The Emigrant’s Last Sight of Home, 1858, by Richard Redgrave (1804-1888), Tate Museum. As a result of the industrial revolution, there was widespread unemployment in Britain during the 1830s and 1840s, resulting in mass emigration to the British colonies and the United States.

The Emigrants, 1864, by Erskine Nicol (1825-1904). This picture shows Irish emigrants at Ballinasloe station on their way to Galway to board boats to America. This is one of a number of paintings on the very topical subject of emigration which appeared at public exhibitions around this time. They were intended to draw attention to the plight of the poor, and also to provoke a charitable response in the spectator. Erskine Nicol was born in Scotland but established his reputation painting Irish subjects.

The Emigrants, 1844, William Allsworth, oil on canvas.

From the Old to the New World shows German emigrants boarding a steamer in Hamburg, to New York. Harper’s Weekly, (New York) November 7, 1874

Emigrants Arrival at Cork

Mormon Emigrants Landing on the Wharf at Castle Garden from Ocean Steamers, 1878