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Emigration to Australia - Ship called the "Bride"

I would be interested in connecting with anyone that had an ancestor that emigrated from Ireland to Victoria, Australia, on the ship called, "Bride" in 1852.  My Mary Fitzgerald (my 2nd great grandmother) was from the region around Kilbehenny (on the border of Co. Limerick and Co. Cork).

 

I would like to find out where the ship sailed from, how did they find out about the opportunity (newspaper?) and any other circumstances about the trip.  I do not believe Mary was an orphan, nor do I believe she came out on a bride ship to specifically marry.  In Melbourne she stayed with her aunt, her husband and children which were of a similar age.

Wendy Goodall

3 replies

Wendy,

There was a report in the Hampshire Independent of 26th June 1852 that the Bride, under Captain Nattrass, sailed from Plymouth to Port Philip in 75 days.

I can’t answer your specific question about how your ancestor came to travel to Australia but the papers in the 1850s were full of emigration adverts. Competition for the business was fierce and agents often threw in passage to England free as part of the deal. There were regular sailing from ports like Queenstown (modern Cobh)  or Cork to Plymouth, Liverpool and other English ports that transcontinental sailings left from.

I have attached a page from the Southern Reporter & Cork Commercial Courier in March 1851 which gives examples (see under “Shipping”).

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Hi Elwyn,

Thank you so much for your quick response and your two reference articles!!

 

Best regards.

Wendy

Wendy Goodall

Hello Wendy- Did your ancestor, Mary Fitzgerald arrive in Melbourne on the Bride voyage in 1852 or 1853? Three Mary Fitzgeralds are listed on the passenger list in 1853 but I can’t find a listing for a Mary Fitzgerald on the 1852 voyage. If she arrived in 1853, I have a small bit of information which may interest you. 

Regards,

Margaret

 

margmckeownau@…

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