In my ancestry this family represents my only connection to Ireland.
Patrick
FITZGERALD was born around 1832 in
Ardfert
near Tralee, County Kerry. His parents and siblings seem impossible to identify.
This is due to relevant Catholic baptism and marriage records not surviving the
passage of time. All that is known about his youth is that he was a farm labourer.
Patrick's first daughter, Mary, would go on to marry Christian TRAUE
. This is where my ancestral link between the two families lies.
Patrick enrolled to join the Foot Artillery on 28 Feb 1851 in Cork, Ireland, at the
age of 20 years old. He was described as being 5ft 8in tall, fresh complexion, blue
eyes and brown hair.
On 1 Mar 1851 he was attested, becoming a Gunner in the Bengal Artillery. After
completing his military training, he next went to India.
On 14 Jun 1851 the British newspapers reported the embarkation of troops on the HMS
KENT. It was bound for Calcutta, India from Gravesend under Commander John TERRY.
Patrick was among the 237 troops on board which arrived, 116 days later, on 8 Oct 1851.
In May 1857 the Indian Mutiny broke out, later spreading to other places in India.
Peace in India was not officially declared until 8 Jul 1859.
Soon after this it would appear that Patrick was located at
Bareilly
where he married Margaret SHIHAN née CONWAY (a widow) on 15 Sep 1859. Their first
daughter was born there around Sep 1860.
After the mutiny, several Bengal regiments were disbanded. On 29 Apr 1860 Patrick
voluntarily re-enlisted in the Royal Artillery. His second child, Sarah Margaret,
was born at
Jhansi
. On 21 Jul 1869 his son, Thomas Patrick was born at
Moradabad
.
On 1 Nov 1869, at Jhansi, Patrick applied for his discharge from military service.
Later that month he departed to return to the Depot at
Woolwich
, London. After 19 years of military service, Patrick had clearly endured the perils
of a soldier at war; hot climates and disease. During this time he had been married
and raised 4 children, 1 of whom was a step daughter. His military service ended on
2 Mar 1870 at the Depot in Woolwich. His discharge was approved 12 Apr 1870. From this
date onward he was a pensioner and was paid one shilling per day, effective from Oct
1873.
Patrick was awarded four good conduct badges and the
Indian Mutiny
Medal with a Delhi Clasp.
Patrick married Margaret SHIHAN (aged 28, a widow) on 15 Sep 1859 at Bareilly, Uttar
Pradesh, India.
Margaret was born in Kurnaul, New Delhi in 1827. It is unclear if she was part Indian although DNA tests suggest she was.
Her parents were Thomas CONWAY (a gunner in 4th Company 1st Battalion) and his wife
Elizabeth (maiden name unknown). Thomas died a mere 5 years later, aged 33.
When Patrick left India, to go to Portsmouth, there is no indication that his wife
or any children accompanied him. Margaret, who was born in India, may have stayed
there with their children before they left for New Zealand.
On 23 Feb 1873 the FITZGERALD family departed London as assisted Irish immigrants.
They traveled on the ship WOODLARK, bound for New Zealand. It, and they along with it,
arrived in
Auckland
.
The government covered a share of the cost, amounting to £58 10s. The family paid an
additional £4 10s. They owed a further £28 in promissory notes.
The passenger list showed the following FITZGERALDs:
Patrick (42) from County Kerry, farm labourer.
Margaret (42, wife)
Agnes E. (15, step daughter) (listed with single women)
Mary (10, daughter) (who later married Christian TRAUE)
Sarah (8, daughter)
Thomas P. (3, son)
The iron ship WOODLARK took 94 days to travel from London, arriving in Auckland
harbour on Saturday, 31 May 1873.
Newspaper Report - Click to expand
The iron ship Woodlark, under Captain Thomas Wood, took 94 days to travel
from London, arriving in Auckland harbour on Saturday 31 May 1873.
There were 50 Irish Government Immigrants on board and they all
arrived in excellent health, and they express themselves in high
terms of the uniform kindness and attention experienced at the
hands of Captain Wood and his officers. Shortly before 10 o'clock
on Saturday night Dr Philson (Health Officer) visited the ship,
and, after examining the passengers, gave the ship a clean bill
of health. Yesterday afternoon Major Green (Immigration Officer)
visited the vessel, and expressed himself well satisfied with the
arrangements that have been made for the, comfort, &c., of the
passengers. We are indebted to Captain Wood for the following
report of the passage:- Left London on February 23, and landed the
Pilot on March 1, off Dartmouth Castle. Picked up the NE trades on
March 17, in latitude 20. They proved but moderate; carried them to
1 N. Crossed the Equator on March 24th in 24.30 W. Took the SE
trades in latitude 3 S., carried them to 19 S. Thence light
variable winds to the Cape of Good Hope, which was passed on
April 20, in latitude 42.30 S.; thence very unsteady winds. Ran
down the eastings between the parallels of 43 and 44. On May 2
encountered a very fierce SE gale, which lasted for three days,
during which time the ship made only 150 miles. Rounded Tasmania
on May 22, in 45.11 S. Light variable winds prevailed till
rounding the North Cape on May 30, at noon. Down the coast light
SSE winds prevailed. On May 2 a young lad, aged 11 years, named
Alfred Goodman, lost his life by drowning. It appears that the lad
was kneeling on the port bulwarks, near the mizzen rigging, and,
the ship giving a sudden lurch, the lad lost his balance and fell
into the sea. The ship at the time was latitude 44.16 S longitude
61.36 E. The following are the particulars taken from the ship's
log-book: - "1.30 pm: Captain, chief officer, and 2nd officer at
dinner. The 3rd officer in charge of the deck. Suddenly the cry,
"Man overboard!" was raised. Captain and officers rushed on deck.
The ship (notwithstanding a good strong WSW gale blowing at the
time) was rounded to, a life-buoy being previously thrown overboard.
Lowered the life-boat, manned by five men and the 3rd officer.
After searching over 2" hours the boat returned to the ship,
having been unsuccessful in finding the young lad." Very great
promptitude was displayed in lowering the life-boat - only three
minutes elapsed from the time the cry was raised until the boat
was in the water and manned. On May 25, Edward Smith, assistant
to the surgeon, whilst walking the quarter-deck with the captain,
suddenly slipped, and, falling heavily on the deck, broke his left
arm above the shoulder. One birth occurred on the passage on April
9th, the wife of Mr Brown delivered of a son. The immigrants will
be landed today, and the ship berthed at the wharf either tomorrow
or Wednesday. There were 50 Irish immigrants on board.
SOURCE - Newspaper: Daily Southern Cross - 2 June 1873
Some of the text seen on this page has been slightly edited from the
source material.
Life for Patrick, in Auckland as a labourer, living on a small pension (or what was
left of it) appears to have been a challenge to the FITZGERALD family. The growing
Catholic family faced tough financial times. These were days when there were no
social welfare benefits paid out.
In 1893 Patrick and Margaret lodged an application for Charitable Aid. In this they
state they are married and living in the Adams Building off Grey St. The reason given
for their application was they want relief because other people get it.
Patrick died 15 October 1894, seemingly as a result of having dementia or perhaps what
we now know as Alzheimer’s Disease.
Newspaper Report - Click to expand
AN OLD MAN'S END - DIED FROM EXHAUSTION
In Saturday's issue the finding of a dead body at Mangere was
reported. Inquiries since made by the police proved the remains
to be those of an elderly man named Patrick Fitzgerald. He
wandered away from his daughter's home in Grey-street a week
previously, and as he had not returned, information was given
to the police. The daughter, Mrs Baker, went out to Mangere on
Saturday and upon seeing the body identified it as that of her
father, Patrick Fitzgerald, a man 64 years of age, who had latterly
been getting "childish." On the 13th instant the deceased left
his home in Grey-street to take a walk. It is presumed that he
wandered into the country, lost his way, got into the large paddock
, and finally died from exhaustion and exposure. The body was
discovered by Mr Robert McKenzie, proprietor of the farm. He
informed the local police, and Constable Tapp had the remains
removed to Onehunga to await an inquest. Dr. Erson examined the
body and stated that death was due to exposure.
An inquest was held this morning at the Manukau Hotel, Onehunga,
upon the body of the deceased before Mr Samuel Luke and a jury of
six.
Mr McKenzie, upon whose farm the body was found, gave evidence as
to the discovery of the body. It had only a shirt and vest upon
it, and he at once gave information to the police.
It was stated that Mr McKenzie's farm, lately known as Gabriel
Smith's, is of 600 acres extent, and the part where the body was
found was seldom traversed, being remote from the house and roads.
Dr. Erson gave evidence as to being called to make a post mortem
examination of the body of the deceased. He said the body had been
fairly nourished, but decomposition had set in. There was no
fracture or injury upon the body, nor gun-shot wound. It had the
appearance of having been dead about 14 days, and he was of the
opinion there was no cause to suspect foul play, and no doubt death
had resulted from exposure.
Constable Tapp deposed as to receiving information respecting the
finding of the body by Mr McKenzie.
Thos. P. Fitzgerald, a son of the deceased, identified the body by
the clothes found as that of his father, Patrick Fitzgerald. The
deceased was 64 years of age, and was an army pensioner, having
belonged to the 19th Brigade of Artillery. He was missed from his
home on the 13th of this month. He had been childish in his manner
for the past two years. Advertisements were inserted in the papers
and every effort was made to discover him. The jury returned a
verdict "that Patrick Fitzgerald, being of weak mind, did wander
away from his home on the 13th of October, 1894, and that he died
from exposure shortly afterward."
