Emigration to Australia

1. Emigration to Australia

2. Australia • People who left for Australia were under no illusion that this was for life. • The people that did in the 19th century, stayed and made a life ‘Down Under’. • Australia began as a prisoner colony until 1868. • Because of this, it would need goods, organisation, and an army to control the natives and prisoners.

3. Australia • Some went as prisoner's but some went to be ruling classes. • It made sense for people of the middle classes from Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen. • People in these cities made huge amounts from trading with Empire countries. • People that owned these companies sent second sons to these areas like Australia to look after their interests abroad.

4. Other groups • Other people went to Australia. • Some from poorer backgrounds. • Builders, labourers, ministers, carpenters, joiners, all these jobs needed desperately filled. • By 1850 , almost 25% of the population in Australia had come from Scotland.

5. ‘That Land of Exiles’ states ‘There were moments in the evolution of the Australian colonies when the Scots seemed to dominate, even to the point of giving the southern continent a distinctively Caledonian complexion. When Neil Black arrived in 1839, he exclaimed that it was a ‘Scotch colony’ and that ‘two-thirds of the inhabitants are Scotch’. In the gold fields of the 1850s, each rush had it Highland camp in the evening with the sound of bagpipes.’ BBC Clip 4360

6. Source A Source A is by Mr Donald of Rubislaw, an emigrant in Australia, who sent a letter from Melbourne in 1851. “I think I will like this country well. The allowance for servants here is 10ibs beef or mutton, 10ibs flour, 4oz tea, a free house and fuel. Wages are from £26 to £30; but it is expected they will be higher soon, as the servants are almost all leaving for the gold diggings… I intend to go to one myself…Scotch servants are preferred above the others, the English next and Paddy last of all.” How useful is Source A as evidence about life in Australia for emigrants?(5)

7. Impact of Scots in Australia • Scots were influential on the development of the country. • 1933, 14.7% of the non-Australian born population.

8. Economic, Enterprise and Political • Many people entered politics. • New South Wales, many leaders were Scottish. • Andrew Fisher, Australia’s first Labour Party PM in 1908. • James Munro, Sutherland and was 15th Premier of Victoria. In 1882, he established the Federal Bank. His institutions still exist.

9. Cultural • Peter Dodds McCormack, born in P.Glasgow, wrote the Australian National Anthem. • Scots were amongst the stonemasons who built the Sydney Opera House.

10. Economic, Enterprise and Political • Women were also important. • Catherine Helen Spence emigrated in 1839 and became the first female political candidate and first female journalist. • Campaigned for female suffrage and was often called Australia’s Greatest woman. • She appears on the 5 dollar note. BBC 4371

11. Economic, Enterprise and Political • Other areas the Scots were important. • The development of swimwear, “Speedos” were designed by Alexander McCrae. • The “Freddo” bar was created by the MacRobertson confectionary company owned by a Scot and then taken over by Cadbury.

12. Cultural • Associations set up. • These associations still exist today. • Set up to keep links with Scotland and hold social events like Highland Games. • When leaving their homeland, they become ‘more Scottish’. • Burns nights and pipe bands were set up.

13. Native societies • Often Scots would arrive with the intent of farming or mining the land.