A McLaughlin Family History Paper prepared by Joy & Kev D-Roberts June, 2001.
Part 1 - DEPARTURE FROM IRELAND.
In the year 1873 Mary McLaughlin and her twin daughters, Mary Elizabeth and Sarah Ann were living in Londonderry, Ireland. Mary(nee MULLINS) was 40 years of age and the girls about 16. Their Father James McLaughlin had died and their Mother was very ill with a respiratory disease. It was in this situation that some member of the family could have seen an advertisment for free passage to New Zealand with many promises of warm weather and plenty of fresh air.
"Insert pictures of Emigration Advertisement"
Meanwhile the Minister for Immigration in Wellington had been corresponding with the Agent General in Westminster regarding shipment of migrants. In a letter dated 17th April 1874 he advised the Minister in Wellington that the ship "Queen of Nations" had sailed from Belfast on 21st March 1874 with "three hundred and forty seven Souls, equal to two hundred and ninety four Adults". Included in the list of gratuities to be paid on arrival was £5 "To the matron Mrs Mary McLaughlin".
Note 1 - My Mother Kathleen KANE had told us that her Grandmother, Mary Elizabeth Mclaughlin had told her: "Their Mother had a very bad chest complaint and she and her twin daughters had emigrated to NZ hoping for an improvement in her health; however their Mother had died at sea."
Part 2 - Arrival in Auckland
The "Queen of Nations" was a composite ship(part steel) of 872 tons, captained by
Cpt. A DONALD and the Surgeon Superintendant was Dr ALLNUTT
Below are some paintings of the ship first in calm waters, then as the Captain saw it. Actually on a later voyage he was lost overboard during a gale.
"Insert pictures of Queen of Nations"
The following is an extract from "White Wings" by - Sir Henry Brett
"The Queen of Nations was described on her arrival at Auckland in 1874 as an Aberdeen clipper built in 1861. She made only one voyage to New Zealand.
She sailed from the Mersey on March 17, and proceeded to Belfast to take on a full complement of immigrants, and finally sailed on March 21, under Captain Donald.
She carried light winds and fine weather to the Equator, which was crossed on April 23. On the 22 of the following month the rneridian of the Cape was passed. She experienced a succession of south-east gales, which ran the vessel down to 54 degrees south.
A few days before sighting the Three Kings, on July 2, the vessel was in company with the James Wishart, and the two ships sailed in company until arrival at Auckland on July 5.
Three deaths occurred during the voyage. The passage occupied 105 days from Belfast, and the James Wishart took 106 days from Gravesend.
About a week before the arrival of the Queen of Nations at Auckland great excitement was caused by a false report being circulated that the ship had been wrecked and all the passengers and crew had perished. "
Included in the list of single women passengers were:
McLaughlin Mary 40 Londonderry Servant
" Mary E. 17 Londonderry Servant
" Sarah A. 17 Londonderry Servant
The ship arrived on Sunday 5th July and ony Tuesday 7th Mrs Mary McLaughlin was admitted to Auckland Provincial hospital.
"Auckland State Archives at Mt Richmond for Auckland Provincial Hospital Casebook 1859-79. (ref Agency, ZAAP Accession A474 Item 3 1874/36); indicated that Mary McLoughlin aged 41 was admitted to hospital on 7th July 1874 and died seven hours later. Under the column heading "Remarks and Post Mortem Appearances is written:- "Admitted suffering from chronic Bronchitis. Was suddenly seized with vomitting of blood and died seven hours after admission. Lungs emphrysematous; several patches of Pulmonary apoplexy. Roots of lungs thickened. Bronchial glands indurated, calsarous. Half a pint of blood in stomach."
Death certificate no 640/1874 was issued on 9th July 1874 and indicated that she was a widow. To date we do not know where she was buried but it was probably in the Catholic section of the Symonds Street cemetry.
Part 3 - The life of Mary Elizabeth
On 24th January 1876 Mary Elizabeth McLaughlin and Arthur KIRK gave notification of their intention to marry. The Intentions to marry register shows "Mary Elizabeth McLaughlin, dressmaker 19 years, 18 months residence of Chapel St Auckland; No person with authority to give permission to marry. Also Arthur KIRK, blacksmith, age 25, in residence NZ 8 years. At St Patricks Cathedral Rev Walter McDonald RC. (BDm 20/21 p079 no 419)
"Insert pictures of St Patricks Cathederal Auckland"
On Tuesday 25th January 1876 Mary Elizabeth married Arthur KIRK at St Patrick’s Cathedral Auckland. One witness for the wedding was her Sister Sarah Ann McLaughlin.
The couple went to live in Greymouth on the South Island West coast. We found a record that showed that Arthur KIRK had a Post Office Savings Account at Greymouth and his occupation was listed as a brewery worker.
Their first child, Mary Jane, named after her Mother was born in Greymouth NZ on 29/12/1876 and was baptised in St Patricks Greymouth on 20/11/1877.
"Insert pictures of St Patricks Greymouth"
There were very bad floods in the spring of 1877 and this might have influenced their decision to return to Auckland. The following is a description of the floods extracted from :"Glimpses of Greymouth and District 1868-1993"-page 81.
"THE BIG FLOOD OF 1877
"Greymouth has suffered a terrible calamity, which will make a black, unfortunate page in their history, and for the second time in her existence has been the victim of a most disastrous flood. The rain fell steadily nearly all day on Monday. The warm temperature had an effect on deposits of snow which lay on the upper ranges and had swelled all the up-country creeks to flood height. At this time, unfortunately, the spring tides were unusually high, and a heavy sea had been backing along the coast. All day on Tuesday the rain fell heavily, more especially up country, and when the tide arose at night the Tidal Creek by 10 o'clock was overflowing its banks and flooding the lower portion of the town. Still no serious damage was expected. Many residents living in the low-lying parts of the town removed their furniture to a place of safety, and some who had been in town late on business found it impossible to wade through the water to their homes and had to stay in town all night. Several people in the smaller houses near Tidal Creek were knee high in water all night and could not get away, and by daylight on Wednesday morning guns were fired as signals of distress. All the available boats in town were put under requisition, and the volunteer crews worked like Trojans at their work of mercy, removing women and children to a safe place. By nine o'clock the muddy, raging water swept in one unbroken sheet over the wharf, carrying away the whole of the ballast of the line and causing the heavy coal- laden wagons to sink lopsided on the rails. Along Boundary, Tainui, Herbert, Werita and other parallel streets the angry waters rushed madly with tremendous force, bearing debris of a miscellaneous description, and frequently large and dangerous. The Mayor ordered large fires to be lighted in the State School and sacks of bread and other provisions were sent up. Boats were at work rescuing the half-drowned and shivering females, some of whom were glad to escape in their nightdresses. Crowds of fugitives flocked to fill the various hotels in town, while nearly every private house in the higher parts of the town, with true hospitality, threw open wide the doors to their less fortunate companions. Mrs Petrie was with other ladies at the State School distributing hot refreshments and, generally assisting those so greatly in need.
EXCITING SCENES
About noon the flood was at its highest and the scene was one of wild excitement. Carts, wagons, expresses and boats were hurrying about, in all directions, the drivers of the horses urging their steeds with hoarse cries, the boatmen bending sturdily to the oars and responding nobly to the cries of those in distress, the sobs of the women and children and the pitiful screams of the children frightened at the unusual scene, and the deep groans of the sterner sex as they contemplated the loss in many cases of their all, together with the melancholy sounds of the swish and roar of the angry water as it surged and eddied with tumultuous force against the doorways and corners of the buildings, formed one of the most heart-rending scenes any town need wish to witness. ........................
About llam yesterday Mr Calders, standing knee deep in the instrument room, managed to send the Government a short account of the flood, then suddenly the wires refused duty, and no messages were sent till after 9 o'clock today. It is reported that several up- country bridges are gone, and it will be some days before the mail communications can be restored.
Greymouth's loss cannot at present be arrived at is at least £20,000 will not pay the bill. All trade and work at present at a standstill. Every householder is hard at work repairing damages done to furniture and clothes and getting rid of the inches of slime and mud with which the floor is covered."
It gives a good insight into the living conditions in those days at a frontier town such as this. An examination of the "Grey River Argus" newspaper for 1877 indicated that there were plenty of ships offering passage to Auckland.
Their second child Sarah Ann, named after her twin sister was born in Auckland on 7th January 1879.
A third daughter named Louisa Alice was born in Auckland about 1883 and it was probably about this time that the family shifted to Sydney NSW. Registration of the birth cannot be located in NZ or Australian records and maybe it was overlooked during the migration to Sydney.
On 9th November 1885 they had a son named Arthur and at this time the Father was listed as a boilermaker. The child died on 26th February 1886 and was buried at Rookwood cemetry. From this time on there are no records of Mary’s husband Arthur KIRK until 1895 when she remarried and stated that he was deceased. Perhaps he went to the country to work and had an accident with the body being unidentified! Who knows?
The three KIRK daughters all married and had large families, lived to old age and have many descendants in Australia.
Mary Elizabeth married William Patrick KANE in Sydney on 11th June 1895.
They had three boys, William, Sydney and Laurence and one daughter Kathleen Margaret born in 1900. Sydney had a twin brother Bertie Patrick but he died at birth. The others all lived into their 80’s.
Sydney and Kathleen had large families and many descendants in Australia.
Part 4 - The Life of Sarah Ann
On 11th September 1876 John Julian ALWINGER and Sarah Ann McLaughlin gave details of their intention to marry. The Intentions to Marry Register BDM20/21 p139 No 279. showed that John ALWINGER,was a tailor aged 26 years, 2 years residence in NZ. Sarah Ann McLaughlin as having no person with authority in the colony to give permission. Both dwelling in Auckland.
They married on Tuesday 12th September 1876 in St. Patrick’s Cathederal Auckland.
Their first child, John was born in Auckland on 4th January 1877.
The second boy, Alexander Boniface in Auckland on 14th May 1878.
A daughter Anna Antoinette was born on 23rd August 1880. She died on the 23rd January 1881.
On 17th February 1881 John Julian ALWINGER died in hospital. He was buried at Symonds Street cemetry on 19th February 1881.
In 1883 Sarah married George HEIGHTON, a widower with a young family of two boys and one girl. His wife, Lavinia Martha(nee PASCOE) had died of typhoid fever at the age of 33 years.
Sarah and George had eight children.