Empire and indentured labour: the Immigration Department, 1842–1920

This paper explores the role of the British Empire's Immigration Department, which was a key component of the colonial administration that helped the empire in the move from slavery to Indian indenture. It also looks at the department's role in the imperial networks that connected London with Calcutta, and the labour-importing colonies. To distinguish indenture from slavery, which was the subject of much controversy among English intellectuals, the colonial empire implemented a number of procedures, the most significant of which was the formation of the Immigration Department. While this study delves deep into the overall working of the Immigration Department, it also explores the various interventions of the Immigration Department as a protector in the matters of indentured labourers.