The National Archives have anounced that the UK incoming passenger lists for 1878 to 1960 (series BT 26) have been launched online by Ancestry.co.uk.
Digitised in partnership with The National Archives, the records contain information on both immigrants and tourists who arrived in the UK by boat before the onset of commercial flights. Millions of Britons will find they have an ancestor listed in the collection, many of whom fared perilous sea voyages to reach British shores.
The passenger lists are for people arriving in the United Kingdom from ports outside of Europe and the Mediterranean and may include: name of passenger, their birth date or age, port of departure, port of arrival, date of arrival and vessel name. It is free to search the website, but there is a charge for viewing the full entry and downloading images of the passenger lists.
With the launch of the documents online, Roger Kershaw from The National Archives said: ‘The partnership between The National Archives and Ancestry.co.uk has allowed us to digitise and publish online what is in our opinion one of the most significant collections in British immigration history.’
See the full relase on the National Archive Web Site
ronanlyons said,
October 23, 2008 at 7:51 am
Thanks for that – must check out a few strands of the family tree when I get the chance! Is there much from before 1878 online?
Shelly Ainsworth said,
October 27, 2008 at 7:20 am
Thanks for posting this link – I’m currently researching my family history and my husband’s side arrived sometime in the 1880s/90s from Italy.
James said,
December 16, 2008 at 9:10 am
All roads lead to Ancestry and it is now monopolising the history records for the world. In this case the National Archives have taken information that belongs to the British Public and let an American based for profit company charge for access to these. This information applies to people coming to British shores not to America. Please let us have a site like the free Ellis Island site that will allow this information out without charges after all not all of us can visit the National Archives where it is free. A shame on the what is now becoming the American National Archives. This History belongs to the nation who have paid to support the Archives through their taxes and it should be FREE as should the census returns that also belong to the public and not to private institutions.
Darby O'Connr said,
April 22, 2010 at 8:38 am
I agree!!!! It is public information, it should be available to the masses not just the priviledged!!!!
SCOUSER said,
January 14, 2009 at 8:19 pm
I’M COMPLETELY IN AGREEMENT WITH JAMES’ COMMENT, ABOUT BUYING MY OWN INFO
Jim said,
February 14, 2009 at 2:30 pm
Yes it is a disgrace that we have to pay for information that already belongs to us.The National Archive belongs to the British public and as such I look forward to receiving my share of the sale proceeds.Some chance.
Meg said,
July 16, 2009 at 5:24 pm
I already subscribe to Ancestry, but find it really cheeky that the 1911 Census isnt included with the Ancestry.co.uk package. I now need to look at the Incoming Passenger List to the UK, and that also isnt included.
As far as I’m concerned this is a big Rip-Off…Meg
Brian Tompkins said,
July 16, 2009 at 6:57 pm
The 1911 Census is not in any Ancestry package as they don’t have it.
hannah kolodziejczyk said,
August 17, 2009 at 3:11 pm
TRYING TO FIND OUT ABOUT MY MOTHER WHEN SHE CAME TO ENGLAND, FROM GERMANY, IN 1947,TO SOUTHAMTON,SEEMS AS THOUGH THERE ARE NO RECORDS, DONT KNOW WHY?.