Records Information
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What information do passenger lists contain?
The passenger lists include long-haul voyages to destinations outside Britain and Europe. While countries such as Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, South Africa and USA feature strongly, all continents are covered and you will find passengers on ships sailing to all parts of Asia, the Caribbean, South America and West Africa.
You will be able to see information such as name and age of person travelling, port of departure, ship name and destination amongst other things. The information gathered differed depending on vessel; some of the records are decorative historical documents whilst others are more functional in their appearance. Some are typed, others are handwritten; some record only a minimum of detail about the passengers whilst others include a wealth of information down to exact address and ultimate destination overseas.
These voyages often called en route at additional ports, including those in Europe, and any passengers disembarking at these stops are included. Voyages from all British (English, Welsh and Scottish) ports, and from all Irish ports before partition in 1921 and all Northern Irish ports after partition, are covered.
There are no domestic British or purely European voyages in these records, and no lists for Merchant or Royal Naval vessels or for troop ships. In addition, crew on passenger lists are not normally shown, although the captain or master is usually named on the header pages and some pre-printed and other lists do give details of senior staff.
Search the passenger listsThe India Records
The India Records collection is made up of five sets of records. We will search all of these records and see if we can find a match for your ancestor.
Bengal Civil Service Gradation List 1869
These records provide number, name, date of arrival and details of your ancestor's service and appointments.
East India Company Pensions 1793-1833
View these records to find out your ancestors name, rank or station, when the pension was granted, rate and source of annual pension, the period the pension was granted and the grounds on which the pension was granted.
East India Register & Army List 1855
These records generally provide regiment, rank, name, corps, date of appointment and any additional remarks regarding your ancestor.
India Office List 1933
The India Office published the India Office List quarterly for the majority of British rule in India. The list details the names and positions of all senior officials and officers of the India Office, the Indian Government, the Indian Army and the British Army in India.
Indian Army & Civil Service List 1873
These records provide details of the many roles, departments and sections of the Civil Service and Army, including the regiments, name and rank.
Search the India recordsWhat are Passport Applications?
The Archive of Names of Passport Applicants contains digitised images of the original indexes of Names of Passport Applicants from the Chief Clerk"s Department and Passport Office of the Foreign Office.
These indexes cover the years 1851-1862 and 1874-1903. Note that there are no indexes for 1857 (all surnames), for 1858 (A-G surnames) or for the period 1863 to 1873.
From 1851 to 1862 applicants are listed alphabetically and record the surname, forename and often further initials and title; the passport number, date of passport and in some cases observation notes.
From 1874 to 1903 the index is not strictly alphabetical, applicants are grouped by the first letter of the surname and listed chronologically recording the Surname and Forename Initial, and there are no passport numbers or observation notes.
Passports were not mandatory for British travellers until 1914. Until 1858 UK passports could be granted to people who were not British but who requested the protection of the UK whilst travelling; these passports were simply certificates requesting that foreign officials should allow the bearer to travel without hindrance.
Search the passport applications