Repatriation of indentured Indians from Fiji


Between 1879 and 1916, tens of thousands of Indians moved to Fiji to work as indentured labourers, especially on sugarcane plantations. Repatriation of indentured Indians from Fiji began on 3 May 1892, when the British Peer brought 464 repatriated Indians to Calcutta. Various ships made similar journeys to Calcutta and Madras, concluding with Sirsa's 1951 voyage. In 1955 and 1956, three ships brought Indian labourers from Fiji to Sydney, from where the labourers flew to Bombay.

Conditions of return

Indentured Indians wishing to return to India were given two options. One was travel at their own expense and the other free of charge but subject to certain conditions. To obtain free passage back to India, labourers had to have been above age twelve upon arrival, completed at least five years of service and lived in Fiji for a total of ten consecutive years. A child born to these labourers in Fiji could accompany his or her parents or guardian back to India if he or she was under twelve.
Due to the high cost of returning at their own expense, most indentured immigrants returning to India left Fiji around ten to twelve years after arrival. Indeed, just over twelve years passed between the voyage of the first ship carrying indentured Indians to Fiji and the first ship to take Indians back.

Repatriation

Given the steady influx of ships carrying indentured Indians to Fiji up until 1916, repatriated Indians generally boarded these same ships on their return voyage. The total number of repatriates under the Fiji indenture system is recorded as 39,261, while the number of arrivals is said to have been 60,553. Because the return figure includes children born in Fiji, many of the indentured Indians never returned to India.
Direct return voyages by ship ceased after 1951. Instead, arrangements were made for flights from Sydney to Bombay, the first of which departed in July 1955. Labourers still travelled to Sydney by ship.

List of ship charters to India

Name of shipDate of departureCalcutta arrivalsMadras arrivalsTotal arrivals
British Peer3 May 1892464 464
Hereford25 June 18922424
Moy28 April 1893529 529
Ems5 May 1894576 576
Hereford16 July 1894447 447
SS Virawa14 May 1895608 608
Erne14 May 1896675 675
Moy15 June 1898393 393
Avon10 August 1899328 328
Ganges12 September 189933 33
Elbe23 July 1900405 405
SS Fazilka2 July 1901515 515
SS Fazilka5 July 1902479 479
Arno15 September 1903549 549
Arno19 August 1904366 366
SS Virawa26 July 1905341 341
SS Fazilka1 May 1906321 321
SS Fazilka10 February 1907533 63 596
SS Fazilka1 May 190726 21 47
SS Sangola30 March 1908606 87 693
SS Sangola11 February 19096054 114
SS Sangola16 March 1910351 20 371
SS Santhia30 April 191018 23 41
SS Sutlej8 July 1911545 102 647
SS Sutlej7 October 191153 8 61
SS Sutlej9 May 1912616 103 719
SS Ganges28 February 1913681126807
SS Chenab8 March 1914675264801
SS Chenab22 June 191432133354
SS Mutlah13 May 191547395568
SS Chenab6 September 1916486242728
Ganges I7 June 19208443031,147
Ganges II30 August 19201046821,128
SS Ganges12 November 19208922391,131
SS Torilla18 December 192011341051,239
SS Ganges12 February 192114441491,593
SS Ganges24 May 192110002141214
SS Ganges7 June 1920695241936
SS Ganges12 November 1920799166965
SS Torilla18 December 19201808931,901
Ganges12 February 19219741001,074
Ganges24 May 19219961781,174
SS Chenab22 November 1921739249988
SS Sutlej6 June 1922512454966
SS Chenab27 December 1922565372937
Ganges6 November 1923411560971
SS Sutlej20 December 19245584641,022
Unknown25 January 19267014871,188
SS Ganges31 January 1927528528
Ganges26 February 19275145821,096
SS Sutlej21 April 1928530442972
SS Sutlej8 July 1929365286651
SS Sutlej16 March 1930346305651
SS Ganges7 September 1931103171274
Ganges14 May 19327693169
Ganges30 August 1933136112248
SS Ganges22 August 19347845123
SS Elephanta14 November 19358280162
SS Ganges24 December 193610566171
SS Ganges21 April 193810986195
SS Ganges20 September 19395665121
MV Orna3 August 194710652158
SS Selma13 May 194512719
MV Orna5 March 1948293261
MV Orna18 August 19487050120
MV Orna8 July 19499547142
Unknown28 March 1950532275
SS Sirsa17 May 1951341246
Total39,157

mMen
wWomen
bBoys
gGirls
iInfants

List of ship charters to Sydney

The following ships brought labourers to Sydney.
Name of shipFlight departureNumber of departures
Strathmore25 July 195525
Stratheden29 November 195568
Strathnaver24 July 195612
Total105