Passenger Database
This computerised touch-screen interactive allows the user to access primary and secondary source data relating to arrivals from the United Kingdom, parts of Europe and Australia to Wellington (Wellington only and Wellington as first port of call) between 1839-1897.
Pictured are young children from Sacred Heart Primary School, Petone engaging with the computer. From the Petone Settlers Museum archives.
Currently there are four major emigration periods for which surnames may be accessed. These are
(i) The New Zealand Company Period (1839-1850)
(ii) The Provincial Government [Wellington] Period (1853-1870)
(iii) Vogel Government Period (1871-1888)
(iv) Social Security Period (1886-1910 - records currently finish at 1897).
Data has been sourced from
- The Alexander Turnbull Library
- Archives New Zealand
- Wellington Public Library
- NZ Society of Genealogists
- The Museum of Wellington City and Sea.
There are over one thousand vessel/voyages held within the database. The system not only includes information about each voyage, including shipping lists, but also displays images (where available) of vessels from public and private collections.
The database also includes over 600 supplied family history files, containing photographs of individuals or families that were physically on board the vessel at the time of arrival in Wellington.
User Charges
The database can be searched in person at the museum for free. Print-outs cost $3 per A4 page.
If you cannot visit us enquiries are welcome by phone, fax or email. Searches undertaken by staff cost $25 per search, regardless of whether any information is found, this includes up to 5 pages of print out + $3 per additional print out page. The maximum search time is an hour.