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If anyone who comes across this thread has any ancestors who were part of the Early Grey scheme for Famine orphan girls, please let me know!

Thanks!

Melissa

Hi Diski,

I am hoping you can help me, I am having real trouble finding information on my great great grandmother who was sent out to Australia as a Famine orphan.

Her name was Mary O'Hara and she was born in Crossmolina, I believe in about 1831 but am not 100% sure.  She arrived in Australia in 1848 and was said to be age 17.  She was, at the time of departure, in a workhouse in Galway, and came to Melbourne on a ship called the Lady Kennaway under the Earl Grey Scheme.

Some records I have found suggest her parents were James O'Hara and Mary McCann, born around 1890-1910 perhaps?

I don't know of any siblings, as I said she was supposedly an orphan so I'm not sure about other family.

I am also looking for information on her husband who she met out here but he was from Co. Mayo as well.  His name was John Richard Bermingham - I don't have anything much in the way of family information for him.

I assume any information I have from after they arrived in Australia will be relatively useless at your end.

I am essentially trying to find out her exact birthdate and confirm her parents' names, to start with.  I'd love to know if she had any siblings, if any of them survived, etc, so perhaps if there are any other births registered to those names as parents?

If there is any guidance you can give me it would be so very much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.