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Searching for Catherine Collins

Meath

Catherine came out to Sydney on the William and Mary in 1849. Its passengers were mainly Irish single and orphaned females. According to the manifest and other sources, Catherine had been born in Navan, East Meath in 1835/6. Her father, Patrick, was still living and was perhaps a soldier. Her mother Mary was deceased. I do not think she had a good life, giving birth out of wedlock at age 16 or 17 and then marrying the father of her child who himself was only 18. From him, she experienced a decades of physical and financial abuse. He died in the Liverpool Asylum at age 46.

Catherine Collins is a common name but I cannot locate our Catherine's baptism in FamilySearch or Ancestry. I would be very grateful for any assistance.

PS: My wife and I are visiting Ireland (and England and Scotland) in May-June doing the rounds of our family's origins, Our Irish stays are in Clonmel (O'Briens and O'Donnells), Kells (Collins) and Derry (Cliffords, Junkins and Kellys).

raymond clifford

4 replies

Raymond:

I searched the subscription site Roots Ireland and no Catherine Collins baptismal records with father Patrick and mother Mary in Co. Meath in the 1835 time period. Closest was a record in Dundalk Co. Louth. Catherine Collins baptized May 15 1833 to Patrick Collins and Mary Hanratty.

Roger McDonnell

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

G'day Roger

Many thanks for the trouble you went to on my behalf. I have three sources which indicate Catherine's birth was in Meath in 1835-37, so I do not think the record you found matches my Catherine.

I am considering the wisdom of locating the parish church in Navan and while we are visiting Ireland in May-June whether I should bother the priest and beg access to their records of the period.

Again, my thanks

Raymond

raymond clifford

Raymond:

I just looked at the Navan parish register on the National Library site and it appears that baptismal records from May 1813 to September 1842 are not available. https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0955?locale=en

Likely someone tossed the registers at some point in the 1800s or possibly a fire. Here is a link to the Navan RC church website https://www.navanparish.ie/ You should be able to find a contact email address.

Roger

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Again, many thanks Roger. I will chase up those two references.

Best wishes

Raymond

raymond clifford

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