19th Century Shipping to South Australia

Shipping 1836 - 1886
From the source material (Official passenger lists mainly of immigrants arriving in South Australia under UK assisted passage 1845-86) formerly known as Source 313, then GRG35/48a and now GRG35/48/1 at State Records (SA), this section lists the vessels whose records survive in some form from 1836 to 1886. The number of voyages with surviving records number just 749 and the material available for each list varies considerably.

The material you do locate may include any of the following:


 * An embarkation list prepared by the agent or emigration agents.
 * A passenger manifest prepared by the captain.
 * Certificate of arrival prepared by the immigration officials.
 * Sundry lists created for other purposes such as fee-payers, land-holders.

Hint: Read the first page header of the shipping list carefully to determine what you are looking at!

Problems include:


 * Survival rate of lists is poor.
 * Lists may not be a true indication of the immigrants who actually arrived.
 * Writing is often difficult to decipher.
 * Useful information on origins is rare.
 * Teenagers in families are split off and listed as single men or single women.
 * Departure and arrival date may vary from record to record.
 * Fee-paying passengers usually not recorded.
 * Crew never recorded except in manifests.