Migration to New Worlds: The Century of Immigration – New Resource
The Library has recently acquired access to the Adam Matthew database Migration to New Worlds which provides primary source material relating to the migration of people to the New Worlds over a 350 year period.
Including materials such as Government policy and reports; ship plans, papers and logs; pamphlets advising migrants on opportunities afforded to them in the New Worlds; and personal accounts in the form of letters, diaries, and oral histories.
Helping Setters to Start in Canada provides a good example of what might have motivated those leaving the old world for the new.
Whereas documents such as Emigration for the Million: The Digest of a Plan for More Equally Locating the Population of Great Britain and Ireland Throughout the British Empire hints at prevailing opinions in some sectors of British Society at the time.
Migration to New Worlds allows users to explore the archive by themes, such as Motives for Emigration, Ships and Shipping Lines, Religion, Ethnic Identity and Community Relations, Politics, Legislation and Governance, and many more.
A large image collection is available, including photographs of ships, migrants, ports, housing, etc. as well as posters, tickets, maps, and objects.
A range of interactive tools allow further exploration of the collection, using the Migration Maps tool you can explore trends in migration by selecting a country of destination (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, USA), a year, and country of origin.
Other interactive tools allow you to explore the Tenement Museum Apartments, New York; The Star of India Emigrant Ship; and Grosse Île Island, the entry point for many migrants to Canada.
If you’re accessing Migration to New Worlds off-campus you’ll need to sign in:
- From the Migration to New Worlds homepage click Login for trial access at the bottom left of the page;
- Select the UK Access Management Federation from the login options;
- Start to enter University of St Andrews into the institution search box, and select University of St Andrews from the results
- This takes you to the University of St Andrews SSO page where you enter your University username and password.
On campus you don’t need to sign in.
Happy exploring!