The Brady Family of County Cavan, Ireland
The Brady family left County Cavan, Ireland in the 1840s. After reaching one of the Irish ports they will have used one of the regular steamship services that operated between Ireland and Liverpool. The family were part of a massive movement of people leaving Ireland who headed for Liverpool, England in the mid 19th century. Liverpool was "the nearest place that wasn't Ireland" where Irish people could travel to find work or board a ship to go to North America. Irish people first started coming to Liverpool in large numbers after the turmoil of the rebellion of 1798. It marked the beginning of a regular flow of Irish migrants that would transform Liverpool's population, culture and even the local accent. Liverpool became a "diaspora place" for the Irish it was one of a number of destinations where Irish people settled in large numbers. Liverpool had a well established Irish community by the 1840s with Irish labour vital to its success as a port. Irish labour was most prominent in the discharging and loading of cargoes at the port of Liverpool.
Liverpool was overwhelmed by the huge influx of Irish migrants during the Great Famine of the 1840s. It struggled to cope with the large amount of Irish people arriving at the port who were in need of food, poor relief money and medical attention. Liverpool was described as "the hospital and cemetery of Ireland" in 1847. Many Irish people died from hunger or diseases associated with poor living conditions. Other residents died too through exposure to contagious diseases. Many of the Famine Irish settled permanently they could make a life for themselves in Liverpool just like previous generations of Irish migrants. The Brady family came to Liverpool around this time when Liverpool's Irish-born population reached its peak. Census records tell us that 22.3% of Liverpool's residents were Irish-born in 1851. The Irish community in Liverpool was actually larger than these figures suggest if you include all the children born to Irish parents. One million people died and one million people left Ireland due to the Great Famine.
The impact of the Famine in Ireland was exacerbated by the British government. Despite becoming part of the UK in 1801, Ireland remained an exploited and neglected country more akin to a colony with a wealthy Anglo-Irish elite owning most of the land and most Irish people living in poverty. Most people in Ireland lived off the land, there were only a few cities and not much industry to provide employment for people. The Irish were heavily dependent on potato crops to provide food for their families. When the crop was struck by a fungus that caused potato blight the Irish lost their main food source. The government didn't do much to help the Irish because of the harsh attitudes of the time. The Victorians believed in self-reliance and tried to discourage people from seeking help from welfare institutions. The Irish being mostly country people brutalised by years of poverty often struggled to integrate into urban life when they migrated. Irish adherence to Roman Catholicism increased prejudice against them. They were associated with poor health, had a reputation for unruly behaviour and were over-represented in the criminal justice system. Despite these difficulties the hardiness, liveliness and humour of the Irish endeared them to many as a spirited people who had suffered many years of adversity.
Liverpool was overwhelmed by the huge influx of Irish migrants during the Great Famine of the 1840s. It struggled to cope with the large amount of Irish people arriving at the port who were in need of food, poor relief money and medical attention. Liverpool was described as "the hospital and cemetery of Ireland" in 1847. Many Irish people died from hunger or diseases associated with poor living conditions. Other residents died too through exposure to contagious diseases. Many of the Famine Irish settled permanently they could make a life for themselves in Liverpool just like previous generations of Irish migrants. The Brady family came to Liverpool around this time when Liverpool's Irish-born population reached its peak. Census records tell us that 22.3% of Liverpool's residents were Irish-born in 1851. The Irish community in Liverpool was actually larger than these figures suggest if you include all the children born to Irish parents. One million people died and one million people left Ireland due to the Great Famine.
The impact of the Famine in Ireland was exacerbated by the British government. Despite becoming part of the UK in 1801, Ireland remained an exploited and neglected country more akin to a colony with a wealthy Anglo-Irish elite owning most of the land and most Irish people living in poverty. Most people in Ireland lived off the land, there were only a few cities and not much industry to provide employment for people. The Irish were heavily dependent on potato crops to provide food for their families. When the crop was struck by a fungus that caused potato blight the Irish lost their main food source. The government didn't do much to help the Irish because of the harsh attitudes of the time. The Victorians believed in self-reliance and tried to discourage people from seeking help from welfare institutions. The Irish being mostly country people brutalised by years of poverty often struggled to integrate into urban life when they migrated. Irish adherence to Roman Catholicism increased prejudice against them. They were associated with poor health, had a reputation for unruly behaviour and were over-represented in the criminal justice system. Despite these difficulties the hardiness, liveliness and humour of the Irish endeared them to many as a spirited people who had suffered many years of adversity.
Extract from report by Alfred Austin, assistant Poor Law commissioner
Table showing figures for Irish-born residents of Liverpool for 1841-1951
The first appearances of the Bradys on record in Liverpool are the baptism and birth records for their son Michael Brady. The date of birth differs between the two records but they do confirm that Michael Brady was born in 1848 to parents Michael Brady and Bridget McGinnis in Court 10 in Oriel Street Liverpool. Three Brady children appear on the 1851 Census record and there are gaps between their ages. The gap between the birth of John and Susan might be explained by the possible death of John's mother and Michael later marrying Bridget. The gap between the birth of Susan and Michael might be explained by the difficulties of the time, the 1840s being a time of famine and migration. The eldest of the three children, John Brady, was the grandfather of Mary Brady who married Patrick Joseph Holland.
The only daughter, Susan Brady, does not appear on baptism or birth records in Liverpool despite the 1851 Census record saying she was born in Liverpool. The 1861 Census record is probably right in saying she was born in Ireland. The grand-daughter on the 1861 Census record, Annie Brady, was Susan's daughter. Annie was illegitimate no father's name appears on the records. It's possible her future husband was Annie's father. The ages for the family vary on the English census records and death certificates, especially for the parents. Michael's approximate year of birth is given as about 1801 and about 1819 on the English census records and about 1802 on his death certificate. Bridget's approximate year of birth is given as about 1798 and about 1816 on the English census records and about 1814 on her death certificate.
A later year of birth for Bridget could be supported by surviving Irish census records from 1821 that appear to show a four year old Bridget living with her family in the townland of Clifferna in the parish of Larah in County Cavan. A neighbouring household has a Patrick Reilly living with another McGuinness family. This appears to be the same Patrick Reilly whose family are sharing house 6 in court 10 in Oriel Street with the Bradys on the English 1851 Census. There's a Michael Brady aged 18 years old living in Cordevlis in the same parish who could be our Michael Brady. Clifferna and Cordevlis are near the village of Stradone. Clifferna is south east of the village. Cordevlis is north east of the village. Unfortunately church records do not exist for this time period so we are unable to obtain more information. The parish of Larah is sometimes described as the home of the Bradys there are so many of them living there. The Irish 1821 census records below are only possible matches there is no certainty they link to our Brady family.
1821 Irish Census - Michael Brady of Cordevlis
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/c19/007246489/007246489_00128.pdf
1821 Irish Census - Bridget McGinnis of Clifferna
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/c19/007246631/007246631_00198.pdf
"The cabins where the farm-labourers or cottiers used to dwell have long since been deserted, and nothing remains of most of them now but a solitary gable or ruined side-wall, which may remain for years to come a memento of past neglect and mismanagement somewhere. Not only are the cabins of the labourers abandoned, but many of the cottages of the honest and once thriving small farmers are now standing tenantless, and their quondam occupants are now gone, exiles in a foreign land." - The Anglo-Celt newspaper, November 14, 1850.
Bridget Brady of Court 10 Oriel Street registered the birth of her son Michael Brady on 7th October 1848
Michael & Bridget Brady with their children at House 6 in Court 10 in Oriel Street on the 1851 Census
Oriel Street was notorious for poor living conditions
John Brady married Elizabeth Leacy or Lacy at St. Nicholas church Liverpool on 11th December 1853
Patrick Brady was baptised at St. Augustine's RC church Liverpool on 3rd January 1858
Michael, Bridget, children & grand-daughter at 3 Spring Buildings, Tatlock Street on the 1861 Census
John & Elizabeth Brady with their children at 2 Adams Place, Stewart Street on the 1861 Census
Susan Brady married William Kelly at St. Joseph's RC church Liverpool on 9th July 1862
John & Elizabeth Brady with their children at 3 Denbigh Street on the 1871 Census
Michael Brady married Jane Stewart at St. Anthony's RC church Liverpool on 8th June 1871
Patrick Brady married Margaret Reid at St. Nicholas church Liverpool on 30th September 1878
St. Nicholas church Liverpool
Mary Brady was baptised at St. Augustine's RC church Liverpool on 30th March 1881
John & Elizabeth Brady with their children at 32 Porter Street on the 1881 Census
Patrick, Margaret, daughter Mary & sister Mary at House 2 in Court 3 in Clay Street on the 1881 Census
Patrick's sister Mary married Patrick McShane at St. Mary's RC church Liverpool on 15th July 1885
Patrick's sister Elizabeth married John Hogan at All Souls RC church Liverpool on 2nd May 1888
Michael Brady married Mary Wood at All Saints church Liverpool on 28th September 1889
Elizabeth Brady with her daughter Mary McShane and her family at 33 Brownlow Hill on the 1891 Census
Patrick & Margaret Brady with their children at 9 Clay Street on the 1891 Census
Margaret Brady with children, cousin William Reid & boarders at 53 Regent Street on the 1901 Census
Ellen Brady married Alexander Casey at Our Lady of Reconciliation RC church on 3rd September 1903
Catherine Florence Brady married James Middleton at St. Nicholas church on 24th March 1908
James & Catherine Middleton with their son James at 10 Sand Street Liverpool on the 1911 Census
Alexander & Ellen Casey with children & Elizabeth Brady at 18 Sand Street Liverpool on the 1911 Census
All census information for England on this website is Crown Copyright from National Archives