Chain Migration from Ireland
“By the 1850s, most of the Irish coming to Australia were freeborn. There were increasing numbers of Irish coming out by chainmigration i.e. brought out by others. They came as labourers and domestics mostly. Also many Scotch Irish came under these schemes.” [Peter Sharkey 2007 Durack Lecture.]
My g g grandparents, Charles Murray (1792-1872) and Susan (Shannon) Murray (1792-1877) brought 17 children to New South Wales. Consequently they were directly or indirectly responsible for 84 Australian “grandchildren”, plus more if John, George and/or William Johnston had children, and many in later generations. See more information under the individual names in the index.
The children were:-
- Six of their own in 1839 “Susan”,
- James 16, Phillip 14, Mary 12, Ellinor 9, Charles 6 and Margaret 3;
- Six orphaned children (and the married Francis’ wife and child) of Mary (Shannon) Johnston, Susan Murray’s deceased sister, in 1855 “Chowringhee” and “Ben Nevis” 1856;
- Francis 26, Ralph 21, John 16, George 12, Margaret 11 and William 10.
- Five orphaned children of Dorinda McGee, Charles Murray’s deceased sister in 1855 “Hilton“,
- James 25, Francis 22, Mary 17, Thomas17, Charles 14.
Margaret (Shannon) Haughey (1816-1869), another sister of Susan (Shannon) Murray, emigrated with her husband John Haughey (1814- ) and family on the “Switzerland” in 1854.
- o They brought three children and a male grandchild, born on the voyage:-
- Rose Anne (Haughey) Dillon 20, Thomas 19, and John 14.
- Rose’s husband John Bernard Dillon came on the “Bee” in 1856.
Consistent with the chain migration principles, John Bernard Dillon’s sponsor was Richard Morrow of Gerringong, “SARAH”1843. Both were from around or near Kesh, Co Fermanagh. Morrow’s mother was Mary Ann Johnston, also from Co Fermanagh, which suggests the need to research a possible family connection to the Johnston family above.
There were very many 19C immigrants from Co Fermanagh in the area south of Wollongong, particularly in the Kiama area. These included several Murray and Johnston families, who may or may not be connected to the Ulladulla/Milton Murrays.
Does the need for research never end?
One particular family currently being studied is the Collins family who arrived from Pettigo, near Kesh, Co Fermanagh on the “Broom” in 1842. Mary (Murray) Collins from Pettigo, age 32, daughter of a deceased James Murray is of an age, and with her father’s name, which fit with a possibility, extremely weak and doubtful at present, that she was the sister of Charles Murray above:-
- “Broom” Arr. Sydney 13 February 1842. James Collins age 31. Native of Coolmanagh (sic), Co Fermanagh. Mary Collins 31. Parents James and Bridget Murray. Father dead. Native of Pettigo, Co Fermanagh. Male child James age 16 months.
Another connection could be with McGrory family, whose name appears among the early marriages.