Ellen Cavanagh/Kavanagh Irish Orphan Wexford

[petwal]

Good evening Rootschaters
I am researching the history of my Great Gt Grandmother Ellen Cavanagh/Kavanagh. She immigrated to Australia arriving on the Panama at Sydney on 12 Jan 1850. I would like to ask for assistance in traced her history in Ireland.
Ellen is thought to be an Irish Famine Orphan. Her immigration records show that her age on arrival was 18 her native place was Ross [?] Wexford, her parents, Michael & Judith were both dead, her occupation was nursemaid, she could not read or write and she had no relatives in the colony.
A transcript of the Poor Law Minutes from Wexford for the Week Ending, 8 Sep 1849 p.182 show that she was one of 17 orphans sent to NSW from the Wexford Poorhouse in September 1849.
She married Michael Toohey / Tuohey at Camden NSW 1 September 1850 and had 10 children. The family settled in Cootamundra in southern New South Wales. Ellen died there on 21 September 1906. I and other family historians have researched her story in Australia. However I have not done any research on Irish records before. Any assistance would be appreciated
Petwal Armidale Australia

[conahy calling]

Do you know her religious denomination?  "Ross" could possibly be New Ross

http://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0604

Link to New Ross Roman Catholic parish registers.

http://registers.nli.ie/parishes?q=wexford

List of parishes in County Wexford

Post amended

[Wexflyer]

A couple of points:
- New Ross is commonly referred to as simply Ross. Old Ross is never so referenced.
- Have you searched the Board of Guardians minutes/Workhouse records for her initial admission?
- The Poor Law system was territorially based. Each Poor Law Union had defined boundaries, and supported its own poorhouse/workhouse. The system was supported entirely via local taxes, so there was a large incentive to only support local people, in addition to that being the official rule as well.
- It follows that if she was from Ross, she should have been in New Ross workhouse, not Wexford. From records I have seen, they were very particular about admittance and residence.
- Are you sure that it is the records for the Wexford Union which show her being sent to the Antipodes, or is Wexford possibly being used in a more general sense, of Co. Wexford?

[petwal]

Dear Wexflyer and conahy calling Thanks very much for the emails and information. I will certainly follow this up. I would also like some information on the famine itself. Could you suggest any references on the extent and severity in Wexford. I realise that the Famine was a national disaster but at this distance and time its a little hard to grasp. Any help would be appreciated
Regards Peter Hoare

[aghadowey]

Lots online to read through if you google "irish famine in wexford"

[petwal]

Dear aghadowey Thanks for the information. I will look this up
Regards Peter Hoare

[Wexflyer]

Regarding the Great Famine, Wexford was where the potato blight was first notices in 1845 (though this may be disputed?). However, the famine was not particularly severe in Wexford, see this map for example http://www.wesleyjohnston.com/users/ireland/past/famine/distribution.html
Certainly, the dreadful scenes in the west of Ireland, where masses of skeletal figures literally dropped by the side of the road, did not happen in Wexford.

[Wexflyer]

Duplicate....

[petwal]

Wexflyer Thanks I see that I have a lot to learn about my Cavanagh ancestors. I will try to piece this all together when I find Ellen' birth Baptismal records. She was Roman Catholic and all her children were raised in the faith.
Regards Peter Hoare