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Hello everyone, it seems I only ever have questions .....

I have discussed with many of you my difficulties in finding anything about my grandfather before his marriage in 1913. But the information I have is that he was born about 1881 in UK and migrated to Australia about 1899/1900. I have been unsuccessful in locating him on any ship, but I wondered about Government immigration records. I understand passports were not required back then, but I would have thought that there was some government records kept of new arrivals.

Does anyone know what if any records were kept of immigrant arrivals around 1900??? Or where I can find out?

Thanks.

Hello Erich, good to hear from you. I checked records for Ernest in the Aus National Library for the period 1890 to when the commonwealth started records but no luck for Freemantle arrivals - the Western Australian Archives have the records for freemantle before the commonwealth started the records but the young woman helping me could not find any records. The NSW records drew a blank for me but you might like to look again. Not sure how to check Victoria or the other states but might be worth your while seeing if they have records. Keep in touch, so frustrating when we have abrick wall - my George Armitage is still mia
Take care and keep in touch

Wow JAL, you know a thing or two that I don't! So there are immigration records, state-based at first and later Commonwealth, is that right? Did everyone (except illegal immigrants) get recorded? Are all the records in Canberra now?

The only places where I know he had an association were NSW and Victoria, so I will definitely try the Victorian records - do you know where I can find them? (I will check via Google, but if you know, that would help thanks.)

Would the NA in Canberra have records of people coming to OZ.. I found my records there when we had to get out of singapore in 1942..and we landed in perth..they might hold all records for people coming to this country..just a thought.

Commonwealth records for migration only start in 1920 or thereabouts which is why I had to use the Freemantle microfiche and then contact WA archives - this was last year I think Erich but no go. The NA record of his ppliaction for war service you got told us little if I remember rightly. I will look at Tony's post on immigration records to see if anything turns up there where we can look on line.

Hi JAL and Mary

Thanks for your advice, and apologies for my delay in answering (we have had a few events here that have occupied my attention). I have tried the Victorian online records, but didn't find much I could use. Thanks again for your friendly help.

Eric