Passage Contracts & Tickets (1850s-1870s) – Rare Immigration & Ocean Travel Documents

📌 Discover authentic passage contracts and prepaid tickets from the 1850s-1870s, documenting immigrant journeys aboard packet ships and early steamships like SS Admiral, SS Yorkshire, and SS Columbia. A must-have resource for genealogists, historians, and maritime enthusiasts tracing 19th-century migration, passenger rights, and the evolution of transatlantic travel. 🚢📜

All Passage Contracts and Tickets For the 1850s-1870s Available at the GG Archives. These unique contracts represent primary source documents of the voyage of many immigrants. Our collection includes a variety of types and classes and provides an invaluable account of the cost of passage.

🌍 Passage Contracts and Tickets (1850s-1870s) – A Deep Dive into 19th-Century Ocean Travel 🚢

📜 Overview: A Collection of Rare Immigration & Ocean Travel Documents

The GG Archives collection of passage contracts and tickets from the 1850s-1870s offers a fascinating glimpse into transatlantic migration and long-distance ocean travel during the 19th century. These documents provide a firsthand look at how people arranged their voyages, the cost of passage, and the challenges faced by immigrants and travelers alike.

Harsh Realities of Steerage Travel: The 1854 Passage Contract for a French Immigrant Aboard SS Admiral

A Glimpse into 19th-Century Transatlantic Migration

The 1854 Steerage Passage Contract for Naber Vinceut (possibly Vincerot) aboard the SS Admiral of the Vanderbilt European Steamship Line provides a rare and invaluable look into mid-19th-century transatlantic migration. This contract, issued in Le Havre, France, for a voyage to New York, details the strict regulations, challenging conditions, and immigrant expectations for steerage passengers.

This contract serves as a primary source document illuminating the economic realities, legal restrictions, and onboard experiences of 19th-century immigrants. It is a remarkable artifact that showcases how early ocean travel was structured for European emigrants, particularly those traveling in steerage, the most affordable but least comfortable class.

The Voyage of the SS Devonshire: An 1855 Passenger Contract & The Harsh Realities of Ocean Travel

A Rare Window into Mid-19th Century Transatlantic Migration

The Passengers' Contract Ticket for Fourteen-Year-Old Michail Abrahams on the SS Devonshire, purchased on 4 July 1855, for a voyage from London to New York beginning 7 July 1855, offers a remarkable historical snapshot of transatlantic migration during the height of the packet ship era. The Swallowtail Line, known for its fast and reliable packet ships, operated the Devonshire, a vessel that transported hundreds of passengers—mostly immigrants—on arduous multi-week journeys across the Atlantic.

This document serves as an invaluable artifact, providing insights into 19th-century ocean travel, migration policies, and the economic conditions shaping the journeys of those seeking a new life in America. It also offers a comparison between early transatlantic sailing and the later era of steamships, highlighting the evolution of maritime travel and immigration trends.

The SS Yorkshire Passage Contract (1859): A Glimpse into Packet Ship Travel and the Early Life of Diplomat Nicholas Fish

The SS Yorkshire Passage Contract, dated 16 March 1859, provides a unique snapshot of ocean travel during the age of packet ships. This document represents a voyage on the Yorkshire, a packet ship of the legendary Black Ball Line, for a passenger named Nicholas Fish, traveling from New York to Bremen, Germany. Additionally, the inclusion of Nicholas Fish, a notable American diplomat, elevates this document’s significance, allowing for a personalized connection to history.

The SS Yorkshire passage contract from 1859 is more than just a travel document—it’s a bridge between maritime history, transatlantic migration, and U.S. diplomacy. This voyage carried Nicholas Fish, a future American statesman, across the Atlantic, offering a rare glimpse into the world of packet ships and the elite passengers they transported.

SS Reigate Passage Contract (1867): A Glimpse into Luxury Ocean Travel from Australia to London

The SS Reigate Passage Contract, dated 11 May 1867, offers a rare and invaluable insight into 19th-century ocean travel, particularly for teachers, students, genealogists, and historians interested in migration, maritime history, and the socio-economic conditions of long-distance voyages.

This document details a first-class cabin passage aboard the SS Reigate, a full-rigged, three-masted sailing ship operated by the Surrey Steamship Company, transporting passengers from Melbourne, Australia, to London, England.

This is a treasure trove, as it records the names, ages, and financial transactions of passengers, particularly Margaret Schenk and her three children, illustrating how women and families traveled long distances in the 19th century.

The document highlights maritime contract law, the impact of the Passengers Act of 1855, and the growing regulation of passenger transport in response to concerns over safety, comfort, and economic fairness in ocean travel.

The SS Reigate passage contract from 1867 is more than just a ticket for a luxury voyage—it’s a historical document that connects family migration, maritime law, and 19th-century British-Australian relations.

SS Columbia Passage Certificate (1873): Exploring Transatlantic Steamship Travel & Passenger Rights

The SS Columbia Passage Certificate, dated 29 May 1873, provides a fascinating insight into 19th-century transatlantic travel, particularly for historians, genealogists, teachers, and students exploring the immigrant experience, passenger rights, and the evolution of maritime transport.

Issued by the Anchor Line, this passage certificate was for Mrs. Andrew Fair, an American traveler journeying from Glasgow, Scotland, to New York, USA. Given that Mrs. Fair was listed as a 67-year-old cabin passenger, this contract raises intriguing questions about why she was traveling and whether she was emigrating, visiting family, or returning home.

This document is invaluable, offering a verifiable migration record that links passengers with official ship manifests. It provides evidence of the growing popularity of transatlantic steamship travel and how ticketing and refunds were managed in an era before mass air travel.

📌 Why is this collection important?

✔️ Essential for genealogists – Helping trace ancestors' voyages and migration patterns.

✔️ Vital for historians – Showcasing the realities of 19th-century immigration and maritime travel.

✔️ A learning resource for teachers & students – Offering primary sources to study migration, ocean travel, and social history.

✔️ Explores early passenger rights & maritime laws – Detailing the evolution of travel regulations.

✔️ Highlights both steerage & cabin-class journeys – Covering immigrant hardships and luxury travel alike.

🚢 Each document represents a journey of ambition, struggle, and adventure!

🌍 Who Would Benefit from This Collection?

📖 Teachers & Students – Provides firsthand sources on migration, travel regulations, and the industrialization of ocean travel.

🧬 Genealogists – Connects ancestors to real passenger lists, ship manifests, and migration routes.

📜 Historians – Documents the transition from sailing ships to steamships and how migration shaped global economies.

🛳 Maritime Enthusiasts – Explores how steamship lines developed, their competition, and ticketing systems.

📜 Key Highlights from the Collection

This collection features historically significant documents, each providing a unique insight into the realities of ocean travel in the 19th century. Below are some of the most compelling records:

🚢 SS Admiral (1854): A French Immigrant’s Harsh Journey to America

🔹 Passenger: Naber Vinceut (possibly Vincerot)

🔹 Route: Le Havre, France → New York

🔹 Why It’s Important:

✔️ Illustrates early steerage travel conditions for French immigrants.

✔️ Details the strict regulations and legal requirements placed on passengers.

✔️ One of the earliest contracts highlighting the Vanderbilt European Steamship Line.

🚢 SS Devonshire (1855): The Packet Ship Era & Transatlantic Migration

🔹 Passenger: Michail Abrahams (14)

🔹 Route: London → New York

🔹 Why It’s Important:

✔️ Sheds light on packet ship travel—before steamships took over.

✔️ Illustrates long-duration ocean travel in the mid-19th century.

✔️ Documents the operations of the Swallowtail Line, a major player in early transatlantic shipping.

🚢 SS Yorkshire (1859): A Glimpse into Packet Ship Travel & U.S. Diplomacy

🔹 Passenger: Nicholas Fish (American diplomat)

🔹 Route: New York → Bremen, Germany

🔹 Why It’s Important:

✔️ Links maritime travel with early American diplomacy.

✔️ A rare contract showing high-profile passengers aboard packet ships.

✔️ Provides insight into early transatlantic business and diplomatic travel.

🚢 SS Reigate (1867): A Luxury Voyage from Australia to London

🔹 Passenger: Margaret Schenk & three children

🔹 Route: Melbourne → London

🔹 Why It’s Important:

✔️ A rare look at first-class cabin travel in the 19th century.

✔️ Documents a woman and her children making a long-distance voyage.

✔️ Tied to the Passengers Act of 1855, which sought to improve travel conditions.

🚢 SS Columbia (1873): Transatlantic Steamship Travel & Passenger Rights

🔹 Passenger: Mrs. Andrew Fair (67 years old)

🔹 Route: Glasgow, Scotland → New York

🔹 Why It’s Important:

✔️ Represents the increasing use of steamships for transatlantic travel.

✔️ One of the earliest documented cases of ticketing and refund policies.

✔️ Raises questions about older passengers and their reasons for long-distance travel.

💰 Ticket Prices: Then vs. Now

💰 Average 19th-Century Steerage Ticket Price: $10 to $30 USD.

💰 2020 Equivalent (Adjusted for Inflation): $300 to $1,000 USD.

📌 Did You Know?

✔️ Packet ships, which dominated before steamships, had unpredictable schedules and took weeks to cross the Atlantic.

✔️ Cabin passengers traveled in greater comfort, but steerage passengers endured crowded, unsanitary conditions.

✔️ Steamships revolutionized migration, reducing voyage times and improving safety.

🖼 Noteworthy Images in the Collection

🖼 📜 Original Passage Contracts – Preserving history with handwritten names, destinations, and ticketing details.

🖼 🚢 Packet Ships & Early Steamers – Illustrating how ocean travel evolved over time.

🖼 📄 Passenger Lists & Agent’s Records – Vital documents that link families to their ancestors’ migration stories.