Hi again,
Thank you Dr. P, as we have been in contact now, have much more information on the Kennedy family. For anyone else that can now assist us, our Sophia Kennedy married John William Briscoe in 1829 and we have been able to determine that John Briscoe, Attorney in Dublin Ireland must have died sometime between 1846 and 1849, as Sophia Briscoe then migrated to Australia in 1849.
We are trying to ascertain why Sophia Kennedy came to Australia with her family, Ann aged 16, George 12, John 10, Samuel 8 and Henry 5. Sophia was the daughter of George & Catherine (nee Wood) Kennedy, another high profile Legal Attorney in Tullamore, he died on the 4th February, 1842 aged 78 years. George Kennedy was feted as the Father of the legal profession. Unless Sophia already had family that had migrated, we could see no reason why she would leave Ireland when widowed. Obviously she probably was quite financial, to enable her to make this journey. Her occupation in shipping records shows that she was a House Servant aged 36, her daughter Ann a Nursemaid.
We feel maybe then that there were some other Kennedy family members already in Australia, or maybe the Briscoes.
Trying to find records has been difficult, but we do know now that Sophia had probable siblings born to George & Catherine Kennedy, Charlotte b. 1802, Frederick Bolton b. 1810, Thomas, Samuel, and a Brian born 1813, and then younger siblings Esther b. 1814 who died in Bannagher in 1841, and Elizabeth b. 1819.
If anyone can assist us with any shipping information in regard to these family members that could have migrated, would greatly appreciate that.
John William Briscoe's parent were Henry & Margaret Briscoe (nee Geoghegan) from Kilbeggan.
John was admitted to the Bar in 1813.
Sophia and her family settled on the waterfront of Sydney Harbour and she died aged 74 years in 1885.
