Edward Kane

Story

Edward Kane like his father before him was a tailor living in the south Dublin seaside suburb of Kingstown (since 1920 it has returned to its ancient name of Dun Laoghaire). He married Ellen Ryder (the daughter of a hatter from nearby Stradbrook) in the Registrar’s office in Kingstown on 3rd December 1883. Times were difficult in Ireland and thousands were kept in Poor Houses paid for out of local land taxes. The local Parish Board of Guardians was responsible for raising these taxes and administrating the poor laws, at times it was judged more economical to fund emigration to the colonies. It was with such assistance that Edward and Ellen were sent to Australia. In the nine days following their wedding Ellen and Edward travelled across the Irish Sea to the Plymouth Emigration Depot. At the Plymouth Depot poor emigrants from across the UK were gathered together given health checks and smallpox inoculations before they were put on ships to the colonies. They also made sure that each emigrant had a ships kit – Mattress, Water Bottle, Wash Basin, Tin Plate, Drinking Mug, Knife and Fork, Spoons, and Marine Soap as well as sufficient clothing. Edward would need at least six shirts; six pair of stockings; two pair of shoes; two complete suits of exterior clothing, one of which must be made of some warm material. Ellen would need six shifts; two flannel petticoats; six pair stockings; two pair shoes; two gowns, one of which must be made of some warm material.

The voyage that carried Edward & Ellen Kane was the first the ship Abergeldie made to Australia. There were 643 emigrants under the supervision of ship surgeon Dr Joseph Beattie as they left Plymouth, 92 married couples, 164 single men, 97 single women (with a matron Miss Lee to look after them) 101 boys and 80 girls (between 1 and 12 years of age) 10 infant boys and 7 infant girls. The voyage was a relatively speedy 53 days but during that time 1 boy, 5 girls, 2 infant boys and 2 infant girls died, while on the plus side 2 girls were born. In all 635 immigrants landed at Sydney\’s Circular Quay on Sunday 3rd February 1884. In exactly two months Edward and Ellen Kane had moved from the Registrar’s office in Kingstown to Circular Quay on the other side of the world. They had left in the cold and dark of an early December Ireland and in two months sailed into what would have been the stunning sight of Sydney Harbour on a warm summer’s day.

Edward and Ellen Kane first lived in Balmain where their first child Mary was born in October 1884. By October 1885 when Mary dies just three days after her first birthday the family had moved to Marrickville. The Kane family was to live on in Marrickville for over 80 years. Edward and Ellen live the rest of their life in Marrickville and have ten children, Mary, Bridget, John, Ethel, Edward, William, Ernest, Elsie, Dulcie and finally Percival in 1901. Sadly Mary, Bridget and Ernest die in infancy but the other seven live long productive lives. Edward and Ellen live to see their surviving children become adults, Ellen dies in 1923 and Edward follows her in 1925. John the oldest son follows the family tradition and becomes a tailor he has seven children and also lives in Marrickville until well into his 70s when his children buy a house and move their parents to Carringbah in Sydney\’s south. He dies aged 81. William joins the railways and becomes a locomotive fireman and dies aged 67 in 1960. Percival the youngest becomes a butcher and dies in 1976 aged 75.

The decendents of Edward and Ellen who came ashore at Circular Quay on 3rd February 1884 have mixed and married with the great melting pot that is Australian society, some from families that came to Australia in convict ships others that came as settlers before and after Edward and Ellen. Today the family spread across the Eastern States of Australia and in New Zealand owe a part of their origins to the young Irish tailor Edward Kane and his new wife Ellen who caught the ferry from Kingstown Pier to begin their journey.

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