Hi Michael, I live in Darwin Australia and have been doing research on my grandfather William Salmon for the last 30 years. While I have mostly uncovered all there is to know about my grandfather and his siblings here in Australia. For the last two years with the help of DNA I have now turned my attention to his European heritage.
The only information we were able to go on was that my grandfather’s father Christopher John Salmon and his brother Peter Salmon aged 22 migrated to Brisbane Queensland Australia in 1963 on board the ship Rockhampton leaving Liverpool. While I have found a lot of information about Christopher Salmon here in Australia there is little information about his brother to be found apart from a death certificate. Both Christopher and Peter death certificate state they were born in Kilpatrick Westmeath
According to the Griffiths Valuations, in these listings for the county of Westmeath in the barony of Fore in the Parish of Kilpatrick Townland of Kilpatrick a John Salmon is listed as a lessee of a house, office and land of 18 acres. It cannot be established if this is our 3xgrandfather, other records from a descendant indicate that it is quite possible. A Thomas Salmon was listed as being the lessee of a house, office and land of some 69 acres. Presumably this may have been a relative
These records serve as census substitute for the years before, during, and after the Great Famine.
In the listings for the county of Westmeath in the barony of Fore in the Parish of Kilpatrick Townland of Kilpatrick a John Salmon is listed as a lessee of a house, office and land of 18 acres. It cannot be established if our grandfather was this person or not, however later records from a descendant indicate that it is quite possible.
A Thomas Salmon was listed as being the lessee of a house, office and land of some 69 acres. Presumably this may have been a relative.
I read with interest your post re “Bernard Salmon” who was born 1836 and was married to Mary Salmon (McDermott) born 1839 moved separately from Ireland to Wolverhampton West Midlands England. I gather this too might have happened to my ancestors, while I do know Christopher and Peter must have moved to England to then make it to Australia, but it’s made difficult tracking their parents’ movements. They may have died, they may have been convicts or they may have migrated to America.
My 3X Grandfather John Salmon married a Margaret Bowen who both were born about 1815 in Ireland, and they were presumably married in Ireland sometime before 1835. It is not known how many children they had however we do know that there were two sons born. Peter was the first child born in 1835 and Christopher my GGrandfather in 1837 in Kilpatrick Westmeath Ireland.
really can’t find a married match to either of them who had children named Peter & Christopher which has become a roadblock for me. It is not known what happened with the Salmon family during these times, presumably some if not all the family migrated to England along with other suffering Irish.
Records of our family during this time are not known all that well, however we do know that John and Margaret’s two sons Peter & Christopher respectively emigrated from England and travelled to Brisbane Australia. They had departed from Liverpool England on 18 June 1863 on the ship Rockhampton and arrived around 13 October 1863, a voyage that lasted 116 days, by no means a quick passage.
From DNA records in my Ancestry tree, I have two people who are related to me one from America and one from County Cork - it appears both our 3x grandfathers could be brothers, I’ve sent them massages and they are not responding.
Looking at their family tree I formed the view perhaps their ancestor Theresa Salmon could be a first half cousin to my Grandfather Christopher Salmon. Theresa and her parents and sibling’s birthplace are the same as my grandfather and his brother – if this is the case, then our 2xgrandparents John & Thomas are likely brothers.
I read that Simon Briercliffe who is a social and cultural historian who is researching the contribution of Irish people in the West Midlands. He stated that the Salmons were one of the most important Irish families of the post famine diaspora in the Black Country West Midlands. He says the Salmons were founding members of the Brotherhood of Saint Patrick in Wolverhampton.
While I believe my Ancestors might have lived in Ireland that too might not have been their true origins … I was told the Salmon name was not an Irish name I too would like to visit Ireland when my research is done. I'm writing a book on my grandfather and once that is over, I would like to go visit his homeland.
