Reading · Tracking Down The Family

Image: Lady Kennaway, Grosvenor Prints. Painted by JW Huggins. My 2x great grandmother Ellen Boyle came to Australia, on this ship, with the Earl Grey Schemes. She arrived in 1848

When I heard that there was to be a migration stories project I couldn’t resist putting my hand up to be the Path Pilot for Forced Migrations.1 I have always taken a strong interest in migration stories, especially those of the 19th century. At this time, there was a huge amount of movement, as millions left behind their home and all they knew, and travelled across unknown oceans to make a new start in an unfamiliar land. Mostly, they were full of the new hope. Migrants had their reasons to leave and their own future dreams. Common in their stories is incredible strength, determination and resilience.

Trying to understand why and how our ancestors migrated, can help us to connect the dots in our family history and discover more about our ancestors lives. Passenger lists, letters, diaries and migration documents provide precious information for family historians. The stories behind these records can often give a better understanding of the motives of our ancestors in migrating.

After decades of family history research, I have found that the reason for making the move to another was rarely for adventure. Often there were circumstances that forced them make that decision. I can only imagine how difficult the decision to leave family and friends must have been. The events that shaped those decisions often give us a glimpse into the lives they were living before migrating.

Migrants came to Australia from many places around the world, and from many backgrounds, shaping communities and cultures. The new arrivals left their influences on the world we live in today. Our own family stories form the legacy that still exists today.

I do have ancestors who are a mystery to me when I think about why they decided to start over in Australia. I know they migrated to Australia, but haven’t been able to find any evidence of their voyage. For a small number of these, I’m sure they were in search of a better life for themselves and their families. It’s possible they had read the posters which appeared often in the newspapers and made the future in the new colony look very rosy. I really don’t know for sure and I find that very frustrating.

Being involved in this project has had me thinking about why my ancestors made the decision to uproot their lives and relocate to Australia. At the time, the voyage to Australia was a long, unknown journey, and so it was a big decision to make the move.

In my family, it seems that less people migrated for opportunistic reasons as I would have at first thought. The migration path that most of my ancestors seem to have chosen to start their lives over in Australia was forced migration.

As the Path Pilot for Forced Migration, during this series, I will be looking in more depth at the reasons for forced migration.

Below are just a few reasons for forced migration:

When circumstances at home meant that life was difficult and a new start was needed
Convicts being transported on being found guilty of a crime
Scotland’s Highland clearances scheme forced many families to leave
Ireland’s Earl Grey Orphan scheme gave young girls the opportunity for a new start. Due to the famine conditions, the girls really didn’t have a choice, but to leave. It could be said that their migration was forced.

Following are just a few examples of forced migration, in posts that were written previously to this series being discussed. During this migration series I will be looking in more depth at them, and adding new information where necessary. I also have other migration stories in my family that haven’t yet been written. My plan is to record them during this series.

Do you have family who made their journey to their new life by forced migration?
If so, perhaps you would like to write that story and have it included in this migration path. Our aim is to keep these stories together and create a community of people following each path.
Let me know your thoughts. I would love to hear from you.