Group on deck of a ship in port c. 1890 (Searcy Collection PRG 280/1/2/537)
The Hamburg Index is a copy of passenger lists compiled in Hamburg for the years 1851 and 1855-1886. The State Library holds a photocopy of the lists - the original 80 lists are held in the Staatsarchiv Hamburg as well as a card index to family names.
In addition the Library holds four other Hamburg lists dated 1851 (Sophie), 1857, 1859 (two voyages of the Peter Godeffroy) and 1873 (Helene).
Both these indexes are held in the Family History area.
See also the 'German Immigration' page.
It is estimated that only between 10 and 15% of the official lists for assisted immigrants arriving in South Australia in the 19th century under the sponsorship of the Colonisation Commission have survived.
These original lists of assisted immigrants can be viewed on the website of the State Records of South Australia, the government archival authority. State records holds records relating to immigration and passenger lists from 1836-1940.
The State Library of South Australia has copies of the passenger lists and the index (known as the '313 index') bound in volumes in our Family History area. We also hold the index on microfiche.
By far the most comprehensive details of shipping arrivals (and departures) for South Australia in the 19th century are found in the old newspapers. The major South Australian newspapers have been digitised by the National Library in conjunction with the State Library of South Australia and are searchable on Trove.
A simple keyword search on the Trove newspapers website using the family name and 'arrivals' e.g. 'smith arrivals' will produce a list which can be searched by decade, state, etc.
The State Library holds the Newspaper index to shipping arrivals listed in three early Adelaide newspapers: the Adelaide Times, South Australian and South Australian Register. These are in 12 volumes located in our Family History area.