Bridget Ellen Gavan
1823-1909
Born: Kilkerrin, County Galway, Ireland
Died: Mt. Pleasant, New South Wales, Australia
1823-1909
Born: Kilkerrin, County Galway, Ireland
Died: Mt. Pleasant, New South Wales, Australia
Bridget was born Kilkerrin, Galway County in Ireland. She was the daughter of John Gavin a Farmer and his wife Mary (nee Connors) from County Cavan in Ireland. Bridget arrived in Australia aboard the “John Renwick” on 31st August 1841, aged 19 years and unmarried. She must have had a hard time being pregnant with her first child, no family and the Ships Surgeon dying on the voyage. Her occupation was that of a Nursemaid. She moved to the Camden District where a son was born on 29th September 1841 at Redbank near Picton. She named him John Thomas Gavin and he was christened by Father IC. Summer in November 1841. John grew up in the Campbelltown area, his mother settling there after her marriage to Aaron Eron Martin at St. John’s Catholic Church Campbelltown on 24th April 1844. The 2000 acre property they lived on was bordered by the lake from the entrance to Boonerah Point, across to and included Shellharbour square and back to the sea at Barrack Point.
<span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: medium">Our story is John & Mary Gavin nee Connor & family left Ireland during the potato famine. They were suppossed to go to the southern states of America where they grow cotton.</span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: medium"><br></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: medium">They had a daughter Bridget who ran away from home & came to Australia in 1841, family lore has it that she was in touch with her family, but when she declined to go to America as she had married & had family here, they were suppossed to disown her.</span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: medium"><br></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: medium">But a family member has a photo of two young ladies named May & Bedelia Gavin on board a ship in 1877 at Boston. So obviously Bridget must have had a brother, and they must have kept in touch.</span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: medium"><br></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: medium"><br></span><span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: medium">Peter & Roslyn Dunning</span>