Vast numbers of emigrants were forced to leave their homelands due to war, persecution and poverty. Others sought a fresh start overseas. The ships were crowded with hopeful travellers heading for developing areas all over the world. Many of them found their way to the American ports of New York, Boston, Philadelphia. Others sought their fortunes in Canada and Australia. Thousands sailed away to the farmlands of New Zealand and the mining centres of South Africa.
Britain was often a stepping stone on a long and arduous voyage to the New World. Small vessels - feeder ships - carried them across the North Sea to ports on the east coast of Britain. There was a short train ride across England or Scotland to west coast ports such as Liverpool and Glasgow where they boarded steamers for the passage across the Atlantic. Others were transported to London, Southampton and Plymouth for embarkation on ships bound for South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
Whilst many passengers were leaving Great Britain, others were returning. Travellers and businessmen were coming home, others were on a nostalgic trip back to the ‘Old Country’. Some had found that the grass on the other side was not as green as it had first appeared, and were heading back to their roots.
Not all transmigrant voyages are recorded. There are NO arrival records for vessels bringing transmigrants into Britain from European ports... NO Wilson Line Scandinavian arrival lists, no arrival records for central Europeans, for Russians, Italians. NO cross-Channel ferry lists. For returning transmigrants there are NO records of them departing Britain on their way back to European ports.
These people WILL be shown departing British ports on board ocean going passenger ships. By using the lists for departures or arrivals of these ocean going ships, it may often be possible to deduce the name of the ship which carried them between Britain and Europe.
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