I am researching the Irish history of my husband's Great Great Great grand father Matthew (Stewart, I think) Holmes.
He was born in September 1817 and arrived in Australia aged 22, on the Bounty ship William Metcalfe. The shipping record list his "native place" as Ballycolman His history from Australia onwards in well-known but my husband's family do not know for sure who his parents were and also who and how many siblings he had. We know Matthew married Ann McLean of Melbourne in May 1842.We also know that Ann's brother Malcolm McLean married a Jane Holmes in Melbourne in 1843. We believe, but do not have proof that Jane and a James Holmes who arrived in Australia on the ship England in July 1841 were brother and sister to Matthew. Both came from County Tyrone. James Holmes married Eliza Brown in Victoria Australia 1844. (her mother was Margaret Holmes!!) Jane Holmes and her husband Malcolm McLean took their children to Edinburgh to be educated and she died in Edinburgh in 1872. Her death registration states that her father was Matthew Stewart Holmes and her mother Elizabeth Watson. To add to confusion James Holmes death registration in 1884 (Australia) states that his father was James Holmes and his mother Elizabeth Watson. I am hoping that Malcolm McLean accidently named his brother in law instead of his father in law on his wife's death certificate. I am very keen to have communicate with any Holmes connections who might be able to add to our story. I have read all I can find on your website and feel sure that some of the Holmes names I have read must be connections. Regards Di Martin
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