If you search the forum you will find many threads on this subject and why they emigrated. The main reasons why people emigrated then are much the same as why people have moved to other parts of the UK and other countries in recent times. Such as higher wages and better working conditions and a chance of a better life. Others moved simply to a place where work was available.

Here is one of the threads:

Emigration of coal miners
http://www.forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?mode=thread&id=25364

Sailing to North America Advert 1887

www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk gives the exact figures from 1820 to the 1960s. There is a massive increase in the 1880s but an even bigger one in the decade 1900-1909. 1870s a total of about 2 3/4 million people emigrated to the USA, 1880s the figure was 5 1/4 million and in the 1900 decade it was 8 1/5 million.
As well as trying to get a better life and work there was the movement for religious freedom, people's interest in exploring the vast areas beyond the eastern seaboard and purchasing land etc. There was also a huge amount of poverty in Britain then (see Charles Dickens' novels) and fear of the Workhouse.

However it is also important to acknowledge how much easier it was to travel when steam ships took over from sailing ships and with better communications e.g. postal services,the telegraph system etc. it might have made people feel that the move was not such a wrench as keeping in touch with people at home would be easier than previously.

People may also have been enticed by incentives to move to do jobs for which there were shortages. For example one of my ancestors (not from the Forest of Dean) went to Australia on an assisted passage in 1880s as a labourer, to build railways, he gave up a very skilled job to do it (silversmith).

The following Advert appeared in the Gloucester Citizen

SHIPPING

C A N A D A

The CANADIAN GOVERNMENT has now instituted a Complete System of ORGANISED EMIGRATION securing special employment advantage to Farm Hands, Railwaymen, Domestic Servants, etc. All the benefits of this system can be obtained

FREE OF CHARGE

beyond lowest fares at any COOK's numerous Offices. Choose your steamer before it is too late , and send deposit of £1 to

THOS. COOK & SON, The Cross, Gloucester, 365 High St. Cheltenham

-----

£6 to AUSTRALIA

For ASSISTED PASSAGES TO AUSTRALIA and NEW ZEALAND application should be made at once to the nearest Cook's office, where intending immigrants can obtain, free of charge, information, guidance and Government pamphlets describing all the advantages offered by the different Colonies, including Free Land Grants.

THOS COOK & SON, The Cross, Gloucester, 365 High St. Cheltenham

I have a huge collection of postcards and photographs of ships from the 1840s to the 1970s - some 30,000. Many are passenger ships from the major and many minor shipping lines. If you are looking for a photo of the ship your ancestors sailed on, ask away and I shall see if I have an image of the ship in question. I'm strongest on transatlantic liners (both North and South Atlantic) and ships to the Cape and Australia/New Zealand from the period 1870-1970.

Ask away and I shall try and help you find a view of the ship required.

Also, there is an excellent site called www.theshipslist.com which is very good for all emigration queries. This gives basic fleets lists, details of individual ships, details of where to find emigration records and crew records for ships, as well as lots of other useful genealogical information relating to emigration worldwide and to ships in general.

Campbell