Catherine Glynn

Catherine Glynn was born circa 1833 in County Galway. 

At some point in her early years, Catherine entered into the Mountbellew Workhouse, but her stay would not be permanent one. 

On the 29th of November, 1852, Catherine along with 31 other girls from the Mountbellew Workhouse, embarked upon a voyage to Australia on board a ship called The Palestine. She and her fellow orphan girls endured a harrowing five months at sea before docking in Fremantle, Australia. 

Once in Western Australia, Catherine found work as a domestic servant. She was employed by a couple named Charles and Anne Heal. It was through this line of work that she met her husband, Samuel Blackmore. The two were married in 1855. Samuel was a London born former sailor who had taken up work as a farm labourer. They had five children together, Mary Jane, James, Thomas, Samuel Junior, and Catherine Elizabeth, though James and Samuel Junior would not survive infancy. 

Around 1868, Catherine and her family moved south to a place called Arthur River. There they established their own business cutting sandalwood and carting goods. 

In 1875 they began to work a small farm which they called 'Jamboo', between the towns of Katanning and Woodanilling. 

Catherine died in 1899 at roughly 66 years of age. 

 

This Chronicle was created with thanks to the Mountbellew Workhouse Orphan Girls Project