Passenger ticket for the clipper ship BALTIMORE from New York to Melbourne
Printer
Nesbitt & Co
Date8 January 1853
Object number00016598
NamePassenger ticket
MediumInk on paper
DimensionsOverall: 107 x 190 mm
Mount / Matt size: 275 × 382 mm
Mount / Matt size: 275 × 382 mm
ClassificationsEphemera
Credit LineANMM Collection
Purchased with USA Bicentennial Gift funds
DescriptionThis passenger ticket was issued to Chas Boyd, his wife and child for passage on board the clipper ship BALTIMORE. The Boyd's were traveling to Melbourne from New York in a second class cabin state room. This ticket was issued in the United States on 8 January 1853, at a cost of two hundred and forty dollars. During the 1850s thousands of people travelled to Australia to take advantage of the opportunities that the gold rush and the growing economy raised.HistoryTo emigrate or remain at home was a major decision faced by many families in the 19th century. In the United Kingdom and Ireland alone, these reasons included land clearance (Scotland and Ireland), famine (Ireland), unemployment (England), the desire to get rich or the quest for political or religious freedom (Cornwall, the Midlands, Scotland and Ireland).
During the 1850s and 1860s the discovery of gold in California and Australia instigated the movement of many people. Tens of thousands of miners criss-crossed the Pacific Ocean between Australia and America, with a £20 one-way ticket buying them a bunk and space for one trunk. The trip between Sydney and San Francisco took about six weeks. The travellers and emigrants brought with them their home customs and left a lasting impact on Australian society, technology, economy and lifestyle.
Steerage accommodation was the cheapest passage that could be booked. Two passengers shared a berth that was six feet long and 3 feet wide and passengers were allowed two canvas bags to hold their clothes for a month. Each month they could access their sea chests for fresh clothes. First class cabins were approximately six feet long and seven feet wide, fitted out with a sleeping berth that was six feet long and three feet wide. Light and fresh air was provided by a port in the side of the ship or deck lights and ventilators above. Some cabins also had a wash stand or side table.
SignificanceThis is a rare surviving example of a passenger ticket during the busy decade of the Australian gold rush. It highlights the movement of thousands of people to Australia during the mid-19th century.
