United British Women’s Emigration Association

Recently I read a Blog Post by Moya Sharp concerning the “United British Women’s Emigration Scheme”  transcribing an article that she had found in the “West Australian” dated the 24 March 1894 to read her original post click here.  The article piqued my interest prompting me to revisit my, albeit limited, research concern the “United British Women’s Emigration Association” and the role that they played bringing young women to Western Australia.

My ancestor Martha Sarah Ellis and her sister Kate Ellen Ellis travelled out to Australia on the SS Nairnshire from England to Perth under auspices of the Association in 1889 (more details about their journey can be found here and here).[1]

In 1894 a report was published entitled the “United British Women’s Emigration Association Report”, contained within the report were interesting titbits on the work of the Association, as shown below.[2]

Figure 1 United British Women's Emigration Association, Report 1894, Winchester: Warren and Son, Printers and Publishers. [Accessed 5 November 2016 http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-52874072] page 7

Figure 2 United British Women's Emigration Association, Report 1894, Winchester: Warren and Son, Printers and Publishers. [Accessed 5 November 2016 http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-52874072], page 10

The newspapers of the day also revealed other interesting material concerning the young women who came across under the scheme of Free Passages sponsored by the West Australian Government.

Figure 3 Anon., 'THE LADIES' COLUMN. SEEKING NEW HOMES', Western Mail, 2 February 1901, p. 36 [Accessed 05 Nov 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article33199584] excerpt 

Figure 4  Anon, 'THE IMMIGRANT GIRLS', Western Mail, 15 October 1897, p. 27. [Accessed 05 Nov 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article33145319] Note Miss Monk who supervised many of the trips of the girls out to Australia – presumably she is the older woman standing on the far left of the photo

There appears to have been a mixed response from the public concerning the newly arrived girls.  Some felt that despite the best efforts of the Association some girls were unsuitable for the life they would eventually find for themselves and were unprepared for what lay before them.  Others were desperate for domestic help or perhaps the opportunity/possibility of finding a wife.

Figure 5 Anon, 'NEWS OF THE DAY.', The Daily News, 16 March 1889, p. 3.,  [Accessed 05 Nov 2016, 05 Nov 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article77373635]

Interesting Times.

Images

Figure 1 United British Women's Emigration Association, Report 1894, Winchester: Warren and Son, Printers and Publishers. [Accessed 5 November 2016 http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-52874072] page 7

Figure 2 United British Women's Emigration Association, Report 1894, Winchester: Warren and Son, Printers and Publishers. [Accessed 5 November 2016 http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-52874072], page 10

Figure 3 Anon., 'THE LADIES' COLUMN. SEEKING NEW HOMES', Western Mail, 2 February 1901, p. 36 [Accessed 05 Nov 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article33199584] excerpt  

Figure 4  Anon, 'THE IMMIGRANT GIRLS', Western Mail, 15 October 1897, p. 27. [Accessed 05 Nov 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article33145319] Note Miss Monk who supervised many of the trips of the girls out to Australia – presumably she is the older woman standing on the far left of the photo

Figure 5 Anon, 'NEWS OF THE DAY.', The Daily News, 16 March 1889, p. 3.,  [Accessed 05 Nov 2016, 05 Nov 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article77373635]

Sources

[1]  Shipping Records for the ‘Nairnshire’, Page 3 Passenger listing, 8 Oct 1885; Passenger and Crew Lists; Shipping Records for the ‘Nairnshire’; State Records Office, Western Australia. [Copy of the original record provided via email by Tom Reynolds from the State Records Office of Western Australia on 8 February 2013 (Tom Reynolds tom.reynolds@sro.wa.gov.au)Note no reference was given.  Reference  created from known sources]