Workhouses and the Irish Famine

The Irish Famine (1845-52) had am incredible impact on Ireland and its people; the population was reduced by over 25 per cent through death and emigration. Death through starvation was common; too weak to move whole families often crawled into their hovel closed the door and died. The Irish workhouses couldn't cope with the large number seeking entry and so many simply died at the closed workhouse door. For those in workhouses conditions were only marginally better with inmates dieing from starvation and disease. There were many children in workhouses and large numbers had been orphaned because their parents had died.

My latest book tells the story of a relatively small group of teemnage orphan girls who were rescued from workhouses and assisted to emigrate to the Australian colonies. The scheme to assist these girls was devised by the British Colonial Secretary, Earl Grey. At first the proposal was resisted by the colonies but Grey persisted and finally gained agreement. The scheme only lasted two years but some 4000 girls were assited to emigrate. The colonial media were at time brutal in their attacks on the girls because they were unaccompanied females, Catholics and Irish. Some bigoted clerics also spoke out against the girls. However, through determination to suceed most survived, were integrated and became important members of colonial Australia.

My book: Potato Famine Orphans provides background for the reader on the emigration process, the Irish famine, the workhouses and the story of how these girls were selected, taken to the colonies and saved from starvation and possible death. The book is in the process of being published and should be available by the end of the year. I am taking advance copy orders.