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Research in Other Countries => Australia => Topic started by: akissling on Sunday 07 June 15 16:43 BST (UK)
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My GGGgrandfather Patrick Dignan (born 1814)arrived in Sydney, Australia, according to several biographies, in 1839 from Galway with his brother Peter Dignan. I have never been able to find either of them on a passenger list. I have tried the NSW Assisted passenger list and a few big name ancestry search engines. I know that Patrick then went to New Zealand on the Sophia Pate in 1841 (leaving on 4 JUL 1841-his name was spelled Dignell). Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks very much.
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Would his parents be JOHN and MARY DIGNAM?
Neil
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Could this be your man?
Marriage.1842 at St Johns Catholic Church Campbelltown NSW
Groom PATRICK DIGNAM, Bride MARGRET ERWIN, Registered 1321/1842 V18421321 92
Neil
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Neil this may help clarify, http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/2d10/dignan-patrick
Parents named as Peter Dignan and Margaret Lynch
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Thanks Neil and cupolife. Yes, they are Peter Dignan and Margaret Lynch.
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Peter and Patrick paid their own fares to NSW, Australia in 1841. when they left Ireland, they went to England first then came to Australia and Patrick moved to NZ.
Patrick was born in County Galway in 1814
So if they were paying passengers they should be recorded.
Not my family I just have a booklet on the NZ branch and it mentions some earlier ancestors with a few photos.
Have you looked on Papers Past run by the NZ National library?
You can search by name the newspapers.
Regards
EBurd In NZ
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"So if they were paying passengers they should be recorded."
It ain't necessarily so! :( :( :(
Especially at that time. Many shipping lists to Australia in those early years, where they carried various classes of passengers, relegated the steerage class (lowest fares) to xx steerage passengers.
Many even in 'Cabin Class' the next step up, were only numbered, though often recorded as just Mr P Smith etc. and if he had wife and children with him, these were listed as 'and family'
The Bounty Immigrants were better documented because they had agents finding them and it was necessary to list them, with age, religion, etc. for the agents to get their money!
Dawn M
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Thanks everyone for the extra suggestions. I did try in PapersPast without luck. It is highly likely that their last name was spelled incorrectly and I just haven't guessed it ... yet! Thanks again!
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I am not sure if you have researched further back but in the booklet I have on the NZ Dignans it says the Dignans came originally from France.
They were a family of substance in Normandy name was D'gnan, but also owned land on the Spanish-French border. Connected by marriage to the D'alveraz family. Operated as wine and spirits merchants, owned trading ships and had considerable investments in England and properties in Ireland.
French Revolution time the mothers to be and children were sent to Ireland so the sons would be born on Irish Soil.
Later family connections to Thomas Cook and Sons not sure if banking or travel side.
Finally the whole family fled France to Ireland.
Left for England as Catholic Church joining was compulsory or your land was confiscated.
The children of the D'gnan family were educated in England and later France. This was the time of name change.
While in Ireland Peter Dignan of Loughrea married Margaret Lynch of county Galway.
One of her ancestors was Judge Lynch and Charles Lynch the planter of Virginia who instituted Lynch Law.
Peter and Margaret Dignan had eight children.
Bridget married and sailed for America,
Mary married Mr Hobbs and stayed in Ireland.
Peter and Patrick went to England then Australia. Patrick continued to NZ.
The rest of the book is about the NZ branch.
There is a sketchy and undated family tree .
The tree is from Peter and Margaret and another tree of Richard Derron and Mary Windyer. Derron being NZ Patrick wife's maiden name.
They had Ten boys and one girl who died.
I advertised the book on the NZSG forum as it only cost me $3 but no one as yet has replied.
It is only a thin A5 size soft cover booklet called, 'Te Ana Rangi' by Audrey Drummond. I looked on the Family history shelf of The NZSG Library and there is no book there on Dignan's.
It may be that someone took the booklet further and made a proper book about the family so it might pay to check Google. The NZ family lived in the mount Eden area of Auckland.
Regards
Elizabeth :)
O
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Thanks for all of the information Elizabeth! Audrey was Dad's cousin. My Mom found our copy so I will re-examine that for information!
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Great that you already have the booklet.
The copy I have has the printed sketchy tree and then stuck on top a slightly more detailed version.
Maybe it was added after publication?
Regards
Elizabeth