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Emigration Learning Resource 4: Activities

Key Questions:
How did the Tourle family travel from West Grinstead to New York? How was the journey funded, by whom and what was covered by the funding?

CHECK/DISCUSS

  • Have a look at the three sources.  What do you think each one is?
  • With a partner try reading each source.
  • Now check what you have managed to read against the transcripts.

Source A

  • When was the document written?
  • Who paid for the Tourles to emigrate?  How much?
  • What was the name of the ship which took the Tourles to New York?
  • The journey was in three stages. Which places did the Tourles visit enroute to board the ship?
  • List all the things covered by the funding money? Is there anything you are surprised to see on this list or anything you think is missing?

Source B

  • What is the date on the bill and how much was it for in total?
  • Who supplied the items?
  • Which was the most expensive and the least expensive items purchased?
  • What was a sea bed, a chamber and a hook pot?
  • What do you notice about the items purchased?

Source C

  • How much did George Thorns give to William Tourle once he was aboard the ship?
  • What do you think William used this money for?

INVESTIGATE

  • Using a map of England work out the distances the Tourle family travelled by carriage from West Grinstead to Horsham, by train to London Bridge and by carriage to the London Docks.
  • Research the Ship Westminster.  Which type of ship was it? How long would it have taken the Tourles to reach America and what would life have been like on board for them?
  • Find out more about the Tourle family and their journey to the USA.
    • When did they arrive in New York?
    • Which records tells us this?
    • Do you know what happened to them after they arrived?
    • Why is it hard to trace them once they land in the USA?

DO

  • Work out how much £67 10 shillings would be worth today using the National Archives currency converter below. This amount was spent on one family of 9 to emigrate to the USA.   Do you think this was a good use of money at the time?  If so why and if not, why not?
  • If you had to suddenly leave your home and emigrate to the USA today what 6 key things would you take with you from your old life here to your new life abroad. Why have you chosen these 6 things?  Justify your choice to a partner/group.
    Do not include any electronic devices such as mobile phones, laptops, tablets etc in your list.
  • Imagine you are one of the Tourle children. Write an account of your journey from West Grinstead up to your arrival on board the Westminster. Remember you have never left West Grinstead before or travelled by steam train or ship. Also you have never been to London before.  Include how you felt and the sights, sounds, smells etc you encounter on your journey.
  • Write a letter as George Thorns, the Poor Law Overseer, thanking the two donors for the money to fund the Tourles emigration to the USA.  Be sure to include the reasons why you think it was a good use of their money and explain how the money was spent and not a penny wasted.

RESOURCES

http://nationalarchives.gov.uk/currency-converter/

Emigrants of West Sussex: The Tourles of West Grinstead, a case study

A Blog about the ship Westminster (1837) by kind permission of Stephen Kuta