealand? It looks like a whole branch of my family upped and left between 1870 - 1880. I have information for some of them but a couple seem to have disappeared....

Thanks, Ruth

[haylierose]

If you are looking for assisted immergration records i'm able to be of some assitance it is no hassel for me to look for people who came to Queensland australia 1848 to May 1884.

[Kymbo]

Hi Ozegal

I'm Aussie too....

I have had a similar situation. Here goes.......

My GG Grandfather Thomas ELBORN..can't find him arriving in Australia ( must have swam ) He & a Catherine UNKNOWN had a daughter Hannah in Victoria in 1858, certificate states he was from Birmingham England & he married Catherine in 1856. No record of this marriage anywhere. I think Catherine may have died shortly after Hannah's birth, but without a surname it makes it a little hard to trace. Hannah's birth was registered six months after the birth by the clerk ( it seems ) at the registration office.. Next fact I have is, Thomas having a son John Thomas ELBORN with a Margaret FITZGERALD, again stating Thomas was from Birmingham England, Margaret being from London England ( pretty vague ) & that they married in 1856 !!.

However on Thomas ELBORN's death certificate it states he was from Glasgow Scotland & his father's name was Samuel.

There, in the 1841 census it a family who I beleive is his.

Now to my point.....I wonder when they immigrate or register a birth etc if the question is "where are you from, or where did you come from" & maybe they answered where they last lived. If the question had been " where were you born " then in many cases it could be a totally difference place.


Just a thought

Kym

[Lenore]

I wonder when they immigrate or register a birth etc if the question is "where are you from, or where did you come from" & maybe they answered where they last lived. If the question had been " where were you born " then in many cases it could be a totally difference place.
Kym

Hi Kym,

I think the usual question in most circumstances was "What was your native place?" Native being used in the sense of place of birth or origin.

Best wishes,

Lenore

[Kymbo]

Hi Julie

I just found the following on the IGI site, which may be John's father Anthony.

Anthony Darcey born 1821 Birmingham Warwick England
married (Mrs Anthony Darcey !!Vague!!) about 1845 Birmingham Warwick England.

Kym

[dian]

Assisted immigration records are available at National Library Canberra. Can get there online through State Libraries.eg I've joined Vic, WA. It's easy to apply for library card so researches can access deeper info. National archives of Aust also a good site. Simply google the name.
It is unassisted passenger lists that are difficult because they were not govt sponsored so govt records scant until latish 1800's

goodluck, di

[dian]

In the 19th century Oz wanted 'good" white British folk' to go and supply labour for the growing wool market to its 'mother country' in the Industrial Rev.By 1850's the Oz govt has records for the 'newchums' it sponsored ie ASSISTED PASSENGERS. Try searching State library in the State he arrived in.(and also National Library).

However, many came as UNASSISTED PASSENGERS ie by private companies, religious groups.etc.
some of them were:
the Westoz settled by Wakefield,
Southoz by Germans,
State of Victoria by JDLang

The unassisted are harder to find because it was up to the ship's captain to keep the records and sometimes he didn't and sometimes they are a bit dicey. And, I THINK passports and visas weren't used until 20th century. The first 'proper' records were Naturalisation records but I'm not sure if Brits had to be.