Westward Cork Migration by Sail 1815-1860 by John Sutton

PART I CALENDAR OF CORK EMIGRANT SHIP SAILINGS 1815-60

A medical inspection of passengers previous to leaving the port of embarkation in Europe, and a careful rejection of all such as are found labouring under fever, smallpox, measles, or scarlatina, would tend to remove much mortality and suffering on the voyage. If the agents at the different ports in Great Britain were instructed to ascertain by actual inspection, not only that each passenger was provided with the quantity of provisions required by the Act, but that they had one change of clothing at least, and bedding sufficient to enable them to endure the cold from which passengers so frequently suffer in approaching the American coast, in the early spring voyage, it would tend also much to prevent the generation of fever’ (Letter from George M. Douglas, Medical Superintendent to A.C. Buchanan, Chief Agent, Emigrant Department, Quebec. 31.12.1841 ( The Ships List ). Dr George Douglas of the Grosse Île quarantine station was clearly knowledgeable about infectious diseases and the risks of long shipping voyages. All reports have indicated him to have been an informed, courageous man and excellent physician (author). * The Province of Canada Upper and Lower Canada , which had been formed in 1791 by the division of the Province of Quebec into a British (Upper) and a French (Lower) colony, were reunited in accordance with the Act of Union 1840 as the Province of Canada in 1841 (see Canadian Rebellions 1837). * Emigration to Australia Total UK emigration in 1841 increased from 90,743 to 118,592 with a distribution of: BNA - 32%, USA - 38%, Australia - 27.5%! A bumper year for Australian emigration. After NSW lost its convict labor force due to the abolishment of convict transportation on 22 May 1840 , an unprecedented number of heavily subsidized passages were offered in the largest labor recruitment drive before the Australian gold rushes of the 1850s (McDonald & Richards, 1997, 337). Between 1837 and 1841 , Charles Friend, Cork’s first Emigration Officer , saw a departure of some 3,000 assisted emigrants from Cork to the Australian Colonies (McCarthy, 2019. 203-4). Irish convicts were typically moved to Cove , for trans-shipment to other Australian penal colonies; good food and physician coverage was guaranteed to all prisoners at sea. *Cork Emigration to North America. While UK emigration to North America in 1841 leaned towards the USA, this Cork Calendar of Ships review clearly demonstrates Cork-based ships defying the UK trend in favoring BNA ports over US ports. 1842 A-LIST

Ship

Captain

Cork Dep

Arrival

Voyage Emigrants

Source

TRY AGAIN

Richard Heacock

10 Apr

Quebec 22 May 1842 Quebec 23 May 1842 Quebec 30 May

198 emigrants 1 2 8

URANIA

Thomas Cooper Clarke

10 Apr

191 emigrants 1 2 8

DOMINICA

Henry Bowman 15 Apr

231 emigrants 1 2 8