Miss Manley
with Mr Vere Foster's compliments.
IRISH FEMALE EMIGRATION
For the purpose of raising the condition of the poorest
families in the poorest districts of Ireland, by assisting the
emigration to North America of one able-bodied member of
each family (in most cases a woman), specially selected on
account of her poverty, good character, and industrious
habits, with the expectation that she will herself take the
remaining members of her family out of poverty.
REPORT
Of the amount raised, and the manner in which it has been
expended.
Having travelled in Ireland, and having observed the general
existence of poverty and misery in that country, owing to excessive
competition for employment, I went to America in the
winter of 1850-1 and travelled more than ten thousand miles
throughout the United States and Canada, for the purpose of
ascertaining the position of the working classes there, and the
prospects of emigrants, and, in the spring of 1852, canvassed
among my friends for subscriptions of small amount in aid of
my own funds for the purpose above mentioned.
The amount collected from 1850 subscribers* was £200;
[* Amongst those who honoured me with subscriptions were the
following persons, whose names and noble characters are well known to
the general public, viz., Caroline Chisholm; Lady Noel Byron; Charles
Nash; Earl of Shaftesbury; Duke of Devonshire; Earl of Ripon; Earl
Granville; Sydney Herbert; Earl of Elgin; Horace Greeley (American);
Lucretia Mott (American); Henry Barnard (American).]
my own contribution was £350. Long continued debility (the
effects of a sea voyage in an emigrant ship), and a desire not to
impose on the good nature of my friends, prevented me from
raising more subscriptions or larger amounts. I was assisted
in the selection of emigrants chiefly by my friends Michael and
Patrick Morrisey, teachers of National Schools in the parishes
of Feakle, near Scariff, County Clare, and Jeremiah Ryan and
John O'Dea, teachers of Sallybank and Parteen National
Schools, between Limerick and Feakle, also by the Rev. Patrick
Quaid, P.P., and other friends near O'Callaghan's Mills and
Broadford.
The number of representatives of families sent was 61 women
and 31 men, besides two entire familes and 3 other persons,
- total 105 persons.
Thirty passengers were sent to Quebec, 55 to New York, 6 to
Charleston, and 14 to New Orleans.*
[* The name of the ship agent employed was Mr. Henry Boyd, of 7,
Dublin Street, Liverpool, who acted towards all the emigrants in the
most satisfactory and friendly manner.]
The expenses were as follows:-
Journey from home to Liverpool ................... £ 30 15s. 4d.
Outfit and other expenses at Liverpool ........... 101 8 0
Passage to America ............................... 291 2 8
Cash to Emigrants on Arrival in America .......... 126 14 0
_____________
Total ................................. £550 0 0
The women's wages before their emigration mostly varied
from 10s. to 20s. a year and their board, or from 3d. to 4d. per
day without board. The men's wages were usually 6d. a day
without board. Most of both men and women worked for their
food alone, or lived on the charity of their neighbours, and had
members of their families in the workhouse.
I have recently visited the districts from which the emigrants
were selected, and have ascertained the following facts most
creditable to their industry and affectionate dispositions, and
which, with the above remarks, will, I hope, satisfy my kind
subscribers that their contributions have been judiciously applied,
and will encourage the promotion of similar reproductive emigration
from other distressed districts - for instance, from the
Western Highlands.
Of the 91 representatives of families above mentioned, 71
have sent from America £751.10
Besides sending passage tickets for 21 persons.
They have altogether been the means of taking out 86 additional
persons.
The following are the names of some of those who have done
best:-
Margaret Kelly, from Feakle, sent £24 from time to time;
then her brother Pat, whom she had sent for, sent £10; then
£3 were sent by the two. Margaret has thus been the means
of getting out three of her sisters and a brother. Catherine
Collins, from Feakle, sent £13, and sent besides for 2 grown up sons
and 2 other children. Mary Dugan, from Feakle, sent £23. Mary
Boland, from Feakle, sent £26. Fanny Sullivan, from Feakle, sent £27. Pat
Daly, from Feakle, sent £24, which took out his father, two brothers,
and a sister. James Dillon, from Feakle, sent £12, which, in addition
to other money, took out two sisters and two brothers. Pat
Moroney, from Feakle, sent £22, which took out his wife and four
children from the workhouse to America. John Hayes, from Feakle,
sent for his wife and five children two years ago.
Pat Slattery (Broadford), sent £18, besides paying the passage
of his wife and 3 children. Pat Murphy (O'Callaghan's Mills)
sent £20, and paid besides the passage of a sister. Bridget
Hickey (Sallybank), took out a sister, sending £24 in all.
Michael Hagarty (Parteen) sent for two brothers, besides sending
£8 to his mother.
Of the remaining 20 persons, one has returned, five are known
to have married, and of 14 there are no bad accounts, beyond
their sending no money.
I am now endeavouring to raise further subscriptions for the
emigration of women exclusively. I have hitherto collected
£63 from 1050 persons, and, having added my own contribution,
have, within the last month, sent to Western Canada four young
women from Ardee workhouse, and five more from the neighbourhood
of Ardee, at an expense of £2 6s. for their journey
from home to Liverpool; £6 15s. for outfit and other expenses
at Liverpool; £30 7s. 6d. for their passage to New York, in
Canada West, £4 10s. each in hand on arrival in New York,
and £13 2s. 6d. for their passage tickets from New York to
London, Canada West. Total, £57 1s.
Four more, from Feakle, County Clare, will sail in a few
days.
Persons approving of the proposal, are respectfully requested
to collect subscriptions of from one penny upwards in aid, and
to remit the amount in postage stamps or P.O. order, addressed
to me, care of Lady A. FOSTER, Wimbledon, Surrey. In due
course a further report will be published.
VERE FOSTER.
Wimbledon, June, 1855.
20 Pages Crown 8vo., with Illustrations, Price 1d. The Postage on
EIGHT Copies only 1d.,
WORK AND WAGES
OR THE PENNY EMIGRANT'S GUIDE TO THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA,
For Housemaids, Cooks, Laborers, Mechanics, Farmers, &c.
Containing a short Description of those Countries, and most suitable
parts for Settlement, rates of Wages and Board, House-rent, price
of Land, Money matters, &c.; together with full information about
Preparations neccessary for the Voyage, instructions on landing, and
expenses of travelling in America. With Letters from many residents
in America.
By VERE FOSTER.
London: W. & F. G. CASH, 5, Bishopsgate Street Without.
Illustrated Window Bills may be had on application to the
Publishers.
NOTICES OF THE PRESS
It's a capital work; I said so before, and I'll say it again. - Editor of
Liverpool Journal.
As full of valuable information as an egg is of meat. - Liverpool Mail
Full of valuable information.... The author is a person of great
respectability, intimately acquainted with all that he speaks of, and is we
believe; perfectly disinterested. - Leeds Mercury.
Most valuable, neat little pamphlet, at the nominal cost of one penny, which
would scarcely buy the paper on which this mass of information is printed.
Let us emphatically impress on the intending emigrant the necessity of
having this inestimable little handbook along with him. It has been compiled
by a generous disinterested friend. - Dublin Telegraph.
Contains more practical information, conscientiously given, than any similar
publication many times its price and size. - Dublin Freeman's Journal.
Gives a much greater amount of good counsel than is to be found in most
works at fifty times its price; we have seldom seen so much important
information compressed into so few pages. - Edinburgh Scottish Press.
Contains a brief, clear, and trustworthy summary of almost everything an
emigrant should know. - Glasgow Examiner.
Peculiarly serviceable for female servants, labourers, mechanics, farmers,
&c. - Glasgow Saturday Post.
A new and pleasantly illustrated edition; semi-offical, and as reliable as
it is practical and humane. - Reasoner.
We never remember to have perused a work of the kind more deserving of
attentive perusal: as a reference book for those about to leave this country
for the United States or British America, we have seen nothing which can
compare with it for usefulness. - Arbroath Guide
His advices to emigrants have the full weight of practical experience. -
Edinburgh Guardian.
Contains a vast mass of practical imformation, brought up to the latest
period. - Edinburgh News.
