Nine Ships 1825 Bicentennial Project Launch

Nine Ships 1825 Bicentennial Project will be officially launched on Tuesday, July 30th at 11:00 a.m. at the Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce at 175 George Street N, in Peterborough.

The Nine Ships 1825 organization has been created to co-ordinate and promote this 200th anniversary of the “Peter Robinson Irish Emigration” to the Peterborough area coming up next year in 2025. This launch will also reveal the new website www.nineships1825.com that has been designed to share information for the Bicentennial project.

The “Peter Robinson Irish Emigration” that saw 2,024 men, women, and children embark from Cobh, County Cork, Ireland in 1825 on nine ships bound for what was then known as Lower Canada and Upper Canada. This emigration scheme was organized through the British Government and led by Peter Robinson who resided in Upper Canada at the time. Through this experiment, the migrants were ultimately settled in what are now the municipalities of Peterborough County, Peterborough City and City of Kawartha Lakes.

The history of the Robinson emigrants is intertwined with that of the Indigenous peoples of the region, particularly the Michi Saagiig Nishnaabeg (Mississauga) First Nations on whose territory the Robinson emigrants settled. Indigenous support was forthcoming and welcomed at the time as the settlers adapted to their new environment.

The Bicentenary of the Robinson emigration invites reflection on these complex histories, honouring the resilience of early settlers and advancing reconciliation efforts within our community. This commemoration is an important moment to remember in our shared histories that continue to define our community today.

For more information please contact:  

Nine Ships 1825 Inc. Director on the Board and Secretary

Maureen Crowley – Email:    Tel. 705 939-6135