Hi All,
I am new to Rootschat from Australia.
I am not sure where to put this post. I have tried Kilkenny Ireland to no avail so I wondered if anyone had any other suggestions.
My great great grandmother Mary Byrn arrived with her parents and siblings to Tasmania Australia in 1854 on the Maitland from Portsmouth England. By the Australia record it sailed June 3rd 1854 arriving Sept 16 1854. It is believed emigrants on this ship were under an agreement to repay cost of passage before leaving Tasmania (Indenture System).
Family consisted of John Byrn age 35 (or 25 - record has been overwritten) Native place Kilkenny, Labourer
Eleanor Byrn (maiden name unknown - Tasmanian death does not show maiden name, nor is then any recorded births in Tasmania for her maiden name to be recorded - although births occurred and were not registered)
age 29 Native place Kilkenny, Dairy Maid
Mary Byrn age 10 (although family tale says she was age 7 when she arrived)
Native Kilkenny
James Byrn age 3, Native Kilkenny
Catherine Byrn age 1, Native Kilkenny
All family members were listed as Roman Catholic
Would there be English records showing more detail on the voyage from Portsmouth? I have no idea how they moved from Kilkenny to England but it must have been within a year of sailing from Portsmouth as Catherine aged 1 is listed as a native of Kilkenny (that is if the record is correct).
On John Byrn's (also written as Byrne) death in Tasmania on Aug 24 1880 it was requested that American papers to copy the newspaper death notice on 27th Aug so some other family may have gone to America.
I do not know where to go from here. Any suggestions would be wonderful. I am at a complete brick wall.
Dawn
