Irish Emigration and The Tenure of Land in Ireland/Chapter 2 Appendix

by Frederick Temple Blackwood

APPENDIX.

Emigration of Protestants from Ireland. (See p. 72.)

It appears that there was a continual emigration of Protestants from Ireland to America throughout the last century, at which time persecution by the Catholics could not have occurred. The emigrations appear to have almost constantly taken place from the northern ports: thus seven ships, leaving Belfast for America with 1000 passengers, in 1728, are mentioned in Boulter's Letters, vol. i. p. 288. The number of emigrants who left Ireland in 1771, 1772, and 1773, is stated in Newenham's Inquiry into the Population of Ireland, p. 59: the ports from which the ships sailed were Belfast, Newry, Derry, Larne, and Portrush. Arthur Young gives the following more detailed account of this subject:—

"The spirit of emigrating in Ireland appears to be confined to two circumstances, the Presbyterian religion and the linen manufacture. I heard of very few emigrants, except among manufacturers of that persuasion. The Catholics never went, they seem not only tied to the country, but almost to the parish in which their ancestors lived."—Tour in Ireland, part ii. p. 30.

"It is well known that in the counties of Fermanagh, Tyrone, and Donegal, extensive confiscation took place, and a large number of farmers (Protestants) were in possession of from fifty to one hundred and fifty acres, some fee simple, more than 2s 6d an acre, which they inherited from their predecessors. In the lapse of years their families increased, and having received favourable accounts from persons who had emigrated some half-dozen years previously, farmers who had three, four and five sons or daughters approaching to maturity, considered it prudent to sell their lauds, emigrate, and purchase double or treble the quantity in a new country; 'Because,' said they, 'if we split our farms and apportion to each child a share, it will be but a few acres each, and they and theirs will become poor.' " Sir G. C. Lewis on Irish Disturbances, p. 457.

"In a certain sense, it may be said with truth, that the emigration of the Protestants has been owing to the pressure of the Catholics. The Catholics having multiplied rapidly, and being destitute of the means of subsistence, have increased the difficulty of obtaining employment, have lowered the rate of wages, and raised the rent of land by their competition. The Protestants, unwilling to submit to the degradation, and unable to resist the tendency to sink, preferred emigration to impoverishment, and left the country while they had still the means of defraying the expenses of their passage and outfit." Ibid. p. 458.

Return of the Emigration from the United Kingdom to all parts of the World, during the years from 1854 to 1860, both inclusive; showing the Trade, Occupation or Profession of the Adults, so far as can be ascertained from the Passenger Lists furnished by the Custom House Authorities.

Occupation.	United States.	British North America.	Australasia	All other Places.	Total.
Adult Males.
Agricultural Labourers, Gardeners, Carters, &c.	5,208	2,098	33,315	1,562	42,183
Bakers, Confectioners,&c.	3,554	310	1,247	72	5,183
Blacksmiths and Farriers	1,568	456	2,132	195	4,351
Bookbinders and Stationers	160	39	128	18	345
Boot and Shoe Makers	3,613	783	1,410	156	5,962
Braziers, Tinsmiths, Whitesmiths, &c.	1,580	122	297	46	2,045
Brick and Tile Makers, Potters, &c.	233	39	347	19	638
Bricklayers, Masons, Plasterers, Slaters, &c.	9,331	756	5,058	400	15,545
Builders	339	20	289	16	664
Butchers, Poulterers, &c.	1,182	139	985	34	2,340
Cabinet Makers and Upholsterers	314	86	431	56	887
Carpenters and Joiners	14,778	2,115	8,602	646	26,141
Carvers and Gilders	302	43	61	8	414
Clerks	5,571	1,582	3,043	912	11,108
Clock & Watch Makers	615	156	172	20	963
Coach Makers and Trimmers	72	25	136	28	261
Coal Miners	1,083	187	605	4	1,879
Coopers	1,183	157	240	30	1,610
Cutlers	343	11	66	1	421
Domestic Servants	1,592	387	1,189	207	3,375
Dyers	164	37	66	3	270
Engine Drivers, Stokers, &c	32	7	15	9	63
Engineers	1,565	292	1,103	286	3,246
Engravers	261	14	78	10	363
Farmers	58,526	9,427	17,653	782	86,388
Gentlemen, Professional Men, Merchants, &c.	13,578	3,745	12,191	3,431	33,125
Jewellers and Silversmiths	347	29	135	17	528
Labourers, General	333,215	27,068	95,228	2,643	458,154
Locksmiths, Gunsmiths, &c.	85	7	41	6	139
Millers, Malsters, &c.	886	229	466	18	1,599
Millwrights	104	39	134	28	305
Miners and Quarrymen	22,470	3,437	11,259	996	38,162
Carried forward

Occupation.	United States.	British North America.	Australasia	All other Places.	Total.
Adult Males.—contd, Brought forward
Painters, Paperhangers, Plumbers, and Glaziers	4,042	250	1,140	130	5,562
Pensioners	152	305	175	16	648
Printers	899	133	558	54	1,644
Rope Makers	57	18	63	2	140
Saddlers and Harness Makers	341	57	248	47	693
Sail Makers	48	15	60	3	126
Sawyers	176	121	755	45	1,097
Seamen	2,568	495	1,154	71	4,288
Shipwrights	149	38	192	53	432
Shopkeepers, Shopmen, Warehousemen, &c.	6,142	676	5,509	232	12,109
Smiths, General	4,491	331	1,107	146	6,075
Spinners and Weavers	6,266	1,131	921	7	8,325
Sugar Bakers, Boilers, &c	500	56	246	12	814
Surveyors	54	16	160	9	239
Tailors	10,163	1,483	964	99	12,709
Tallow Chandlers and Soap Makers	35	6	26	2	69
Tanners and Curriers	338	38	165	18	559
Turners	193	40	99	11	343
Wheelwrights	283	112	595	53	1,043
Woolcombers and Sorters	60	34	199	10	303
Trades and Professions not before specified	23,000	2,428	5,703	444	31,575
Not distinguished	97,296	11,093	38,065	10,459	156,913
Adult Females.
Domestic and Farm Servants, Nurses, &c.	62,651	5,535	65,279	2,013	135,478
Gentlewomen and Governesses	1,370	484	977	472	3,303
Milliners, Dress Makers, Needlewomen	4,619	259	1,302	118	6,289
Married Women	149,613	19,851	72,060	8,600	250,124
Shopwomen	20	4	108	3	134
Trades and Professions not before specified	737	247	277	9	1,270
Not distinguished	252,417	23,699	45,693	3,305	325,114
Children.
[1]Male Children	105,975	19,622	46,746	4,519	176,862
Female ditto	99,474	17,629	44,921	4,234	166,258
Infants	50,574	7,277	16,179	1,093	72,123
Not distinguished	94,505	47,459	7,627	28,865	178,556
Grand Total	1,463,333	214,784	556,945	77,812	2,312,874

Government Emigration Board, February 1867.

Table showing the Occupations, Sex, and General Destination of the Emigrants in 1864.

Occupation.	United States.	British North America.	Australasia	All other Places.	Total.
Adult Males.
Agricultural Labourers, Gardeners, Carters, &c.	344	61	1,779	29	2,213
Bakers	229	12	50	1	292
Blacksmiths and Farriers	48	13	180	10	251
Bookbinders & Stationers	14	3	10	3	30
Boot and Shoe Makers	218	19	111	3	351
Braziers, Tinsmiths, Whitesmiths, &c	175	6	11	2	194
Brick and Tile Makers, Potters, &c.	41	1	17	-	59
Bricklayers, Masons, Plasterers, Slaters, &c.	803	17	226	3	1,049
Builders	50	-	18	-	68
Butchers, Poulterers, &c.	93	8	42	3	146
Cabinet Makers and Upholsterers	32	—	36	2	70
Carpenters and Joiners	761	92	466	18	1,337
Carvers and Gilders	19	4	2	—	25
Clerks	331	79	189	185	784
Clock and Watch Makers	61	4	10	4	79
Coach Makers & Trimmers	7	—	5	—	12
Coal Miners	26	4	16	—	46
Coopers	90	6	21	3	120
Cutlers	45	1	1	-	47
Domestic Servants	259	20	86	34	399
Dyers	9	5	4	—	18
Engravers	28	1	2	—	31
Engineers	77	14	79	42	212
Farmers	5,213	932	925	175	7,245
Gentlemen,Professional Men, Merchants, &c.	2,555	665	1,676	946	5,842
Jewellers and Silversmiths	36	2	9	7	54
Labourers, General	45,210	2,699	9,930	158	57,997
Locksmiths, Gunsmiths, &c.	6	1	3	4	14
Millers, Malsters, &c.	65	5	29	2	101
Millwrights	4	-	14	1	19
Miners and Quarrymen	2,539	203	454	70	3,266
Painters, Paperhangers, Plumbers, and Glaziers	238	22	72	5	337
Pensioners	8	16	14	7	45
Printers	90	14	32	2	138
Rope Makers	4	-	8	-	12
Saddlers & Harness Makers	41	2	18	-	61
Sail Makers	6	-	4	-	10

Occupation.	United States.	British North America.	Australasia	All other Places.	Total.
Adult Males—continued
Sawyers	6	7	29	-	42
Seamen	232	51	78	18	379
Shipwrights	12	-	11	3	26
Shopkeepers	400	45	305	47	797
Smiths, General	685	10	64	4	768
Spinners and Weavers	763	332	61	1	1,157
Sugar Bakers, Boilers, &c.	2	-	28	1	31
Surveyors	5	1	9	2	17
Tailors	1,473	19	49	6	1,547
Tallow Chandlers and Soap Makers	1	-	1	-	2
Tanners and Curriers	61	2	10	1	74
Turners	10	-	7	1	18
Wheelwrights	33	2	39	-	74
Woolcombers and Sorters	-	-	1	-	1
Other Mechanics not before specified	2,028	202	85	74	2,389
Not distinguished	3,073	463	1,606	2,720	7,862

Appendix to 25th Report of the Emigration Commissioners, p. 56.

1. Previous to 1856 the Adult Age for the purposes of the Passengers' Act was 14; since that date, by the Act of 1855, it was fixed at 12.