Tracking Down The Family

The Blogging from A to Z April Challenge is an annual challenge put out to bloggers, to publish a post from A-Z, every day in April, except for Sundays. April 1 is A, April 2 is B……….and so on throughout the month. Participants can post on a chosen theme or publish random posts with no theme at all.

About My Theme For 2025
My theme for 2025 is The Earl Grey Orphan Scheme which saw young destitute girls of about 15-16 years old sent to Australia between 1848 and 1850 to start their lives over. I became interested in this scheme when my research showed that my great great grandmother was an Earl Grey Orphan. I am not at all an expert on this topic. The posts in my A to Z Challenge come from information that I have come across over many years of research and reading.

Extreme Opposition To The Scheme

The opposition to the girls arrival in Australia at times was extreme. There were many in the community who thought the girls were ‘‘not of the class required in Australia’. Others described them as prostitutes and vagabonds. Most of the opposition was caused by the unknown and by bigotry.

Regardless of the extreme opposition, most orphans flourished – “they married and raised families in the harsh conditions of the new colony. Great numbers would live to see the dawn of the new 20th century in their new land”

There were less articles published about the success of the scheme, than the extreme opposition to it. The following articles and letter to the editor, are just an example of many that appeared in the newspapers, at the time.

from: The Argus , 4 April 1850, page 2

Another ship-load of female immigrants from Ireland has reached our shores, and yet, though every body is crying out against the monstrous infliction, and the palpable waste of the immigration fund, furnished by the colonists, in bringing out these worthless characters, nobody has, for so far, sufficiently shaken off the ordinary apathy which besets the community, to set about the necessary means for getting up a remonstrance against the farther continuance of a system fraught with such fearful evils to the whole community.

In these circumstances, we learn, with very great gratification, that the Sydney Board of Guardians, appointed to superintend this system of immigration, have deemed it to be their duty to offer a strong remonstrance to the Government, against its further continuance; and we earnestly hope, that the admirable example thus set, will be followed by the Boards of Guardians, here and at Adelaide; the evils attendant upon such an ill-advised and unjust appropriation of the colonial immigration funds, having been equally felt in both colonies.

It is the duty of gentlemen, placed in such a position, to see that they are not made the instruments of wrong-doing to the community; and their fellow colonists have, therefore, the right to expect that, as they must see the evils which belong to the present system, they will remonstrate against its continuance, and, failing success, refuse to have anything farther to do with the matter.

Remonstrance from the Board of Guardians, though highly desirable, is, however, insufficient. The colonists ought to let themselves be heard in the matter, and it will be shameful, indeed, if long time is suffered to elapse, before steps are taken for the redress of a grievance of such serious magnitude.

from: The Argus, 24 April 1850, page 2
Original Correspondence.
IRISH POOR HOUSES AND ORPHAN IMMIGRATION.

To the Editor of the Argus,

Sir,—These two subjects are so intimately connected with the welfare of our adopted country, that we cannot reason, on the more than melancholy failure of the latter, without bestowing some consideration on the former.

The whole country cries out against the further admission into our colony, of such degraded beings as the majority of the female orphans have been found. Nor has their cry been raised without reason, for we venture to say, every vessel that brings an increase of this kind to our female population, brings a melancholy increase to the vice and lewdness that is now to be seen rampant in every part of our town.

From this class we have received no good servants for the wealthier classes in the towns, no efficient farm servants for the rural population, no virtuous, and industrious young women, fit wives for the labouring part of the community; and by the introduction of whom a strong barrier would be erected against the floods of iniquity that are now sweeping every trace of morality from the most public thoroughfares of our city.

Surely there must be a cause for this wide spread propensity to wickedness, other than the depraved inclinations of unprincipled individuals. Where then is that cause to be sought after, if not in the establishments in which these persons are subjected to a long course of training, prior to their embarkation for the colonies?

It is from the Irish poor houses we have hitherto received almost the whole of this class of immigrants. In these establishments many of the female orphans have been supported for periods ranging from two to six years, before they were considered eligible for emigration.

It therefore becomes a matter of serious consequence to the inhabitants of this province, to know how so large a portion of the young female population has been prepared for the various tasks that have been imposed upon them by those who placed them in situations, for which all their previous habits have rendered them so eminently unfit.

The seed that has in this province, so signally blighted the expectations of those who planned, and carried out this species of immigration is the idleness, habitual and systematic idleness, of the inmates of the Irish poor houses. Large masses are there congregated, their food is pre-pared and laid before them at certain hours, their employment, if any, is sedentary; their mental culture is of the lowest kind, and their religious instructions all but neglected.

In fine, their whole preparation for the busy scenes of a young community, in a new country where nature is on every side to be subdued, and rendered subservient to the wants of mankind, by the untiring energies of the people, male and female, in their various departments, has been found worse than inadequate.

An unvaried round of constant uselessness at home has produced a rich harvest of vice and degradation in this province. The females of this class can neither wash nor bake, they can neither attend to household wants nor field labour. They refuse in general to go into the country, and when placed in town they refuse either to work, or to learn those parts of their business of which they are ignorant. They lose their places, they have no friends to fall back upon, the brothel is open, and it receives them and there, amid unhallowed orgies, that youth and strength, and beauty, is spent and ruined, which under a more sane management at home, would have shed praise and honour, and blessing around its possessors, abroad.

That this is a true statement of the subject, none need doubt. It may be difficult to amend it, but is it therefore not to be attempted? To the root of the evil the remedy must be applied: and until that remedy has not only been applied, but has worked its effect, it is unjust in those in power, to afflict this fair province with such a curse, as has in this instance, hitherto, been so wantonly cast upon us.

I am, Sir,
your obedient servant.
ADSUM.

©2025 copyright. All rights reserved jonesfamilyhistory.wordpress.com

The Blogging from A to Z April Challenge is an annual challenge put out to bloggers, to publish a post from A-Z, every day in April, except for Sundays. April 1 is A, April 2 is B……….and so on throughout the month. Participants can post on a chosen theme or publish random posts with no theme at all.

Theme
My theme for 2025 is The Earl Grey Orphan Scheme. I became interested in the scheme when I realised that my 2x great grandmother was an Earl Grey Girl, who came to Australia as part of the scheme. This scheme was a government sponsored program designed to give young, impoverished Irish girls a chance at a better life in Australia.

Following are just a few stories of orphan girls who settled in Victoria.

Isabella Brown

Isabella Brown was born in Londonderry, County Derry, Northern Ireland and arrived in Australia with the Earl Grey Orphan Scheme, on the Diadem in 1850, aged 17.1 She had been a House Servant prior to leaving Ireland. On the shipping record, Isabella was listed as being Presbyterian.

Isabella was received into the Immigration Depot on 12th January 1850 and left on 28 January 1850. She had employment with Thomas Stevens of Melbourne, for six months, at £10 per annum. On 01 September 1851, Isabella married Samuel Birch.

Isabella and Samuel had the following children:

• Samuel Birch jnr. born 1852. He died in 1864 at age 12
• Elizabeth Jane born in Ballarat in 1855.
• Thomas Birch born in Ballarat in 1860.

Death of Isabella’s husband
Tragically, Isabella’s husband Samuel Birch, died in 1862, aged only 30 years, following a farming accident in which he lost his left leg below the knee and died from blood loss and exhaustion. Isabella then married John Andrews on the 26th of February 1862.

from: The Star, (Ballarat, Vic: 1855-64), page 2

On Thursday Dr Clendinning held an inquest at the White Hart Hotel, on the body of Samuel Birch, who died at the District Hospital on the Monday previous. The jury found that his death was occa-sioned by exhaustion, and the shock to the nervous system arising from having had his leg accidentally torn off by the drum of a steam thrashing machine whilst working at Mr Robert Keddie’s farm at Cardigan. From the evidence of Mr Keddie, it ap-peared that Birch was engaged on Monday in feeding Bath’s thrashing machine with sheaves of oats. After an interval allowed for refreshment, the machine was again set in motion ; the belts flew off, and Birch was heard screaming in agonised tones from the drum of the machine. On going up to the spot, Birch was found to have his left leg in the drum. The speed of the engine was immediately slackened, and the sufferer taken out, and conveyed without loss of time to the Hospital. Mr Whitcombe, resident surgeon, deposed that Birch was re-ceived at 12.30 p.m., in a state of collapse, with his leg torn off just below the knee. The patient was put to bed, and stimulants applied. Reaction took place about three hours afterwards, when, with the concur-rence of Dr Stewart, the remainder of the stump was removed. In another hour the patient had sunk under his injuries and died. On admission Birch, had informed Mr Whitcombe that he was standing on the iron platform of the thrashing machine when the accident occurred, and tbe platform being covered with straw, and, in consequence slippery, he lost his balance and fell into the drum of the machine.

I have been told that Isabella then married John Andrews on the 26th of February 1862, but have seen no record to verify this.

I wasn’t able to find a death record that could be verified for Isabella.

Sources:

PASSENGER RECORD, BROWN Isabella, Diadem arrived Melbourne 1848, Public Records Office, Victoria (PROV) VPRS 14/P0000, Book No.4B

Information about Isabelle’s marriage and family, personnal communication by a family researcher

“NEWS AND NOTES.” The Star (Ballarat, Vic. : 1855 – 1864) 7 February 1862: 2. Web. 20 Apr 2025 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66331247&gt;.

©2025 copyright. All rights reserved jonesfamilyhistory.wordpress.com

The Blogging from A to Z April Challenge is an annual challenge put out to bloggers, to publish a post from A-Z, every day in April, except for Sundays. April 1 is A, April 2 is B……….and so on throughout the month. Participants can post on a chosen theme or publish random posts with no theme at all.

About My Theme For 2025
My theme for 2025 is The Earl Grey Orphan Scheme which saw young destitute girls of about 15-16 years old sent to Australia between 1848 and 1850 to start their lives over. I became interested in this scheme when my research showed that my great great grandmother was an Earl Grey Orphan. I am not at all an expert on this topic. The posts in my A to Z Challenge come from information that I have come across over many years of research and reading.

While many of the girls of The Earl Grey Scheme, had successful lives in Australia, there were others who weren’t so fortunate. In researching this topic, I have read many tragic stories. The following story, in my opinion, is the most tragic that I have come across.

An Undeniably Tragic Story of an Earl Grey Girl

Catherine Toland (or Tolland) arrived at Australia in 1848 on the ship, Lady Kennaway.2 Catherine was from Hamilton Donegal, and travelled to Australia with her sister. This ship also brought my 2x great grandmother, also from Donegal, so I couldn’t help wondering if their paths crossed, and how different the stories of their lives in Australia were to be.

I can imagine that Catherine had high hopes for her new life in Australia, and never could have imagined the tragic turn her life would take in the new country, where she was hoping for a new start.

In 1850, Catherine married Michael Murphy, a shepherd at St. Francis Catholic Church, Melbourne. She went on to give birth to eleven children, with only three who would survive to be adults.

I am the mother of a child who died, and I don’t need to say how heartbreaking that is. I can’t imagine what it must have been like for Catherine to lose eight of her children. Four of those children died in one incident, which I’m sure would have been unbearable. Catherine must have been very resilient to go on from that.

Early on the morning of 9 February 1863, Catherine left the family’s slab hut with her husband and four children still asleep in bed, When Michael left shortly after, the children – John, William, Elizabeth and Michael James – were all still in bed. At approximately 8:00 am, smoke was noticed in the direction of the Murphy’s hut and the landowner, James McDonald, was informed. On arrival, Mr. McDonald found the hut ablaze and partially collapsed, and was unable to locate the children.

He went to where Michael Murphy was minding sheep, and on return to the hut, found that the fire had died down and they were able to retrieve the bodies of the four children – still in their beds.

The children who died in the fire were:

John, aged 9 years

William, aged 6 years

Elizabeth, aged 4 years

Michael, aged 2 years

The above information was found in the Witness Depositions for the Coroner’s Inquest into the deaths of the young children. The inquest is heartbreaking and difficult to read.

The Inquest

The Coroner’s Inquest was held at Gledfield Station, Victoria on 9th February 1863 before James Grant Taylor, Coroner, District of Ararat, Victoria.

Inquest Reported in the Newspaper

Please note: I feel I must give a warning before reading this newspaper report, that I found it very distressing to read. So, you decide if you want to read the details.

from: The Ararat and Mount Pleasant Creek Advertiser and Chronicle for the District of the Wimmera (Vic: 1861-1884), Friday 13 Feb 1863, Page 2

FOUR CHILDREN BURNED TO DEATH
An inquest was held on Monday last, by the Coroner, J.G. Taylor, Esq., on the causes of the distressing accident which happened to the four children of Michael Murphy, a shepherd residing at Gledefield Station, some of the paticulars which were recorded in our last issue.

We understand, that the utter prostration and distress of Michael and Catherine Murphy was harrowing in the extreme, and it was not without some difficulty, the questions necessary to the inquest could be steadily asked by the Coroner. Indeed everyone present seemed greatly affected at the intense grief displayed, by the parents of the unfortunate children.

James McDonald, examined said:
I reside at Gledfield station; this morning about half past eight o’clock, I was told that smoke was seen in the direction of Murphy’s hut. I went there immediately on horseback, and found on arriving that the hut was burning, and had nearly all fallen in. I could see nothing of the children, and thought that they had to to their father on the run.

I went in search of him and found him about a mile from his own place; the hut was not visible from where I found him; I whistled to him and he got up from a tree. I asked if he had seen anything of the children; he said he had not. I then told him that the hut was burned, and that his wife was at the home station, and that I could see nothing of his children about the place; he said perhaps they are burnt with the hut. I replied perhaps they have gone to the home station by a different road to the one I took in coming here. During this conversation, we were running in the direction of the hut. I then left him and went to Austin’s hut, thinking the children might have gone there, but they had not been seen at Austins.

I then went back to Murphy’s, and found Murphy about 600 yards from the hut, coming towards it; I went close up to the place and found that the fire had gone down, and I saw what I fancied to be the remains of the children. I signed to Murphy, who was by this time, close to the hut, and tried to persuade him to go to the home station, that he might not see the remains, but he came up to the hut and said “there are my children”, Murphy and I then got the remains out with sticks and put them into a bag; Murphy carried them a short distance (about 400 yards) then he took the mare and rode in to the home station.

I stayed with the remains till a spring cart arrived, and I put them into the cart, and they were brought to the home station. I found the remains all together on the spot, where it is said the bed stood.

By the Coroner: I could observe the smoke of the hut before leaving the station, but the hut I could not see till within three quarters of a mile of it. I found the heads of two of the deceased together, and one lower down, and another at a short distance away.

Catherine Murphy, the mother of the deceased, said:
I am the wife of Michael Murphy, who is a shepherd in the employment of Mr. Hugh McDonald. I left our hut about half past six in the morning; it is about three miles from the home station.

I had two of the children sleeping with me; three generally slept in one bed and on in another. I awoke my eldest boy, John, and told him to dress the little girl; he said he was very sleepy and I did not like to take him up, so I left them; previous to going away I put one log of wood on the fire, and left the kettle with the tea near the fire for the children. I put one match on the table in the middle of some pins.

When I left the fire was not bright, and the log I put on was damp. I pulled the door to when I left, but did not fasten it. The two beds were close to each other. When my husband hot up he put one of the children in his place. There was no one near the place when I left. My husband never left matches about. He was very careful.

Witness was recalled and said:
My eldest child was called John, he was nine years of age on the 12th of September last; the second was called William, he was six years of age the 28th October. Elizabeth was my third child, she was four years of age on the 29th of November last; the youngest, Michael James was two years old on the 12th of January last.

Ewan Cameron, a bullock driver on the station said:
This morning, I was out bringing in some horses; about eight o’clock I saw smoke in the direction of Murphy’s hut, and came home and told Mr. McDonald immediately; there was not much smoke, the hut was built of slabs.

Dr. Willy deposed as follows:
I examined the remains produced here today, and find they consist of the principal portions of the remains of four children, but almost quite destroyed by the action of fire. I can only judge from appearance that the fire must have been amazingly fierce to have destroyed them whilst in a state of insensibility. from the position of a portion of the bones, which I found, it is my opinion that they were burned in their beds.

The following verdict was returned:
The four children were burnt to death by the conflagration of the hut in which they slept, but how the fire originated there is no evidence to show, and no blame can be attached to any person.

*Please note: Punctuation and paragraphs have been added to the above transcription for ease and speed of reading

Death of Catherine Murphy

At the time of her death in 1899, Catherine was still a widow. She left her estate, which included a town allotment in Kerang to her sole surviving child, Sarah Ellen Gleeson.

Sources:

Public Records Office Victoria Tragedy of Ross Bridge, Irish Famine Orphan. Records Office Victoria,

Public Records Office Victoria, Lady Kennaway Passenger List, 1848

Public Records Office Victoria, Inquest

1863 ‘INQUEST.’, The Ararat and Mount Pleasant Creek Advertiser and Chronicle for the District of the Wimmera (Vic. : 1861 – 1884), 13 February, p. 2. , viewed 15 Mar 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article280061878

Public Records Office, Victoria. Catherine MURPHY, Will, VPRS 28/P0000 73/94

©2025 copyright. All rights reserved jonesfamilyhistory.wordpress.com