My wife is a direct descendant of Henry Gillett born in Queenstown,(Cobh?) Cork 1801 who left Ireland for Australia aboard the immigrant ship "Hibernia" with his young family in 1833. His wife (Maiden Name M Hales) and three young children (John, Mary Ann and Margaret) perished along with hundreds of others when the ship caught fire 60 days out from port. Henry survived and went on to begin a new life as a prominent citizen and ship builder in New South Wales, particularly in the Tweed Heads and Grafton areas. A book "The Gillett Line" was published in 1983 which describes his extensive Australian family and I'd be happy to provide details from this if anyone is interested. He died in 1880 and is buried at Ulmarra, New South Wales, Australia.
In 1840 he remarried Bridget E Carroll (who was born in Tipperary in 1818) at St Patricks Roman Catholic Church in Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia.
I am particularly keen to learn more of his life and of his ancestors in Ireland much of which I understand was in Youghal, County Cork. I think his Great Grandfather was Alderman Edward John Gillett 1670-1745), a goldsmith who served for some years as a Councillor in Youghal and as Mayor in 1721. I think in 1740 he had a property lease in Windmill Lane
I think his father was Edward Gillett born 1751 in Youghal and died 1832 in Queenstown (Cobh?). I think his mother was Margaret Smyth born 1762 in Kildare and died in 1846 in Queenstown (Cobh?). I think they were married on 10th March 1782 in Clonmel. I think Henry had three brothers Thomas, Richard and William?
I'd really appreciate it if anyone was able to help me confirm any details and fill in the gaps and/or recommend helpful sources or references which I can pursue..
gissingp
Tuesday 11th Jun 2024, 07:29AMMessage Board Replies
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Hello,
The paid site, Roots Ireland, has the baptism record for Margaret Gillett, 12 Oct 1831, RC Parish of Cobh (aka Queenstown) to parents Mary Hales & Henry Gillett, The two sponsors are Jeremiah Chard & Margaret Gillett. I could not find any more birth records nor their marriage record. The only two marriage records that I could find in the RC parish of Cobh were for a Margaret Gillett in 1829 (possibly the baptism sponsor above), and a Richard Gillett in 1817....not sure if they are part of your family.
Regards,
Carolyn
Tuesday 11th Jun 2024, 02:04PM -
Hi,
The paid site Roots Ireland has a baptism record for Margaret Gillett in the RC parish of Cobh (AKA Queenstown) on 12 Oct 1831 to Mary Hales & Henry Gillett, the sponsors are Margaret Gillett & Jeremiah Chard. I did not find any records for their other two children nor their marriage. There are marriage records for a Margaret Gillett (1829) - possibly the Margaret in the baptism record & a Richard Gillett (1817) - both in the RC parish of Cobh. There is no way to confirm they are your relations though.
Regards,
Carolyn
Tuesday 11th Jun 2024, 11:59PM -
Gissingp,
My first two replies did not get posted....here goes again. The only record that I could find for your family is the baptism of Margaret Gillett, 12 Oct 1831, to Mary Hales & Henry Gillett in the RC parish of Cobh (aka Queenstown). The sponsors were Margaret Gillett & Jeremiah Chard. I did not find the records for their other two children nor their marriage record. There are two marriage records in the RC parish of Cobh for possible relatives....Margaret Gillett (maybe the above sponsor) to James Braucly on on 3 Mar 1829...one witness was a William Gillett, and the other is the marriage of Richard Gillett to Elizabeth Carrol on 9 Feb 1817.
These records are on the paid site Roots Ireland.
Carolyn
Thursday 13th Jun 2024, 01:34PM