Peter Robinson Ships' List

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Trent Valley Archives for their invaluable contribution in digitizing the list of names of emigrants for each of the nine ships involved in the Peter Robinson Emigration. Their meticulous work provides an essential resource for those wishing to trace their ancestry and understand the rich history of this significant migration. Despite the detailed records of the Peter Robinson Emigration, accurately calculating the exact number of individuals who left Ireland during the nineteenth century remains a challenging task due to the vast scale and complexity of emigration during this period. Trent Valley Archives’ efforts help bridge this gap, offering a clearer view into the past and preserving the legacy of those who embarked on this remarkable journey.

The links below will take you to Trent Valley Archives’ website for each passenger list. For more details you can visit the Trent Valley Archives just north of Peterborough at 567 Carnegie Ave. 

In 1825, nine remarkable ships set sail from Ireland, carrying numerous emigrants on a significant journey to what is now known as Ontario, Canada. These ships—Fortitude, Resolution, Albion, Brunswick, Star, Amity, Regulus, Elizabeth, and John Barry—were part of the ambitious Peter Robinson Emigration scheme, which sought to provide new opportunities for families affected by economic hardship in Ireland. Each vessel played a vital role in transporting hopeful settlers across the Atlantic, enduring challenging conditions at sea to deliver them safely to their new homes.

While we have detailed records of these historic voyages, visual depictions are scarce; even paintings, illustrations, and other renditions of these ships were very limited. And as for photos, you won’t find any Instagram-worthy snaps of the journey, since consumer photography wasn’t available until many years later.

Thank you to Peter McConkey for his dedication to archiving and researching the history behind the Peter Robinson Emigration. 

Follow the ships across the Atlantic with our Mapped Journey. There you can begin to comprehend the immense distance the Peter Robinson emigrants traveled to start new lives in a new land. Through illustrated maps and detailed descriptions, the Mapped Journey section chronicles their arduous voyage from Cork, Ireland to the backwoods of Nogojiwanong-Peterborough, Canada. Discover the challenges they faced and the milestones they achieved as they navigated their way to a new beginning.