The first ‘modern’ passports date from 1915, but circa 1850 passports became standardized documents used by nationals to travel abroad. They began life as a single sheet of paper, but by 1915 had also begun to include a photograph. Application records for passports found here can provide great detail about the individual applicant, as well as the knowledge that your ancestor likely travelled abroad at some point – which may lead to new lines of enquiry.
The first ‘modern’ passports date from 1915, but circa 1850 passports became standardized documents used by nationals to travel abroad. They began life as a single sheet of paper, but by 1915 had also begun to include a photograph. Application records for passports found here can provide great detail about the individual applicant, as well as the knowledge that your ancestor likely travelled abroad at some point – which may lead to new lines of enquiry.