Family Vignette—Thomas Nilan

 

Family Vignette—Thomas Nilan

The Great Famine, also known as the Great Hunger (Irish: an Gorta Mór, the Famine and the Irish Potato Famine, was a period of mass starvation and disease in Ireland from 1845 to 1852. It constituted a historical social crisis and had a major impact on Irish society and history as a whole.

The worst year of the famine was 1847, which became known as "Black '47". The population of Ireland on the eve of the famine was about 8.5 million; by 1901, it was just 4.4 million. During the Great Hunger, roughly one million people died and over one million more fled the country, causing the country's population to fall by 20–25% between 1841 and 1871, with some towns' populations falling by as much as 67%. Between 1845 and 1855, at least 2.1 million people left Ireland, one of the greatest exoduses from a single island in history.

At least a million people are thought to have emigrated as a result of the famine. There were about 1 million long-distance emigrants between 1846 and 1851, mainly to North America. The total given in the 1851 census is 967,952. Short-distance emigrants, mainly to Britain, may have numbered 200,000 or more.

Families did not migrate en-masse, but younger members of families did, so much so that emigration almost became a rite of passage, as evidenced by the data that show that, unlike similar emigrations throughout world history, women emigrated just as often, just as early, and in the same numbers as men. The emigrants would send remittances (reaching a total of £1,404,000 by 1851) back to family in Ireland, which, in turn, allowed another member of their family to leave.

Famine Effects on County Sligo

During the Great Famine (1845-1850s), County Sligo, including areas like New Town (Sligo Town), experienced catastrophic population loss, with over 30% of residents dying or emigrating, a reduction from over 180,000 people to under 120,000 by 1851, primarily due to starvation, disease, and mass departures from Sligo Port, especially after the failure of the vital potato crop.

Sligo's population fell by nearly a third, with over 52,000 people lost to death or emigration in a few years. Sligo Port saw immense emigration, with over 13,000 people leaving in 1847 alone, and 30,000 departing between 1847-1851 for the "New Land".

Sligo's starvation in Famine times are detailed in a new study of the Famine Relief papers 1844-1847 which shows the extent of utter devastation.

From descriptions of the failed potato crop to calls for more sources of employment for starving men, the description of Sligo's starving have come to light following a new study into Famine Relief Papers from 1844-1847.  The study shows the real-life scale of the destitution faced by Irish people in the lead up to the famine, providing an intimate insight into a defining moment in Irish history.

The Relief Commission and subsequent relief committees around Ireland were formed just prior to the official beginning of the famine to oversee relief efforts, distribute food, collect information and advise the government on the famine, the people and aid efforts.  Soup kitchens were set up, but in 1847 the government shut them down, anticipating a better crop which never materialised. Another piece of the relief plan was creating government work projects, so that those who were able could earn money to buy food.

During the Great Famine over one million people died, and a further million left Ireland. More than a century and a half later, Ireland's population had still not returned to pre-Famine levels.

Hand-written letters and documents provide first-hand accounts of the levels of destitution faced by starving people in Sligo.

Failed potato crop in Leyny, Sligo. On 8 July 1846 a report was written following a letter to the Relief Commission from JW Armstrong of the Leyny Relief Committee. The report details the content of the letter including the condition of the latest potato crop.

"That they have received a few small subscriptions. Implores some further donation from Government, to enable [the] committee to continue their operations for another fortnight as great distress still prevails in the District - 'The situation of the county will be, I deeply regret to say, very deplorable indeed, our early crop of potatoes have so generally failed that little relief can be afforded by it.'"

On 22 December 1845 a report was sent to the Relief Commission from the Town and Harbour Commissioner of Sligo reporting the distress in the area and calling for immediate relief.

The report also tells the Commission that the poor in Sligo are more willing to work and do not take to drink, unlike the poor in other parts of the country.

"You will see that our town requires immediate attention, when we find more than the 7th part of the population in want of employment on the mean of procuring the necessities of life; their patience and good disposition, will, we very much fear, be broken unless some immediate relief is given by some public employment.

"The disposition of the poor here is different to that in other parts of the country: they are not prone to drinking, indolent or lazy, but are most willing to do anything rather than seek relief in a poorhouse, of this, you have had sufficient experience in your constant attendance at that establishment … there are 438 men, who have, on an average, a family of five including a wife, children or aged and destitute parents thereby making more than 2560 souls … The awful visitation of the failure of the potato crop, the increase of which you have taken such lively and pain worthy exertions to prevent, has baffled all prescribed remedies and each succeeding day brings further information of failure where safety was expected.

"We, therefore, most earnestly entreat you to represent to your friends, who many have most influence with the government, this awful state, and approaching distress; and that unless some immediate relief is obtained the disaffection which exists on the borders of this county will extend amongst us, making property, liberty and life insecure."

Extreme destitution in the Barony of Corran. On 14 June 1846 representatives from the parishes wrote to the Relief Commission detailing the destitution in the area and their need for a relief committee to be established in the Barony.

"We the undernamed inhabitants of the parishes of Cloonoghil, Kilturrra and Kilshahy in the county of Sligo beg most respectfully to inform you of the state of extreme destitution of many of the poor classes in those districts in which there are no resident landed proprietors and consequentially but little employment can be obtained by the able bodied labourer, nor has any public work been as yet undertaken although applied for long since and no relief committee has been formed that we are aware of for the Barony of Corran in which these parishes are situated."

On 15 September 1846 Reverend J Dawson wrote to the Relief Commission detailing the destitution in Sligo Town and that the lack of food could cause an outbreak of violence among the destitute.

"The small farmers who hold the little stock of grain they possess for the supply of their families are unable to get it ground into meal owing to the failure of the natural power from the present drought and the great demand which is made daily and nightly on the country mills.

"The consequence is that the people are everywhere afraid of an immediate movement on the part of the destitute creatures who are in a state of great excitement".

Starving were buried without coffins in Geevagh.

On 24 March 1847 Reverend Michael Spelman wrote to the Relief Commission stating that the dead in his parish are being buried without coffins and requests coffins should be provided in future.

"In this single parish (Geevagh, Co.Sligo) comprising a population of 1,000 souls, no less than eighty seven persons have actually died of starvation within the last twelve days. Many are buried without coffins.

"This fact is indisputable and as I feel convinced that numbers will have to be interred with no other covering but the rags they wore when living.

"I write with a view to ascertaining whether any hopes may be held out to me that coffins will be provided for them in future."

The story of Thomas Nilan

Very little information can be found about Thomas Nilan prior to 1851.  What is known is that he was born in New Town, County Sligo, Ireland in 1928.  His parents are not known, but it may be surmised that life in County Sligo was indeed a difficult time between 1845 to 1852. 

It was most likely during that time when Thomas Nilan, emigrated to Warsop, Nottinghamshire, England.  He was one of the many who left Sligo for better opportunities elsewhere.  Thomas Nilan, now 23 years of age,  is found working as a farm servant in the 1851 census for Warsop, Nottinghamshire, England where he found employment and a place to live working for Thomas Bowmar, a local farmer of 500 acres who employed eleven helpers.

 

On April 5, 1858, Thomas Nilan married Hannah Brothwell 1837-1922, at St. Peter & St. Paul Church in Warsop, Nottinghamshire, England. Hannah was the youngest child of twelve, born to William Brothwell 1786-1851 and Winifred Barker 1793-1886.  Thomas and Hannah had seven children.  However, the eldest child from Hannah was born out of wedlock in Jan 1957, prior to their marriage.  The known children are:

1.      Mary Nilan Brothwell 1857–1911 married William Green in 1877.  Divorced in 1879.

2.      Frederick Nilan 1859–1930 married Alice Mary Boston in 1998.  They had seven children.  Wilfred Thomas Nilan 1894-1979 was the fourth child and maternal great grandfather to Sarah Cook (nee Field)

3.      Jane Nilan 1860–1941 married John Fell Wilson in 1887.

4.      John Nilan 1863–1907 married Mary Jane Pilsworth in 1893.

5.      William Lewis Nilan (Butcher) 1866–1923 married Annie Elizabeth Highfield in 1891.

6.      Katie Ann Nilan 1868–1944 married George Wright in 1913.

7.      Wilfred Thomas Nilan 1874–1961 married Annie Booth in 1905.

By 1861, Thomas Nilan had established himself as a grocer in Warsop.  In 1871, his grocery business grew and Thomas hired his daughter Mary, age 14, to work in the shop as his assistant.

In 1881, Thomas and Hannah still managed the grocery business and William Lewis, Katie Ann and Wilfred Thomas were living at home together with Hannah’s 89 year-old, widowed mother, Winifred Brothwell.

Thomas Nilan died on November 4, 1884 in Warsop, Nottingham, England and Hannah continued to manage the grocery business. By 1891, Hannah was living with her dressmaker daughter, Katie Ann, age 22 and her granddaughter Beatrice A Green, age 6. 

Hannah continued to run the grocery store until at least age 74.  Sometime after that she allowed her children to continue the family business.  By 1921, she was living with her daughter, Katie Ann and her husband George Wright.  She died in August 1922 and was buried on August 28, 1922 at the cemetery in Warsop.

Genealogy:  Thomas Nilan 1828-1884 was the father of Frederick Nilan 1859-1930 and his son was Wilfred Thomas Nilan 1894-1979 and his daughter was Audrey Alice Nilan 1923-1999 and her daughter was Marie J Schofield 1951- and her husband was Cyril "Dick" Edward Field 1948-2016 and his mother was Ruby Adams 1923-2001 and her father was Francis "Frank" Henry Adams 1884-1965 and his father was William Frederick Adams 1848-1907 and his son was George "Pikey" William Welch-Adams 1867-1940.