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Archiver > LANCSGEN > 2000-01 > 0948150781


From: "Ian Rhodes" <>
Subject: Re: [LAN] British Passports
Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2000 23:13:01 -0000


Hi Malcolm
Thank you very much for this piece of information! I have been struggling to
find out how and when a family left for the US in 1847 and this could be a
new lead. The problem I have is that though they were from Lancashire,
according to the Ancestry.com CDs, they sailed from Ireland. Could this have
been to avoid passport controls? (There was reason this might have been so,
too complicated to go into here)

Ian Rhodes


(Anyone who knows me, this is the alias address. I'm having problems with
bounced mail on the domain name. Probably best to mail both to be on the
safe side!)

Researching:
RHODES in Yorkshire and Cheshire
BINNIE in Falkirk, Lancashire and Cheshire
HARROP in Derbyshire and Cheshire
PRESTWICH in Lancashire
CRABTREE in Cheshire
MOLESDALE in Lancashire and Dent County, Missouri
----- Original Message -----
From: Malcolm Hulme <>
To: <>
Sent: Monday, January 17, 2000 10:24 PM
Subject: Re: [LAN] British Passports


At 14:12 17/01/00 -0600, Lonna Poland wrote:

>I need some advice about British Passports. My grandmother emigrated to
>America in May of 1903. Would she have needed a British Passport, and if
>so, how can I find out how to get a copy of her application?

An Act of Parliament in 1414 mentions passports and the Privy Council
granted passports from 1540 to 1685.
One of the earliest passports that is still in existence is dated 18 June
1641 and is signed by King Charles I.
Up to the days of Charles II all British passports were signed by the King,
but during his reign a second form of passport was instituted, issued by
the Secretary of State.
Since 1794, all passports have been granted by the Secretary of State and a
record exists of EVERY passport.
Passports in those days were issued to foreign nationals (free) whilst
those for British nationals cost £2 2s 6d. The position was regularised in
1858 since when the authorities have only issued passports to their own
nationals.
Before 1772 British passports may have been prepared in Latin, from 1772 to
1858 they were in French, but since 1858 they have always been in English.
In 1915 a one-page passport was introduced, containing a photograph, a
signature and a description of the holder. It was valid for two years.
An International Conference on Passports at Paris in 1920 created a model
passport that had 32 pages and opened like a book. It was valid for 5 years
and could be renewed for a further 5 years.

So I imagine that your grandmother WOULD have needed a passport, and if
that is so, the British Passport Office or the PRO will have a record of it.
Perhaps another lister can provide the research details?
____________________________
Malcolm Hulme
Shetland Islands


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