The Fitzpatricks of Killuran - A tragic tale

Genealogy, Archaeology, History, Heritage & Folklore

Moderators: Clare Support, Clare Past Mod

Post Reply
murf
Posts: 365
Joined: Fri Mar 20, 2009 12:58 am
Location: Qld Australia

The Fitzpatricks of Killuran - A tragic tale

Post by murf » Thu Nov 22, 2018 6:12 am

The Fitzpatrick family of Silvergrove, Killuran Parish were early responders to the famine in 1847. At Christmas of 1847, farm labourer James Fitzpatrick(35), his wife Catherine(30) and daughters Mary(4) and newborn Bridget boarded the emigrant ship Subraon in Plymouth. The ship left Plymouth on 25 Dec 1847. Also on board was Michael Fitzpatrick(28) of Killuran, younger brother of James.
After a tiring journey of 109 days the Subraon arrived safely in Sydney on 12 April 1848.
For the Fitzpatricks the journey did not end there, for just one month later they boarded the schooner Thetis bound for Port Phillip.
The Sydney Morning Herald on 11 May noted the departure of the Thetis the previous day:
DEPARTURE.
May 10.-Thetis, schooner, 94 tons, Captain Collins, for Port Phillip. Passengers-Mr. Hart, Mr. and Mrs. Lock, Mr. and Mrs. Carruthers and child, Mr. Allen, Mr. T. Fitzpatrick, Mr. and Mrs. James Fitzpatrick and child, Mrs. Hogan, and Denis Callaghan.
[Note that this vessel should not be confused with the 460 ton barque of the same name which landed in Sydney on 27 May with 230 immigrants.]
Stormy weather and rough seas caused delays on the journey to Port Phillip, and when the Thetis entered Bass Strait, conditions had still not improved greatly. Upon trying to enter the Port Phillip Heads on the night of Friday 26 May, the vessel struck a reef and keeled over. The two Fitzpatrick children were quickly swept away. Their parents were helped down onto the reef, but in a state of sheer exhaustion, from which they couldn't recover. Michael Fitzpatrick and the remaining passengers and crew managed to survive the ordeal and make it to the nearby Pilot Station. There is a graphic account of the grounding and subsequent rescue in the Port Phillip Patriot and Morning Advertiser Mon 29 May 1848. http://www.rootschat.com/links/01n2g/
[Coincidentally, early last year I made the crossing of Port Phillip Heads on the ferry, and would have passed within a short distance of where the Thetis went down.]

There is a sequel to this story in that on 26 October of the same year the barque Subraon was wrecked when departing Wellington Harbour. Fortunately all passengers and crew were rescued in that incident. This highlights the dangers of sea travel during the sailing era.

Post Reply