The past, we are told, is a foreign country and although this is true, we can draw some parallels with the world of today. In 1848, at the height of ‘an Gorta Mór’, the Great Irish Famine, a scheme known largely as the Earl Grey Orphan scheme was enacted. Firstly, this scheme was aimed at reducing over-crowding in Ireland’s workhouses and secondly, it would provide more women for Australia where there was a severe shortage in female immigrants. Many Cavan girls ended up being moved to Australia as a result of this policy.
Earl Grey Scheme.
For people today, the title ‘Earl Grey’ is synonymous with a cup of flavoured tea. However, in the late 1840’s, Earl Grey was secretary of state for the Colonies and the chief architect of the Orphan scheme which saw more than 4,000 Irish women and girls shipped out to Australia. Workhouse unions were tasked with compiling the names of ‘suitable girls’, all of good character and aged between 14 and 18. These girls did not necessarily have to be orphans; many qualified because they no longer resided with their families.
The project received a lot of criticism and only survived for two years, ending in 1850. Dr. Trevor McClaughlin, Sydney, Australia, has done an exceptional job in researching the Orphan lists which include around 100 girls from Co. Cavan. McClaughlin’s book, ‘Barefoot and Pregnant?: Irish Famine Orphans in Australia’, Volume 2, investigates the story. Some of the girls were ‘maligned in the Australian metropolitan press ‘as immoral dregs of the workhouse, ignorant of the skills required of domestic servants’. Eventually, these women became an important part of Australian society, making a valuable contribution to the countries national character. We will now take a look at some of the people from Cavan who were selected for the Earl Grey scheme.
Killinagh Parish
Most of the records listed provide details that link the orphan girls to a specific area in Co. Cavan. However, there are one or two exceptions. In the case of Isabella Marshall aged 18, and her sister Esther aged 17, we know that both their parents, Samuel and Elizabeth were deceased; their address is only given as Co. Cavan.
In February 1850, Catherine McGrath, Mary McHugh, Catherine McMorrow, and Mary Melanophy from Killinagh Parish, Cavan, arrived in Melbourne, on the ship ‘Derwent’. They were aged from 16 to 18 years. Catherine McGrath was described as a house servant; she obtained six months employment with Henry Wade, Portland, Australia, for a wage of £6. Catherine’s parents were not recorded. Mary McHugh, was listed as a farm servant and was employed by Mr. Croxton, Lonsdale Street, Melbourne. Catherine McMorrow had spent some time in the workhouse, between July 1847 and October 1849. She was able to read, and went to work for John Colgan, Little Bourke Street, Melbourne. She was paid a wage of £9 for six months.
Belturbet
Two sisters, Jane and Rose Armstrong, the daughters of John and Rose Armstrong (both parents deceased), arrived in Sydney, on the ship ‘Digby’, in April 1849. Both had been living in Cavan workhouse prior to beginning their new life. In Australia, Rose was employed by Robert Harvey of Wooloomooloo from 25 June 1849. Eventually, she ran away from her employer in November 1849 and was subsequently charged with absconding. However, the case was dropped when she made no appearance. Another Belturbet lady, Mary Bowes, daughter of Joseph and Sarah Bowes (both deceased), had spent time at Cavan workhouse before travelling to Sydney in 1849. Like many of the women, she had no relatives in the colony.
Butlersbridge
In 1849, Catherine Gaffney and her sister Bridget, from Butlersbridge, arrived in Sydney. Their mother and father, James and Bessy Gaffney had both died during the famine. In 1855, Catherine Gaffney married Felix McLoughlin, from Kilrea, Co. Derry. They had eight children. Catherine died on 22 February 1925, at St. Vincent’s Hospital, Lismore, New South Wales. Her younger sister, Bridget married Nathaniel Lawrence, at Bathurst, on 13 January 1851. They both lived at Wallerwaugh, where her husband worked as a shepherd and bushman. The Lawrence’s had thirteen children.
Ballyconnell
In 1849, Maria Thornton, Ballyconnell, the daughter of the late Frank and Elizabeth, was sent from Cavan workhouse to Sydney. In 1852, she married William Tane at ‘Sydney’s Presbyterian Scots Church, Pitt Street’.
Castlerahan
People sent from the Castlerahan region, included, Rose Fegan (Ballyjamesduff), Catherine Finegan, Bridget Lynch (Ballyjamesduff) and Ann Gray. Interestingly, Ann Gray’s parents were recorded as deceased, although her father was still very much alive and living in Van Diemen’s Land. Earlier, in 1840, her father, Terence Gray had been convicted of horse-stealing and was transported to serve a 10 year sentence. Ann was re-united with her father when she then met her future husband, William Baxter. Her husband, a former soldier in the 59th Regiment of Foot, was ‘convicted of desertion in Barbados in 1842’ and like her father, he too had been transported to Van Dieman’s Land. In 1854, Terence Gray applied for ‘free passage’ for his sons, Patrick and Michael who journeyed from Cavan to join him.
Memorial
Many others, too numerous to mention here, were sent out from the towns and districts of Killashandra, Cavan, Swanlinbar, Cootehill, Redhills, Laragh, Lavey, Drumkilly, Mountnugent, Lurgan, Templeport, Kildallan and Mullahoran. In 1999, a monument was unveiled at the Hyde Park Barracks, on Macquarie Street, Sydney. The inspiration for erecting the memorial came from President Mary Robinson while on a visit to Australia in 1995. During the unveiling, Tom Power, Chairman of the Great Irish Famine Commemoration Committee, remarked that the Irish famine orphans, were ‘a continual reminder of the many terrible realities, similar to the great famine of Ireland, occurring in the world today and which cry out for our compassion and concern.’ To discover more about the famine orphan girls, visit the website: www.irishfaminememorial.org/orphans/
