Hints to Emigrants, or, Incidents in the Emigration of John Smith of Smith Town
Artist
Percy Cruikshank
Publisher
J Harwood
Date1850-1859
Object number00003876
NameBook
MediumInk on paper
DimensionsOverall: 1 x 218 x 132 mm, 0.05 kg
ClassificationsBooks and journals
Credit LineANMM Collection
DescriptionA book of cartoons etched by John Cruikshank titled "Hints to Emigrants, or, Incidents in the Emigration of John Smith of Smith Town". The book features a two page introduction and nine cartoon scenes depicting fictional scenarios the emigrant "John Smith" finds himself in after emigrating to a new country and attempting to establish a home and ultimately, 'Smith Town'.HistoryThere were many guides and information booklets published by various government, religous and social groups to help emigrants on the many stages of the process - pre departure, the voyage and on arrival in the new country. This particular book by Cruikshank takes a humerous look at some of the situations and potential disasters of life in an unfamiliar environment. Some of the reviews for his work read "Among the multitude of Hints and Directions to intending emigrants with which the press just now literally teems, we have been amused with the illustrative version of the emigration lesson delivered by Mr Percy Cruikshank. It presents 'Incidents in the Emigration of John Smith' and suggests in a picturesque and humerous manner some of the perils and annoyaces of the emigrants early settlerment...Some useful lessons may certainly be deduced from them; but we suspect that generally emigrants would laugh at the depicted difficulties here presented."SignificanceAmongst the literature available to assist or 'counsel' the thousands of new emigrants during the C19th it is a point of interest to find a humerous example such as this book by Percy Cruikshank. While some of his etched scenes may have taken inspiration from real stories, his humerous approach may have provided some light relief to those about to embark on that life changing journey.
