A valuable
resource for those researching Assisted Immigration into Queensland is the
online index of Assisted Passengers for the period 1848-1912. This index has
links to the digital images of Passenger Lists. http://www.archives.qld.gov.au/Researchers/Indexes/Immigration/Pages/Immigration1848.aspx
However the
QSA states: ‘This index does not include
all immigration records for the period. The records for the 1860s are
incomplete because they were inundated in the 1893 floods. The registers held
at Queensland State Archives were rewritten from the damaged originals during
that period and contain errors. For example, as entries were
"corrected" and overwritten at the time, some ships have two dates of
arrival recorded. Additional research may be required to confirm details.’
Some of us
have read this qualifying statement, but not thought about the implications for
accurate research. Many of us have not even read it, assuming that a government
produced record must be correct.
TDDFHS
member, Diana Beal, has proved the following errors:
* The list for the Young Australia 1862 voyage is in fact for the
1865 (29 May-20 Aug) voyage.
* The list for the Fiery Star 1864 voyage is in fact for the 1863
voyage (both arrived 20 Nov.)
Also our member Doreen found:
* The Dirigio of 1860 is mis-transcribed as the “Dingo”
We would be grateful if anyone
has proof of other errors, to please advise our TDDFHS secretary, so we can
alert other researchers via our website and our journal The Gazette. The full transcript of Diana’s research is
in the society’s latest journal.
