Ann Theresa / Theresa Ann Mackey Dun Laoghaire, Kingstown Possible Derry

Peter,

I can’t see any obvious benefit in changing denomination when migrating.

The name Ann Mackey is pretty common in Ireland. In the 1901 census there were 87 women with that name in the country. It would have been just as common in the mid 1800s. I suspect the lady from Derry is not your ancestor, just someone else with the same name and approximate age.

Thank you for your quick reply Elwyn.

Sadly so many early records relating to the early settlement of Australia are missing.

Cheers

Peter

G'Day Elwyn,

I am still looking into this Ann Mackey and David Mackey who arrived on the New York Packet into Sydney NSW October 1841. The more I dig, the more I think they are "my ancestors". I am also searching in the Bathurst NSW area then Sydney to track her/their movements.

The New York Packet Emigration Agent was a John Miller from Glasgow working in conjunction with Gilchrist & Alexander from Sydney.

I can find information on John Miller's activities in Scotland but not in Ireland. The 2 pages of passenger lists I have copies of show roughly 50/50 Irish and Scotland people.

Can you suggest where I may look to find Irish participation.

Regarding Ann Mackey and the religion query:

I have discovered Ann/Theresa was not averse to "being free with the truth" to achieve her aims so it is still possible. Her father was a Land Steward so could have gone north with work.

Thank you

Peter

A lot of Irish emigrants left via Britain because it was easy to get to and because there were generally far more sailings from there. In the mid-1800s Liverpool was acting as a clearing house for most of Europe as well as Britian and Ireland and there were often 2 or 3 sailings a day from there to places like Canada and the US, in contrast to just a few a month from Ireland. There was a lot of competition for the business and many agents threw in passage to Scotland or England free as part of the package.

In each major town around Ireland there were local agents who could assist with arranging passage. Often a sideline for the local Postmaster or Hotel owner. The prospective emigrant spoke to the agent and said they wanted to go to Australia (or wherever) and he would then send a few letters to enquire what ships were available in the next couple of months. So that could be from Glasgow, Liverpool, Tilbury or Plymouth and sometimes from a port in Ireland. If the passenger settled on a particular voyage, the agent would then sort out travel from Ireland to the relevant port. As far as Glasgow was concerned there was always a huge amount of trade between Ireland and Glasgow and there were cargo boats going back and forth all the time. The main business was freight and livestock and passengers were just top up revenue, and quite cheap. The passenger(s) got issued with tickets to Glasgow or Greenock and onwards to Australia and the local agent got some commission from the operator in Scotland. So it wasn’t a single agent organising this but local commission agents around the country. That said in Derry J & J Cooke and McCorkell lines owned their own ships which plied from Glasgow to Derry/Moville and then on the Canada and the US, but a lot of other business was arranged through local agents in the small towns.

Belfast to Glasgow in the days of steam ships was usually an overnight journey of about 11 hours. Presumably sailing boats took a bit longer but it would normally be less than 24 hours. I have seen steerage class fares quoted of between 3 and 6 pence in the 1800s.

Elwyn,

Thanks for clearing this up for me.

Peter