Margaret (Kinsley) Howell (1843-1914): an Irish emigrant

In Australia from early European settlement to the time of the gold rushes there were many more men than women. After the English, the Irish were the second largest group of settlers to colonise Australia. Half of the immigrants from Ireland were women; the immigrants from other countries were largely composed of men. In 1871 it was estimated that one in four Victorians was born in Ireland; with women being half the Irish-born population.

In these circumstances, an Irish woman had little trouble in finding a husband. Free immigrants often married soon after their arrival. From the mid 1850s to the early 1870s half of Irish women immigrants married non-Irish husbands. Often Catholic women married Protestants.

One of these Irish women was Margaret Kinsley (1843-1914). She married an Englishman from Devon. Although her religion was probably Roman Catholic she was married in the Church of England and was buried in the Church of England section of the Avoca cemetery.

Margaret Kinsley was born in 1843 in County Limerick, Ireland. She was the daughter of Sylvester Kinsley and Elizabeth nee Pally.

Margaret Kinsley emigrated to Australia on the Shackamaxon, which departed Liverpool on 7 November 1860 arriving Melbourne 29 January 1861. The voyage took 140 days. Margaret, 21, unmarried, a servant, was one of 346 government immigrants.

Age (Melbourne, Vic.) of Thursday 31 January 1861, Page 4

The classification of the 344 Government immigrants who arrived on Tuesday evening by the Shackamaxon, is : 28 married couples, 255 single women, 3 single men, 19 children. There have been two deaths, one of a child and the other a man named Ross, who was killed by the stud-sail halyards carrying away, and the yard striking him, in its descent, on the head. Deceased bore an excellent character, and leaves a widow and two children to lament his loss. The ship is as clean both inwardly and outwardly as it is possible for a ship to be. There has been no sickness beyond that of the child, who was consumptive. The immigrants are under the charge of Dr Jolly, who has now completed his tenth voyage in the service of the Emigration Commission, and who, on the present voyage, has originated a new system to keep the single women from wearying through the monotony of a long sea voyage, by starting a kind of bazaar, to be held on board at the termination of the passage, the articles all to be worked on board, and to consist of clothes and fancy work. Yesterday, all these articles were ranged with great taste in the 'tween deck, and presented a very pretty and novel appearance.

Within two years Margaret had made her way to the Avoca district where she married Thomas Howell, overseer of Woodstock Station near Lillicur, east of Lamplough. They were married on 20 June 1863 at St John’s Church of England in Avoca.

Tom and Margaret had fourteen children including twins who died at birth in 1865 and two other children who died young.

In 1880 when Woodstock estate, 7,500 acres with 12,300 sheep, was sold. Thomas Howell continued as overseer.

Margaret Howell was a member of the Avoca Ladies’ Benevolent Society.

In 1913 Margaret and Tom celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary:

Argus (Melbourne), 20 June 1913

HOWELL—KINSLEY.—[Golden Wedding.]—On the 20th June, 1863, at St. John's Church of England, Avoca, by the late Rev. Garlic, Tom Pym Howell, of Exeter, Devonshire, England, to Margaret Kinsley, of Limerick, Ireland. Present address, Avoca

On 9 September 1914 Margaret, aged 71, died in Maryborough hospital. She was buried in Avoca Cemetery.

Argus, Monday 14 September 1914, page 1

HOWELL.—On the 9th September, at Maryborough Hospital, Margaret, dearly beloved wife of Tom Pym Howell, and loving mother of Bessie, Helen, Marian, Jane, Alice, William, Tom, and Sydney, aged 71 years. A colonist of 55 years.
Her end was peace

Avoca Free Press and Farmers’ and Miners’ Journal, Saturday 12 September 1914, page 2

Obituary
The friends of Mr Thos. Howell senr., will regret to learn of the death of his wife which took place on Wednesday last at the age of 71 years, The deceased lady settled in the Avoca district in the palmy days of gold-mining, and she was married to Mr Howell 55 years ago, at St. John's Church of England, Avoca. Much sympathy is felt for Mr Howell and family in their sad bereavement. The members of the family are — Mrs T. Impey (Ararat); Mrs Bunting (Ringwood); Mrs Dobson (Burrumbeet); Mrs A. F. Kaye and Mrs F. O. Wiltshire (Avoca); Mr W. Howell (Lamplough), Mr T. Howell (Leichardt); Mr S. Howell (Avoca). The remains were interred in Avoca cemetery on Thursday, Rev Chas. Reed officiating at the grave. The coffin-bearers were :- Messrs T. Impey, A.Kaye, F Wiltshire, S., W., and Thos. Howell.

Wikitree: Margaret (Kinsley) Howell (1843-1914) 

See also: Elizabeth Malcolm, Val Noone & Dianne Hall, ‘Irish Women in Australia and Irish-Australian Women: A Survey and Bibliography’, Australasian Journal of Irish Studies 22 (2022), pp. 53–105.