Passports

Passports developed from letters of introduction and safe conduct passes in medieval times. Until 1915, when they became mandatory for British subjects re-entering the country, there were few practical restrictions on individuals who wished to enter the UK or travel abroad (provided they could afford to do so). Documents similar to passports were issued by the Scottish crown (prior to the Union of Crowns in 1603) and by burghs, senior churchmen and noblemen. These were letters of introduction or safe conduct for individuals (mainly aristocrats or their agents) travelling in Europe, sometimes on official business. Examples of these precursors of the modern passport can be found in collections of private family papers deposited in Scottish archives and libraries, and an examination of these gives an indication of how passports developed from the 17th century to the 20th century. 17th century passes appear to have been rudimentary single page documents, often in Latin. By the early 19th century some travellers appear to have carried more elaborate folders containing a passport issued by the Foreign Office (countersigned or stamped or sealed by consuls, police departments and other civil authorities of the cities and states visited). In 1846 regulations were drawn up regarding applications for passports issued by the Foreign Office. These could be contained in wallets specially made by stationers, which look very like modern passport holders. British passports, in the modern sense, were introduced in 1915.

Contributors: Robin Urquhart (SCAN, 2002), David Brown (National Archives of Scotland, 2002), Olive Geddes (National Library of Scotland, 2002).