Colonial Land and Emigration Commission

Lore & Background

The commission was created by a formal commission from Queen Victoria on 14 January 1840, merging the South Australian Colonization Commission and the Agent-General for Emigration. Thomas Frederick Elliot, who had been appointed Agent-General for Emigration in 1837, became a member of the new body. The commission issued reports showing total numbers of immigrants to various colonies, which were published in newspapers, and also published the Colonization Circular from at least 1843 to 1870.

In 1852, Irish surgeon Andrew Sexton Gray was appointed as a surgeon-superintendent for the commission, accompanying migrants on assisted passage schemes as the ship's chief medical officer and maintaining their welfare and discipline. From 1856 the commission was generally known as the 'Emigration Commission' after the British Government granted Australian colonies control of land sales within their territories, though the full name technically remained in force until its abolition. The commission was formally abolished on 31 March 1878, with its staff and remaining functions transferred to the Colonial Office.

Reader's Guide

The Colonial Land and Emigration Commission played a central role in shaping the demographic and economic development of British settler colonies during the mid-19th century. By managing assisted emigration schemes, it helped channel hundreds of thousands of migrants to colonies such as New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia, directly contributing to the expansion of these territories. Its publication of emigration statistics and the Colonization Circular provided valuable information to prospective emigrants and colonial administrators, influencing migration patterns. The commission's work also reflected the evolving relationship between the British government and its colonies: after 1856, when Australian colonies gained control of land sales, the commission's role diminished, leading to its eventual abolition in 1878. Its legacy includes the administrative framework for state-sponsored emigration and a rich archival record that historians use to study migration, colonial policy, and social conditions aboard emigrant ships.

Did You Know?

• The commission was established by a formal commission from Queen Victoria on 14 January 1840.
• Thomas Frederick Elliot, appointed Agent-General for Emigration in 1837, became a member of the new body.
• Irish surgeon Andrew Sexton Gray was appointed as a surgeon-superintendent for the commission in 1852.
• The commission was formally abolished on 31 March 1878, with its staff and functions transferred to the Colonial Office.