Hull

by Nancy Nygård Between 1836 and 1914, over 2.2 million transmigrants passed through Hull on their way to a new life in the U.S., Canada, South Africa, and Australia. These people originated from northern European areas - from Denmark, Finland, Germany, Norway, Russia, and Sweden. Once in Hull they would travel by train to Glasgow, Liverpool, London, or Southampton. From these ports they would board a transatlantic ship. Hugo was one of these 2.2 million transmigrants to pass through Hull. Prior to 1871 men landing in Hull were free to walk wherever they liked until evening, when they had to return to their ship. Women and children remained on board. When it was time to board a train for the west coast, everyone would walk the mile and a half into Hull and to the railway station. Along the way, they interacted with other emigrants and the people of Hull. By the end of the 1860’s outbreaks of cholera were occurring in Hull and in other European ports. In 1871, railways agreed to build waiting rooms for the emigrants to safely take care of their personal needs in a more sanitary environment and to avoid contacts with town people. Railways also agreed to transport their passengers to their railway waiting rooms. The Northeastern Railway’s waiting room had large enough facilities for emigrants to meet ticket agents, wash, use the toilet and take shelter from the weather. Authorities in Hull never built emigrant lodging as town projects or investments. However, emigrant housing was built by private investors. In 1877 alone, twenty emigrant lodging houses were licensed by the Town Council. Emigrant lodging houses were different than common lodging houses. Each could accommodate twenty to eighty people per night. Emigrants stayed only when necessary and most arrived in and departed Hull within twenty-four hours. Railway waiting rooms seemed to be preferred, as no additional fee was collected. Railway stations, piers and immigrant lodging continued to grow until 1905. In 1905 the Alien

Immigration Act became law. It limited the number of European immigrants that could enter Britain each year but did not limit the number of transmigrants who could travel through Britain. By 1914 the level of migration via Hull had declined dramatically. With the outbreak of WWI and the passing of immigration acts in South Africa and America, the era of mass transmigration via the UK and from Europe at large, ended nearly overnight. Source • Evans, Dr. Nicholas J. Migration from

Northern Europe to America via the

Port of Hull, 1848–1914. http://www. norwayheritage.com/articles/templates/ voyages.asp?articleid=28&zoneid=6http:// www.norwayheritage.com/ articles/templates/voyages. asp?articleid=28&zoneid=6.

mr. hoffstedt

Meeting Mr. Hoffstedt in Southampton was fortuitous for our emigrants. He arrived in Southampton on September 22, 1910, and had already made this journey three times. Mr. Hoffstedt was a seasoned emigrant that would have answered all their questions and calmed some of their worries. Georg Gustaf Andersson Hoffstedt was born in Gamlakarleby on August 2, 1882, the son of Anders Hoffstedt, master dyer, and his wife Maria Elisabet Skogman. In the US, he lived in Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, and New Jersey. He worked mainly in shipyards and factories but in Brooklyn he worked as a caterer. Mr. Hoffstedt died in 1931 in the United States. He had crossed the Atlantic at least nine times. His wandering spirit never really settled down.

Above: Immigrants lined up waiting at the money exchange. Left: The Registry Room at Ellis Island. The immigrants in the pens have passed the first mental inspection. Photos: The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Photography Collection, The New York Public Library.