In 1847, over 100,000 Irish people arrived at the ports of Quebec, Halifax, Saint John (New Brunswick) and Saint John’s (NFL). Conditions on the 6-8 week passage were horrendous, and many who survived the journey arrived disease ridden and impoverished. Over 5,000 Irish were buried at the Quebec Grosse Île quarantine station in that year alone. Many of the survivors made their homes in what was then known at British North America (Canada became self governing in 1867), but many others crossed the border into the US. Our research has tracked many people on passenger lists, at border crossings and in the 1881 and 1891 census returns.
Canada
