British Identity Books

In Britain, The admission of alien immigrants had been a source of recurring controversy for centuries and the relatively heavy influx of Eastern Europeans in the late 19th century had given rise to fears of an 'alien invasion' and led to the passage of the Aliens Act of 1905. The Act was Britains first imigration control law. Other laws followed including the British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act, 1914. These contols became even stricter during, and even after, World War I.

U.S. Passports as we know them today didn't come into being until 1926 with the passing of the Passport Act of 1926.

In 1919, Alphonse T. Hussey traveled to Britain on business. He was required to register with the police in order to obtain an Identity Book and to regularly check-in afterwards. This included esablishing his whereabouts as he moved about the country.