Peter Robinson Settlers in Canada

200 anniversary

The year 2025 will see a celebration of significance in celebration of the two hundreth anniversary of the arrival of the Peter Robinson settlers in the Canadian Peterborough area.

Scope of this project

This is a project for documenting the Irish settlers brought to Ontario in 1823 and 1825 by Peter Robinson . This project aim is to help descendants from The Peter Robinson Settlers to reconnect with the families their ancestors left behind in Ireland and to re-connect the Irish relatives with those in Canada.

• If you have a Peter Robinson ancestors please add them here to the main-page

What was happening :

In 1822, the British Government established a trial emigration scheme for Irish paupers to Upper Canada. There were two waves of emigration, one in 1823 the second in 1825.

Peter Robinson supervised the emigration of over 2500 Irish emigrants to Canada.

Most of the emigrants were chosen from the area north of the Blackwater River in Cork from the estates of a few landlords though a number of Kinsellas, presumably from the southeast of Ireland, also went. Eight land owners chose 239 families with 37 other landowners picking the remaining 68 families. Emigrants were required to be peasants, and Roman Catholic although several Protestant families were chosen. No person over the age of 45 would be accepted. Each emigrant was to be given 70 acres which would be subject to a payment of an annual quit rent to the Crown, to be paid every six months at 2 pence per acre. In "The Peter Robinson Settlement of 1825", author Bill LaBranche says, "In the year 1823 Robinson was to lead an emigration from poverty stricken Ireland to Canada bringing over 182 families in that same year, Robinson opened and settled much of the Ottawa Valley. By May, 1825, the problem had not resolved itself and once again, Robinson, as Superintendent, hustled his Settlers onto the nine ships that awaited them. A total of 2,024 people were crowded onto those nine ships causing ships fever which resulted in several deaths during the voyage."

• Peter Robinsons report on the experience
• The emigrants had to be under 45 years old to be chosen.

Departures& Passenger lists

(updated on a daily base till all passenger lists are up)

• The Hebe departed from the Cove of Cork 8th July 1823 and arrived at Quebec August 31st see sub project Passengers list from The Hebe
• The Stakesby arrived at Quebec September 2nd and the passengers proceeded to Montreal on the steamboat New Swiftsure on September 5th, with Mr. Hamilton, surgeon in charge and Peter Robinson.Passenger list of the Stakesby also Stakesby passengers
• Fortitude , departed from Cork Harbor, Cork, Ireland 10 May 1825 and arrived in Quebec City, Canada, at the end of June. Passenger list of the Fortitude
• Resolution , departed from Cork Harbor, Cork, Ireland 10 May 1825 and arrived in Quebec City, Canada, at the end of June. Passenger list of the Resolution
• Albion departed from Cork Harbor, Cork, Ireland 11 May 1825 and arrived in Quebec City, Canada, at the end of June.
• Brunswick' , departed from Cork Harbor, Cork, Ireland 11 May 1825 and arrived in Quebec City, Canada, at the end of June.
• Amity departed from Cork Harbor, Cork, Ireland 16 May 1825 and arrived in Quebec City, Canada, at the end of June.
• Regulus departed from Cork Harbor, Cork, Ireland 16 May 1825 and arrived in Quebec City, Canada, at the end of June.
• Star departed from Cork Harbor, Cork, Ireland 13 May 1825 and arrived in Quebec City, Canada, at the end of June.
• Elizabeth departed from Cork Harbor, Cork, Ireland 18 May 1825 and arrived in Quebec City, Canada, at the end of June.
• John Barry, departed from Cork Harbor, Cork, Ireland 25 May 1825 and arrived in Quebec City, Canada, at the end of June.

The emigrants

• 1,859 Irish people settled in the Newcastle district of Ontario
• 67 settled in the Bathurst district
• 30 remained with friends at Kingston
• 5 were absent at Cobourg
• 145 died at sea and in Canada
• 15 children were born at sea
• 54 born in Canada
• A handful jumped ship in Montreal or elsewhere

Places were settled:

• Emily Township
• Otonabee Township
• Ennismore Township
• Douro (Dummer )Township
• Ottawa
• Marmora Township
• Asphodel Township

Documents with Robinson passenger names

• Emigrants from Mallow County Cork, Ireland
• Emigrants from Churchtown North Cork , Ireland

Sources

• The Robinson database
• The Olivetree passenger list
• Details of Peter Robinson's Transport of Emigrants to Canada
• Migration, Arrival, and Settlement before the Great Famine
• Cobourg history
• Peter Robinson Database
• Emigration From Cork Ireland to Upper Canada, 1823
• Irish Emigrants in Peterborough
• community forum dedicated to engaging the public in original research of early settlements in Upper Canada

External links

• Ireland Reaching Out -Peter Robinson Settlers genealogy group