Thomas McConachy

Thomas & Margaret McConachy lived in the village of Claudy in the Parish of Upper Cumber in County Londonderry, often referred to as County Derry. Lewis’s Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, (1838), describes Claudy as being ‘7½ miles E.S.E. of Derry enroute to Belfast’. It contained eight cattle fairs, a Court of Petty Sessions, and a Constabulary. The Presbyterians had a meeting house there. There were 180 inhabitants.

In the Parish Census of 1831, 10 years before the family migrated to Australia, they are shown as the household of Thomas McConachy Junior. Seven males and one female made up the household, there being six sons before their first daughter Margaret, was born later in 1831. His father Thomas McConachy Senior is shown as having one male and three females in his household. This was presumably himself, his wife and two unmarried daughters. Both households gave their religion as Presbyterian and both were in the Townland of Lettermuck.

The Title Allotment Book for 1827 shows the property of Thomas McConachy as being 17 acres 3 rods and 11 perches. This was made up of 6.1.20 good arable, 2.1.12 bad arable, 1.2.21 pasture and 7.1.38 mountain. For this he paid a tithe or rate of 18 shillings and 87 pence.  A little over six acres was suitable for growing potatoes, the staple crop. What future did this hold for six sons?

In 19^th century Ireland, there was as much animosity between Catholic and Protestant as there is in Ireland today. In addition, the McConachy family, who were Presbyterians, would have suffered from discrimination in favour of the Church of Ireland which was the established church and supported by the English Government.

The Australian colonies were suffering from a chronic labour shortage in 1840. Wages were up to 1 pound 10 shillings per week for labourers. Most important of all, vast areas of land were available to new settlers at a token price. The opportunity of a Bounty passage was too good to refuse. Thomas and Margaret decided to migrate to Australia.