Anne Robinson (1815-1893), one of my 3rd great
grandmothers, was an early settler in Canada.
Arriving sometime before 1834, she subsequently married Edward Morgan (1807-1893) in March Township near Ottawa where other Morgan members had previously settled. The couple later moved to McGillivray Township in southwestern Ontario where they would raise their eleven children.
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| Anne Robinson |
Arriving sometime before 1834, she subsequently married Edward Morgan (1807-1893) in March Township near Ottawa where other Morgan members had previously settled. The couple later moved to McGillivray Township in southwestern Ontario where they would raise their eleven children.
The reasons for and circumstances of Anne’s emigration from
Ireland are unknown. In doing so, she left behind in Borrisokane, North Tipperary, Ireland, four brothers
and one sister, all apparently envious of her new life in a land with
opportunities far beyond the hard scrabble existence facing them in Ireland.
This would be particularly so during the Great Famine of 1845-1852 — a period
of mass starvation, disease and further emigration.
Still surviving are two semi-literate letters written to
Anne during the height of the famine.
One, dated April 14, 1848, is from her brother Joshua Robinson while the
other, a fragment of an undated 1851 letter, is from her brother George
Robinson. The letters, each markedly
different in style, are a poignant testament to the difficult times in which
the brothers lived and their aspirations for a better life.
Joshua’s letter (transcription follows), apart being helpful in piecing together some of the Robinson family genealogy, underscores the plight of the Irish people. Joshua’s agony in writing the letter is palpable, particularly when
speaking of his heart filling with grief when taking pen to paper to write to
his “deare sister”. His reference to the
possibility of war is apparently an acknowledgment of heightened Irish
Republicanism which arose as a result of the famine, a movement which would fully
come of age the next century. With escape
from his present hardship no doubt clearly on his mind, asks his sister about opportunities
in Canada. The quaint expression “kiss and shake hands”,
when referencing the possibility of being united with most of the family again,
underscores Joshua’s hopes for a new life in a new country.
Joshua eventually immigrated to
Australia, arriving in Melbourne on the Oliver Lang out of Liverpool in October of 1857. Accompanied on the journey by his wife and then six children, two more children would be born in Australia. Joshua died in 1901 in Hotham, Victoria, Australia after, one would hope, having found that better life for himself and family that he longed for in his 1848 letter to his sister.
TRANSCRIPT OF APRIL
14, 1848 LETTER (AS WRITTEN) FROM JOSHUA ROBINSON OF IRELAND TO HIS SISTER ANNE
(ROBINSON) MORGAN OF MCGILLIVRAY TOWNSHIP
Greyforth, Aprile 14, 1848
My Deare Sister
I
once more wright to you hoping to find you and Edward and all the children in
good health as I and my family are at present.
Deare
Sister, this is the 4th letter that I written to ye and got no
answer to Any of them.
Deare
Sister, Ireland is in a very bad state at present. All the locality of peple is just old and
starved with hunger.
Theire
is grate agitation with us at present for the repaile of the union --- which I
think the answer to this letter will hardly be back to me before the ware is
going on in Ireland.
Deare
Sister, the falier of the crops of potatoes heare sent many a one to beg on the
road and all that I have to tell you about Ireland that it is in a most
mealoncolley state at this present.
My
Deare Sister, I have to tell you that I have got 3 sons and am living at
Greyforth Gate againe where you and we were all born and bred. Your Dear Brother John and Thomas and George
and your sister Catherine all sends theire most kind and affectionate love to
you and Edward and all the children and expects that ye is all in good helth as
we are all in at present. Thanks be to
God for it.
Thomas
is got married to his first cousin Sally Ritshardson and has 2 sons. John has one son and 4 daughters. George has got married leatley.
On
account of the failer of the crops it gave us all a great sheaking and mad us
very poore ware what we are.
There
is no employment in Ireland and the poore is starving and provisions is very
reasonable whiche is 2d per stone, Oates is only 8d per stone, Beef is 6d per
lb., mutton is 6 1/2d per lb. and pig meat is 10d per lb. Indian Meal is 1s 3d per stone.
Deare
Sister, I expect you will send me all the perticulers about America and how a
labourer has to live in it and what way grounde listes in there.
Deare
Sister, youre aunt Betty Ritshardson and your uncle Thomas Stanley and all your
couzins is in good helth. Send me word
about poore Elizas Robert as if a live and Matt Louglan and how they are going.
Deare
Sister, send me the rates of your listing and the state of them. So I expect as soon as you receive this
letter and send me answer for God only knows the state of us and we don’t know
whether ye are ded or a live.
Deare
Sister, I and Maria my wife and my 3 little sons send you and Edward and all
the children a kiss and shake hands ---- expecting to see you all once more if
the ware dos not kill us all.
Deare
Sister, John and Anne and all the children send you and Edward and your
children a kiss and shake hands --- never expect to see ye.
Deare
Sister, Thomas, George and Catherine sends you and Edward a kiss and shake
hands --- expects to see ye all againe.
Deare
Anne I expect you will excuse this wrighting for when I sat down to right this
letter my heart filled up with grief and my hand began to shake.
No
more at present --- from youre
Affectionate
Brother,
Joshua
Robinson
P.S.
Direct your letter to Joshua
Robinson,
Greyforth, Borrisakane,
County Tipperary, Ireland
(The letter was not in
an envelope but was folded and secured with sealing wax and addressed to: Mrs. Edward Morgan, McGillevry, Canada West,
America. In each paragraph where the
expression “kiss and shake hands” is used, Joshua has drawn two hands reaching
out to each other.)
By contrast, the surviving portion of George Robinson’s 1851 letter to his sister (transcription follows) evokes less sympathy than that of Joshua. It instead is marked by an absence of familial affection and is blunt in tone. Although one learns that George is likely a tailor anxious for a more prosperous life abroad, there is none of the warmth and family remembrances evident in Joshua’s letter. George, all business, on four separate occasions asks for financial aid both for himself and his sister Catherine. He clearly is of the view that Anne (despite raising eleven children) has the means and perhaps even the obligation to assist both him and Catherine with passage to Canada. His entreaties are as presumptuous as they are annoying. One wonders if Anne ever responded to her importuning brother.
TRANSCRIPT
OF FRAGMENT OF UNDATED 1851 LETTER (AS WRITTEN) FROM GEORGE ROBINSON OF IRELAND
TO HIS SISTER, ANNE (ROBINSON) MORGAN OF MCGILLIVRAY TOWNSHIP
….have
answered it on receipt but the assizes was going on and we were obliged to take
up additional duty. I am most happy to
hear that you and all the family are in good health and doing well. Dear Anne I expected better encouragement but
as you did not give what might be expected I have only to say that if you send
me any assistance Catherine will go forthwith and go respectable. As for my part, I would not be able under
present circumstances to undertake so long a passage with my little family on
the strength of what I could put together, that is to go in a form such as I
would wish to meet a sister. The
situation I hold is a very nice one certainly but the salary is not adequate to
support a family on that . I consider from what you have stated with
regard to the prices paid for making clothes I have a particular wish to go to
a foreign country where I would be paid for my labour. I sent word to Jos (?) about what you said
with regard to the letter you sent them so long since. I must say he has acted very ungrateful. All friends in Ireland are in good
health. Now my dear Anne if you wish to
confer an everlasting favour on a brother and sister, send some assistance and
have us both going together. I need not
say that it would be the greatest pleasure I could expect …. since I was able to work and before it
to maintain that I have done up to the
present and I trust in God I shall be always able to do the same. I never got a pound or a shilling from any
one but what I earned hard and it is not for my own part altogether I have said
so much but I feel it my duty to leave no stone unturned to forward a person
that is worthy of anything could be done for her and that is Catherine. If she was in a country where she would get
paid for her labour like myself she would not be a burthen to you or any one
belonging to her. She is well able to
undertake any situation a female would be capable of filling. On that acct. I think it a pity to see her
left in a misfortunate country where there is nothing to be accumulated but
hardship and misery. If you consider on
sending the needful she will go without delay and if possible I will go along
with her and then you may be perfectly satisfied that you need not be ashamed
to say that there is a brother and sister of yours coming from old
Ireland. When I go, I will go, and
go. Respectable that you may for the present with
love to you and the family
I am my dear Anne
Your
affectionate brother.
George Robinson
Dear Anne
If you hear any account of Robert
Coghlan let me know Anne how he is situated.
Give my best respects to Edward
Yours truly GR
Common to both letters, however, despite differences in
tone, is the fervent wish for a better life in a new country after years of
poverty and starvation. Joshua may have
realized that dream in Australia.
George’s fate remains unknown.
David Arntfield
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