History
At the end of the Napoleonic wars in 1815, the economy in Ireland collapsed, and the country was pushed into a recession. Poverty, famine, and high unemployment became commonplace. The British Government decided to send these impoverished Irish farmers to the under populated Newcastle District (today's Peterborough) to give them a new start. Peter Robinson had a knowledge of the backwoods and many political connections. He was quickly hired as the man to recruit new immigrants and settle the land. Attention, Attention: If you are under 45 years of age, are sound of body, hardworking and able, come to the New World, where there is land and food in abundance and a future that is your for the taking! If you were under 45 years of age, healthy and able to work, you could apply to emigrate. While over 50,000 applied to come, only 2300 people were selected. They were looking forward to a brighter future in Canada, but it wouldn’t be easy. The voyage ahead of them would be 30-40 days before they would see the coast of Newfoundland. Then it would be an additional month of travelling down the St. Lawrence, across the north shore of Lake Ontario, and north to Peterborough. The berths were small and cramped and smelled of cleaning vinegar and the lime juice that was used to help calm stomachs. While you were encouraged to get fresh air daily on the decks of the ship, and many contracted small pox despite being immunized.