Britain and Ireland, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960
Did your ancestors cross oceans in search of hope, freedom, or a fresh start? Perhaps they were among the thousands of Indian lascars who braved the seas to settle in the port cities of Liverpool and Cardiff, or among the Chinese migrants who built rich, enduring communities in Britain’s Chinatowns. Did they come to Britain and Ireland for religious freedom, the promise of education, or the thrill of beginning a new life? Immigrants have shaped the soul of Britain and Ireland for generations, weaving their lives into the vibrant tapestry of our shared history. Delve deeper into your ancestors’ journey by searching over 16 million passenger lists held by The National Archives from 1878 to 1960.
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Did your ancestors cross oceans in search of hope, freedom, or a fresh start? Perhaps they were among the thousands of Indian lascars who braved the seas to settle in the port cities of Liverpool and Cardiff, or among the Chinese migrants who built rich, enduring communities in Britain’s Chinatowns. Did they come to Britain and Ireland for religious freedom, the promise of education, or the thrill of beginning a new life? Immigrants have shaped the soul of Britain and Ireland for generations, weaving their lives into the vibrant tapestry of our shared history. Delve deeper into your ancestors’ journey by searching over 16 million passenger lists held by The National Archives from 1878 to 1960.
Learn about these records
As you explore the records and delve deeper into your ancestors’ migration journey, you will be presented with a transcript and an image of the original passenger manifest. The amount of detail in each record can vary depending on the age of the document. Due to the age of the material some of the record might be difficult to read or interpret. Later records were typed making them easier to decipher. When you discover a record you may find the following facts:
- Name
- Age
- Year of arrival
- Arrival date
- Occupation
- Last country of residence
- Address in Britain
- Departure port
- Departure country
- Destination port
- Destination country
- Class
- Ship name
- Shipping line
- Ship number
- Ship departure port
- Shgips destination port
- Master’s name
- Archive, description and reference
The Ship’s destination and the passenger’s destination might be different. Vessels made multiple stops on the journey. Not every passenger boarded or disembarked at the same ports.
Under the transcript, you will see the names of some of your ancestors’ fellow passengers. Who joined your ancestor on their journey across the sea? You can use the image browse feature to see the entire passenger manifest. Are there other familiar names? Later, you could use the census records to see if these people settled in the same communities.
Were your ancestors among the millions who came to Britain and Ireland seeking a new life? Their impact is undeniable. Immigrants have woven themselves into the very threads of British and Irish life, building infrastructure, creating diverse communities, and powering industry in port cities. From Eastern European Jews fleeing pogroms who became tailors, traders, and revitalized London’s garment industry, to Indian seamen (Lascars) who settled in Liverpool, Cardiff, and London, laying the foundations for future South Asian migration. We see Chinese migrants working in laundries, restaurants, and shipping in places like Liverpool and London’s Limehouse, forming vibrant Chinatowns. During both world wars, African immigrants contributed significantly, working in docks and factories.
These records were digitised from the original series held at The National Archives as BT 26, Board of Trade: Commercial and Statistical Department and successor: Inwards Passenger Lists. Our transcription was supported by the information found in The National Archive’s discovery catagloue detailing each voyage’s departure and destination ports as well as the ports that they stopped at along the journey.
Not everyone who travelled on ships were moving to a new country. Use the Incoming and Outgoing passenger lists together to see British and Irish people going abroad for work or leisure and then returning. British and Irish who went abroad to seek new adventures and came back home to settle.
Princess Sophia Duleep Sing
The Princess was the daughter of India’s deposed Maharaja Duleep Sing and the goddaughter of Queen Victoria. She used her position and fame to fight for gender equality and an active member of the Women’s Social and Political Union. She was frequently found outside of Hampton Court selling issues of The Suffragette newspaper. Sophia was a founding member of the Women’s Tax Resistance League in 1909 with the political slogan, ‘no taxation without representation.’ She also became a Red Cross nurse and was outspoken against British rule in India.
**Cornelia Sorabji **
Cornelia Sorabji is an incredible example of how immigrants have journeyed to Britain and Ireland for education and used that education to make contributions to the world. Cornelia was the first female graduate from Bombay University. Then in 1892, she became the first woman and the first Indian to pass the Bachelor of Civil Law program at the University of Oxford. However, she did not receive her degree until the university granted degrees to women after the First World War. Four years after passing her examinations, Cornealia was the first woman in the British Empire to plead before a British judge. She used her experiences and qualitifications to become the first woman to practice law in India. She used her talents to provide legal advise to women and children on matters in provincial courts.