Los descendientes del Dresden

Amnesia Histórica / Historical Amnesia

2010-03-10T15:57:00.003-03:00

Romper la amnesia histórica
El sábado 27 de Febrero de 2010, Juan Pablo Álvarez, Director del proyecto "Los descendientes del SS Dresden" y Peter Mulvany, Presidente de la Irish Seamen's Relatives Association homenajearon por primera vez en 121 años a los colonos irlandeses que pasaron cerca de Bahía Blanca, en el frustrado intento de colonia. Los lugares elegidos para tales homenajes fueron las estaciones de tren "Napostá” y "La Vitícola".
En la primera de las estaciones fue donde cerca de 800 colonos arribaron el 27 de Febrero de 1889. Allí pasaron la noche al costado de las vías, durmiendo sobre el equipaje. Al otro día a la mañana partieron aproximadamente quince kilómetros al sur, al lugar donde finalmente se establecería la colonia. Es ahí donde hoy se encuentra la estación que lleva el nombre de la compañía que en 1889 encaró el proyecto de colonización: “La Vitícola”.
Banderas argentinas e irlandesas, cruces y una placa conmemorativa vistieron las estaciones que recibieron y albergaron a cerca de ochocientos inmigrantes que vinieron a la Argentina a bordo del vapor SS Dresden. Este acto, dedicado a quienes intentaron establecer la primera colonia irlandesa del país, fue sencillo e íntimo, solo unas palabras, unas oraciones y los acordes de una gaita que por fin, luego de tantos años, despertaron una memoria adormecida.

To brake the historical amnesia
On Saturday February 27th 2010, the Director of the “Dresden Descendant’s Project”, Juan Pablo Alvarez and Peter Mulvany, Chairperson of the Irish Seamen's Relatives Association (1939-46), honored for the first time in over 121 years, the Irish settlers that came to locations near Bahía Blanca in the first unsuccessful attempt of colonization. The sites chosen for such honors were the railway stations of "Napostá" and "La Vitícola".
It was in "Napostá" station that 800 settlers arrived on February 27th, 1889, where they spent the night on the side of the rails, sleeping on the luggage. On the following morning they all traveled about fifteen miles south, to the spot selected for the establishment of the first colony. It is in this place where now stands the train station that has the name of the company that in 1889 encouraged the colony project: “La Vitícola”.
Argentine and Irish flags, crosses and a commemorative plaque dressed the stations that received about eight hundred immigrants who came to Argentina on board the SS Dresden. This commemorative event, dedicated to those who attempted to establish the first Irish colony in the country, was simple and intimate, only a few words, some prayers and the strains of an uilleann pipe that finally, after so many years, stirred a dormant memory.

121 Aniversario - 27 de Febrero 1889 - 2010

2010-03-05T12:06:00.001-03:00

Fue el Sábado 27 de Febrero de 2010. A las 18.30 aproximadamente estábamos Peter Mulvany, Magdalena y yo llegando a la estación Napostá. Más allá de la curva al norte de la estación, pasando la escuela, un tren de carga venía con rumbo a Bahía Blanca. Nosotros todavía estábamos en el auto.
Aceleré para llegar a ver pasar el tren desde el andén de la estación.
Llegamos con lo justo. El tren y sus clásicos, tatán tatán espaciados por segundos intermedios, algunos rechinares y mucho viento, todo eso era una pelota ingobernable de sensaciones.

El todo es más que la suma de los sentidos, dicen por ahí. Y ahí, en Napostá el todo fue absolutamente todo.
Fueron segundos hasta que el tren terminó de pasar... pero en ese pasar el tren me traía algo más.
Carta del Padre Gaughren – “Colonia Irlandesa, Naposta, March 5th, 1889: Both you and your readers will, no doubt, feel some curiosity to know how the poor exiles of Erin, to whom you bade God-speed at The Plaza Constitutian on Tuesday evening last, have fared since then.(…) Through unpardonable mismanagement somewhere we did not reach our journey’s end till after seven o´clock. As we alighted from the train darkness was just closing in, and the scene of confusion which ensued in consequence can well be imagined. The wagons had to be unloaded without delay, and there were no lights in the train to guide the workers. Men, women and children were landed on unknown ground, over which they had to grope their way. It was too dark to permit of the tents which had come with us being pitched, and all had to resign themselves to the prospect of passing the night in the open air.”
Ese tren me hizo viajar por el tiempo. Retroceder el reloj unos 121 años exactamente. Me llevó al momento, al segundo, en donde el tren llegaba con los cerca de 800 colonos que venías de Buenos Aires a formar la colonia.
Me hizo verlos bajar del tren con sus petates, deambular por los alrededores, verlos charlar y gritar entre ellos. Imaginármelos asombrados, mirando alrededor la geografía llana y chata que los rodeaba.
Peter una y otra vez repetía "It's unbelievable". Yo los seguía viendo desde la estación.

La actual edificación de la estación de Napostá es la misma que los recibió. Fue construida en 1883. Solo se anexó un gran galpón en diagonal de chapa que creo data de década de 1950.
Es en ese espacio entre el galpón y los viejos galpones frente a la estación donde los puedo ver, con sus ropas de épocas, con las valijas de cuero y los baúles. Mujeres con chicos en brazos y los hombres y niños adolescentes ayudando a descargar. Alguna gente mayor sentada sobre sus maletas como espectadores mirando al resto trabajar. Puedo ver a una abuela que me mira como asombrada y me dice "Musha Sor, why don't you give us a hand?"
I hope this hand of mine would be helpful...

La mujer me sonrió.
El sol ya se apagaba y nos teníamos que volver... pero estuve ahí. Cerca.

Difusión - Buscando descendientes...

2010-01-13T11:33:00.000-03:00

Feliz Navidad!!!

2009-12-23T11:16:00.000-03:00

Finalmente... el documental en la red

2009-12-06T10:04:00.000-03:00

Los Descendientes del Dresden - El documental from Juan Pablo Alvarez on Vimeo.

Finalmente decidí subir el documental al cyberespacio.
Perdón por la calidad pero traté de comprimirlo. Es por esto que van a ver que las noticias no se pueden leer muy bien.
Además, (y esto ya parece una fe de erratas anticipada) no tiene los subtítulos correctos todavía. Mil disculpas por todo esto.
Espero les guste y se aceptan críticas y comentarios.
Saludos,

JP

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Finally I´ve decided to upload the documentary to the cyberspace.
I'm sorry about the quality but I tried to compress it. That's why you'll see that some images of newspapers are quite hard to read.
Also, it hasn't got subtitles yet. I'm working on this.
I hope you like it and it accept critics and comentaries,
Regards,

JP

Entrevista en la RTÉ

2009-11-30T20:20:00.001-03:00

Peter Mulvany, descendiente de los McCarthy que vinieron en el SS Dresden en 1889, fue entrevistado por Paschal Mooney para el programa The Irish Abroad de la RTÉ Radio1.
Tuvo oportunidad de difundir, una vez más, el proyecto de Los Descendientes del Dresden y la importancia de la difusión para la conexión con más familias descendientes.
Para escuchar el programa completo hacer click acá.
Slds.

JP

Just an idea... / Solo una idea...

2009-11-08T12:45:00.000-03:00

Los Descendientes del Dresden from Juan Pablo Alvarez on Vimeo.

Difusión del proyecto en medios internacionales

2009-10-30T12:33:00.007-03:00

En la edición de Noviembre de la revista Family Tree (www.family-tree.co.uk) de Gran Bretaña, se publicó una breve comunicación al respecto del proyecto de "Los descendientes del Dresden".
Tambien, The Maritime Institute of Ireland y el Annual Journal of the Genealogical Society of Ireland difundieron el proyecto.
Este es otro paso adelante la investigación para seguir buscando descendientes de estos inmigrantes al rededor del mundo.
Sinceramente me pone muy contento, me enorgullese y por supuesto me da más fuerza para seguir adelante.
A todos gracias por la difusión.
Saludos,

JP

Press Release - Mercantile Marine Medal Presentation

2009-10-08T10:12:00.009-03:00

Una de las consecuencias que tuvo este documental fue generar una excusa para que la familia McCarthy volviera a estar junta.

Hoy los primos directos McCarthy tuvieron la chance de encontrarse en una ceremonia particular. Aquí, en Argentina Jorge Makarte (McCarthy devenido en el tiempo en Makarte) tuvo la misma ceremonia en la Embajada de Irlanda en Buenos Aires (ver link).

Estas medallas no solo representan el valor de Timoteo y Patricio McCarthy en la época de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, sino que hoy representa el vínculo tangible que los une como familia.

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At approximately 12 noon today the Irish Mercantile Marine Valor Medal awarded to Timoteo McCarthy by the Irish government for his service to Ireland during the second world war, was presented by the Irish Government to his grandson Alan McCarthy from the UK. Alan was accompanied by his sister Linda and her husband Brian along with Timoteo's other grandson Peter Mulvany. Sharon McGrath, the Supertendent of the Mercantile Marine Office on behalf of the Minister for Transport, stated that this ceremony was in commemoration of the late Mr. Timoteo McCarthy who had honourable service onboard Irish registered vessels during the Emergency.

She went on to say that the debt of gratitude we owe to brave men, like Timoteo, must never be forgotten. Keeping the supply lines open during this difficult time greatly helped to minimise the sacrifice the people had to endure. She added this is something we must not forget. Timoteo and his brother Patricio both from Balcarce, Buenos Aires, are the only Argentine nationals to have served on Irish ships during the Emergency. Patricio was lost on the Leukos and is also honored as being the only Argentine to have lost his life while serving on Irish neutral vessels during the second world war. Also present was the President of the Maritime Institute of Ireland, Mr Eoghan Ganly and Mr Clement McGann Council member of the M.I.I. http://www.mii.connect.ie/. The President of Ireland, Her Excellency, Mrs Mary McAleese, is Patron of the Maritime institute of Ireland.

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On Friday 9 October 2009 at approximately 12 noon a unique presentation to the grandson of Timoteo McCarthy will take place in the Mercantile Marine Office of the Department of Transport, Leeson Lane Dublin 2.

Alan McCarthy from Wallasey in Cheshire, England, accompanied by his sister Linda along with their cousin Peter Mulvany, will be presented with a Mercantile Marine service medal awarded to his grandfather Timoteo McCarthy who served with honour on Irish Merchant vessels during World War two. Timoteo and his brother Patricio who lost his life during the emergency were Argentine nationals. This presentation is in recognition of the service of the McCarthy family and for the sacrifices they made while carrying out their duties onboard Irish ships during the Emergency period.

The McCarthy Irish Argentine Connection

Patricio [Patrick] McCarthy and his brother Timoteo [Timothy] McCarthy were born in Balcarce, Mar Del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1897 and 1895 respectively and farmed in Balcarce, an area approximately 60km West of Mar Del Plata. Both Timoteo and Patricio were brought to Ireland in 1905 and ended up in the Sacred Heart Home Drumcondra run by the Sisters of Charity. In 1906 they were sponsored by the St Vincent de Paul Society and sent on to St Vincents Orphanage, Glasnevin in Dublin. Spanish was their spoken language at the time. Later on both went to sea. Patricio McCarthy served on the Irish registered fishery protection vessel Fort Rannoch before he lost his life on the steam Trawler Leukos on the 9th of March of 1940. He is the only Argentine National to have lost his life on an Irish Registered Vessel during World War 2.

Timoteo [Timothy] McCarthy served on the Muirchu during 1939 until the handover to the Irish Department of Defence on the 10th November 1939 and later served with honour on Irish Ships throughout the War years. Both Patricio and Timoteo are the only Argentine nationals to have served on Irish registered vessels during the emergency.

On Sunday 24th February 2002 the Irish marine valour medal with 3 bars and citation, awarded posthumously by the Irish Government to Patricio (Patrick) McCarthy, lost as a result of belligerent action, 9th of March 1940 on the Irish steam trawler Leukos, was presented to his next of kin, Mr Peter Mulvany. by Mr Hugh Byrne TD, then Minister of State for Marine and Natural Resources. The Presentation of citation was by his Excellency, Mr Victor E Beauge, Ambassador of the Argentine Republic to Ireland. In his speech the Minister highlighted the nautical ties that exist between Ireland and Argentina and paid a special tribute to the role of Admiral William Brown from County Mayo, an Irish citizen, who founded the Argentine Navy in the 1800s.

Further Background Information:

http://www.irishseamensrelativesassociation.org/Patricio%20McCarthy.htm

http://www.steamshipdresden1888.com/

The Irish Colony of Napostá

2009-10-06T14:31:00.007-03:00

Napostá is a faraway spot where you will find an abandoned train station and also an abandoned school, in the middle of large extensions of cultivated fields. It is less than 30 km from Bahía Blanca. Heading south five kilometers there’s another abandoned spot with a train station and a “puesto”, it is called “La Vitícola”. They both have something in common: They are the only silent witnesses of the Irish Colony that existed in this location and which subsequently failed disastrously.

On February 15th 1889, the SS Dresden arrived in Argentina with the largest batch of Irish immigrants: one thousand and eight hundred passengers. A few days before it’s arrival, a commission was formed with the most influential persons within the anglo Irish community, just to take care of them, as it was felt that the National Government (Argentine) was not prepared for such a big contingent of immigrants. They understood that the immigrants might be sent to form a colony near Bahía Blanca, a proposal made by Peter Gartland.

So, in the last days of February 1889, just eight hundred of those Irish immigrants arrived at Napostá railway station from Buenos Aires. Father Gaughren, a catholic priest who accompanied them from the very beginning, describes the place: The country is really beautiful. It consists of a series of undulations in the land, not high enough to be called hills, but which in England would have the name of downs... In the far distance rise up the peaks of the mountains of Curumalan… Of the quality of the land I am not a competent judge, but if I might form an opinion from the result obtained from the La Vitícola Company after five months working, I would say that much of it is very fertile.”

They pass the night there and early next day, they walk their way to where the directors of the society La Vitícola had chosen to establish the colony. From the outset the immigrants were established in a camp, that is to say, all eight hundred immigrants had to live under tents for, at least, two months. It seems that up till April 1889, the immigrants themselves were the ones who built the houses, and because of a lack of construction experience, the company then took the decision and hired two important firms to do the work. Their new homes consisted of wood houses with only one room and were much better than the tents. After the houses were built in June 1889 each family was put in legal possession of a small farm.

Initially, the immigrants encountered great difficulties because they did not have the right tools, seeds for seeding or animals for working the land. The colony lasted only three years. In 1891 the La Vitícola company went bankrupt and the immigrants had to make their own way to survive. Some immigrants remained in the area, others re-emigrated and numerous colonist’s died. It is said that, during the first months, there was a large mortality rate among the children chiefly because of diarrhoea. Father Gaughren, spoke about these deaths in many different articles published in various newspapers. On March 5^th 1889 he said “Many of the poor people have not yet recovered from the effects of the hardships which they have gone through, and illness, especially diarrhoea, prevails to a great extent among the children. Three deaths have already resulted from it, and some more are sure to follow.”

Then, on March 29^th, less than a month later, he said: “The sickness among the children still continues. Already twelve little graves have been filled, and there are three more to be buried, and some others who are sure to die within a week.” If we take this information, we can calculate that in just twenty four days the mortality rose from 3 to 12. During the first days of April he again wrote a letter to his Father Provincial in Ireland in which he said that “I had a good many graves to bless for there was a large mortality among the infants, chiefly from diarrhoea, the result of the change of climate and of food.”

There is another comment about death registers in the letters of Father Gaughren published in The Standard in November 1^st 1889, where he mentions that “we have had two deaths in the colony during the past week. In one case a good old woman, who had accompanied her son out to this country, but who has been ill since her landing, was called away. The other case is that of a boy who has been ailing for a considerable time. Otherwise the health of the colony is remarkably good.” But one week later, the same newspaper published “Our esteemed colleague the “Standard” fell into an error in stating that only two deaths occurred in the Naposta colony since it was started. In Father Gaughren’s letter which appeared in last week’s “Southern Cross” and which the “Standard” quotes, it was stated that only two died during his recent visit to the colony, Father Gaughren informs us that he counted 46 graves in the new cemetery which, supposing there was only one corpse buried in each grave, implies no small bill of mortality. And while on this subject we may as well correct another statement made by Mr. Rodan in his letter which we publish today. He says he read in a newspaper of “250 dead!” If any such statement was made in regard to the colony it was certainly an exaggeration. Nothing approaching that number of deaths has taken place.”

These are the only clues that we have up till now about the death records. We know that many people died in the Irish colony, particularly infants, however because of a paucity of contemporary documentary evidence it is very difficult to establish all the facts. Consequently, there is much work and research to be done now and in the future.

If you take a look at the area where La Vitícola was located using Google Earth, you can see there is nothing in this vicinity. No town, no reminder in any way showing what this camp would have been like. Indeed there is no physical indication of the existence of the Irish Colony anywhere, not even a cemetery. Some questions spring to mind. Who were these immigrants that died in La Vitícola ? What was their names ? Where did they come from ? They might have had family and may have surviving descendants who would be unaware as to where they are and the appalling conditions they endured ? Where are the remains of the deceased immigrants located, so that they can be remembered with honour by their families ? Who knows, may be a memorial could be erected for them ?

One hundred and twenty years have now passed since the arrival of these immigrants to the “páramo” of Napostá. It seems the dust and historical amnesia of past generations has now buried them once again.

This is article is dedicated to recover their memory.

PRENSA

2009-09-08T18:03:00.002-03:00

“Los descendientes del Dresden”, el relato de la historia olvidad de la última gran inmigración irlandesa que llegó a Argentina a fines del siglo XIX.

* Se presentó el documental “Los descendientes del Dresden”, el 15 de Julio en el marco del 2do Congreso de Estudios Migratorios Irlando-Latinoamericanos, que tuvo lugar en la Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo en la ciudad de Morelia.
* Se trata de la historia del barco SS Dresden, que en 1889, llegaba al país con el mayor contingente de irlandeses.
* El documental rescata una parte olvidada de la historia de la inmigración irlandesa en Argentina, sobre la base de investigaciones y entrevistas a historiadores, periodistas, escritores y descendientes de estos primeros inmigrantes.
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Presentación del documental “Los descendientes del Dresden”
Morelia, México, Julio 2009 - En el marco del II Congreso de Estudios Migratorios Irlandeses de SILAS, fue presentado en Julio pasado el documental “Los descendientes del Dresden”, en el cual se descubre una faceta olvidada y marginada dentro de la historia de la inmigración irlandesa a la Argentina.
El Congreso tuvo lugar en la Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo en la ciudad mexicana de Morelia, a unos 300 kms del D.F.
Su realizador, Juan Pablo Alvarez, un investigador independiente, motivado por la búsqueda de sus ancestros, se encontró con una historia a la que siempre quiso contar y, sin subsidios ni ayuda económica alguna, decidió realizarlo. “Se combinaron varias cosas. Desde lo personal, contar con una mujer que me apoya y se involucra y me pone el hombro, contar con primos con los cuales compartimos al mismo bisabuelo en cuestión, que también le pusieron el hombro haciendo la postproducción, obviamente los siete años de investigación, con varios datos precisos y detalles de la historia. También muy importante fue el haberme contactado con varios descendientes de estos inmigrantes desde el primer momento, los que siempre me alentaron a seguir avanzando con la investigación y luego con el proyecto del documental. No tenía muchas excusas. No podía dar más vueltas. Había que hacerlo”.
Las entrevistas a historiadores, periodistas, escritores y descendientes, comienzan a armar el rompecabezas y echar un halo de luz a esta historia que por tantos años estuvo encerrada en el cajón de un escritorio.
“Desde que me involucré en el tema me llamó la atención lo poco que se sabía de este barco y de sus inmigrantes. ¿Cómo siendo el mayor contingente en la historia de la inmigración Irlandesa, en la comunidad se sabía tan poco al respecto? En muchos lados me encontré con que esta historia era considerada como una mancha, como una página negra en la historia de la inmigración”.
También destaca de manera especial el aporte de Peter Mulvany (descendiente de los McCarthy que vinieron en el Dresden) al proyecto. “El fue uno de los grandes motivadores que tuvo y no me gustaría desaprovechar esta oportunidad para agradecerle públicamente todo lo que hizo por mi y por el proyecto.”
Consultado Peter al respecto comenta “The only voice the Dresden descendents now have is expressed through his excellent project. So when the documentary eventually gets transmitted on TV, it will finally break the historical amnesia surrounding the Dresden and the Argentine Republic Emigration Scheme both in Ireland and in South America. I am positive, given time that will happen.”

Los Descendientes del Dresden

2009-09-07T12:48:00.004-03:00

Me inquieta pensar en las miles y miles de historias de aquellos inmigrantes que vinieron a bordo del Dresden en 1889. Se que algunos se quedaron y otros siguieron viajando y buscando su destino. En estos siete años de investigación me contacté con varios descendientes de estos inmigrantes, cada uno con historias muy pero muy particulares.
En primer lugar Anne Miles me contactó a través de la mi sitio web, preguntándome si tenía alguna información de los que yo pensaba eran mis parientes. Su pregunta estaba atada a una inquietud más que personal. Su abuela, Daisy May Pearce, era la hija del James Pearce que pensaba era mi tátarabuelo. Así fue como me contó su versión: James Pearce había muerto en el viaje de ida a Buenos Aires y dejó a su mujer Mary Pearce y a su pequeña de tan solo 5 meses, solos y a la deriva en un país que no les hacía fáciles las cosas. Dos años después, ella volvía junto a su hija a Inglaterra (de donde era oriunda) y se establecía definitivamente. Daisy May creció junto a sus abuelos y la historia que cuenta Anne Miles vale la pena escucharla de su propia voz.
Peter Mulvany, descendiente de John McCarthy y Mary Callaghan. Este matrimonio, vino con 5 hijos y se establecieron, primero en el proyecto de colonia La Vitícola –donde nacieron dos hijas más- y luego en Balcarce, provincia de Buenos Aires. Allí nacieron los dos últimos hijos: Timoteo y Patricio. El abuelo de Peter, Timoteo, junto con Patricio, fueron llevados de vuelta a Irlanda en 1905 y quedaron a cargo de un tutor y pupilos en un orfanato. En marzo de este año, por primera vez en estos 120 años, la familia vuelve a tomar contacto. Peter viajó a la Argentina y conoció mítica la tierra de su abuelo, de la que había escuchado miles y miles de historias, de gauchos, de pampas, de que uno puede ver la llanura hasta donde el ojo alcanza a ver. Y así Peter conoció a Jorge, su primo segundo, nieto de John McCarthy (4to hijo del matrimonio McCarthy-Callaghan). Entre sus varias reflexiones Peter marcaba la lengua como una de las grandes barreras culturales que los separaba, no solo los años de historia y los kilómetros de distancia y la inmensidad del mar Atlántico, sino el simple hecho de no poder comunicarse naturalmente teniendo los dos en común la misma historia. Jorge no habla inglés porque en su familia jamás se lo inculcaron, y Peter no habla castellano. Según comentaba Jorge, la familia McCarthy acá no quiso saber nada con el idioma inglés
Hay muchas historias más por contar, como las de Alan House, bisnieto de Ann Eliza Dyett, quien viniera en el Dresden junto a su marido, Charles Bayless. También la de Linda Koenig y su tío Gerald Tracey, ambos descendiente de los Tracey que vinieron a bordo del Dresden y años después emigraron nuevamente a EE.UU. donde finalmente se establecieron. O Jorge Nealon, sus abuelos vinieron en el Dresden siendo muy pequeños, 10 y 5 años aproximadamente, y el destino quiso que además de ese viaje, compartieran una vida. Hoy Jorge vive con su familia en Mar del Plata y también tiene una historia que contar. Es por eso que este documental quiere abrir una puerta. Una puerta a esas historias de vida, de familias, que tienen como común denominador el barco que en 1889 los trajo: el SS Dresden.

Los Pearce del Dresden

2009-08-31T14:26:00.006-03:00

Anne me contactó hace un par de años atrás para contarme una historia y saber si teníamos algo en común.
La historia que me contó es la que sigue a continuación. Es la historia de su abuel Daisy May Pearce, la chiquita que cuando vino en el Dresden con sus padres, tenía tan solo 6 meses.

Esta es la historia:

Daisy May Asher (nee Pearce) 1888-1962 - by Anne Miles
Daisy May Pearce was born in Southampton, England on 5th August 1888. Her birth was registered by her mother Mary Jane Pearce (nee Beck) in Southampton on 7th September 1888; her father’s name was James Pearce and his profession is recorded as a bricklayer (journeyman) i.e. a bricklayer who travels from job to job. So far I have been unable to trace their marriage and as a result I know nothing about James at all.
Previous to Daisy’s birth there is a record of a passport number 15360 being issued to a J Pierce on 23rd July 1888. Mary Jane did not obtain her passport until 10th August, 5 days after Daisy was born. Unfortunately these passports have never been found.
The next occasion that records their movements is the passenger list from the SS Dresden as they arrived in Argentina on 15th February 1889. The family are recorded departing from Queenstown (now known as Cork), Southern Ireland and are logged as English. James’ profession is registered as a bricklayer and his age is 44. Mary Jane is recorded as a dairy maid and is 30; Daisy was by now 6 months old. Mary Jane Beck was actually born on 31st August 1861 in Arnewood, Hordle, Hampshire so her true age would have been 26, but maybe they were very aware of their age difference, or, their ages were just recorded incorrectly.
The story that was passed down the family was that James went to Argentina alone and Mary Jane and Daisy followed out later. The passenger list disproves this but it is possible that James travelled alone to Queenstown to arrange their trip or visited relatives prior to the others arriving later; this would account for his obtaining his passport earlier in the year.
What happened to them in Argentina is a mystery. Twenty months later on 23rd November 1890 my grandmother, Daisy May Pearce, was baptised by her grandparents at their local parish church in Hordle, Hampshire. Her mother Mary Jane had arrived back in England, reputedly having been widowed whilst in Argentina although I still have been unable to find any record of James’ death. She is believed to have earned enough money to pay for their passage back home to England. To date I cannot find any evidence of their return voyage so do not know when they left Argentina and arrived back in England. A few months after Daisy was baptised Mary Jane had a son, Harry on 10th March 1891; James Pearce (deceased) is recorded as his father on the birth certificate. Harry would have been conceived around June 1890 so if he was James’ son, James would have died sometime between June 1890 and November 1890 when Daisy was baptised and Mary Jane and Daisy would have returned from Argentina sometime between these dates also. However the family believed that Harry was illegitimate and was the son of a member of the house that Mary Jane worked at as a domestic servant after her return. This theory could be proved or disproved if we could find out when she returned to England.
The fact that is certain is that on her return Daisy May was left with her maternal grandparents, Stephen and Jane Beck (nee Warne), for them to bring up; they lived in the small village of Hordle that borders on the New Forest in Hampshire.
Mary Jane moved to Pennington, Hampshire in with her sister, Geraldine Gates, her husband, 5 children and her maternal grandmother, Ann Warne. This was where she gave birth to Harry and worked nearby as a domestic servant. In May 1893 she married a Mark James in Bournemouth where she lived for the rest of her life. She had another child in 1901 with Mark, this time a girl. To the best of my knowledge she never saw Daisy May again until Mary Jane was very ill in 1930s when Daisy visited her in Bournemouth with her own daughter, my mother, Joyce.
What became of Daisy? She had a good life. Her grandparents were kind and gentle, although not rich. Stephen was a garden labourer and a sexton of Hordle Parish Church; he was known to enjoy a glass of beer, fortunately the horse knew its own way home from the pub! Jane had to be very careful that Stephen did not set fire to the thatched roof of the cottage when he got home as he was inclined to put his pipe, still alight, up on a high ledge in the porch! Jane was a very caring woman; she would turn out, no matter what time of day or night, to help either deliver a baby or lay out the dead. She used the horse and trap to get around and Daisy would recount how one night when going to help deliver a baby my great, great grandmother was forced into a ditch by a horse drawn carriage which disappeared as it went past! Jane was not the sort of woman who believed in ghosts!
I always called Daisy, my grandmother, ‘gran’ however she would tell me how her grandmother would tell her off if she called her ‘gran’; she would say to her “Daisy May Pearce, the Lord made the day long enough for you to say grandmother.”
When Daisy arrived to live with her grandparents, of their seven children, only one 20 year old son, one of Daisy’s uncles, was still living at home with them. Ten years later when she was 12, her uncle was no longer there but Daisy’s maternal great grandmother, Ann Warne, now aged 92 was living with her daughter Jane. They also had a boarder staying.
Daisy was very good at needlework and won a prize for it at school. This helped her to get a position at a girl’s private boarding school in New Milton when she was 14; she was employed to do the repairs to the pupil’s clothes. It was here that she met a nice young man called Frank Asher who delivered the milk to the school. The school’s cook did her best to stop them from seeing each other but love finds it own way!
Jane, Daisy’s grandmother became ill in 1910 and desperately wanted to see Daisy married and settled before she died. Daisy, now 22 and Frank, 30, would have preferred to wait a little longer but in the end got married on 12th November 1910 at Hordle Parish Church. Jane was buried on 20th December 1910 aged 78, happy to have seen her much loved granddaughter happily married. Stephen, Daisy’s grandfather died the next year at 79 and was buried on 1st April 1911. Daisy and Frank started their married life in a small cottage in Hordle. By the time their first son, Percy Frank Asher known as Perce was born in 1913 they were living in a farm cottage in Barnham in Sussex. Frank was a dairyman, he knew all his cows by name and part of his job was delivering the milk too. Five years later their second son was born who they called James Stephen, known as Jim, followed by daughters, Hilda and Eva. Ethel Joyce, known as Joyce, was born at a small village in Sussex called Henfield as Frank had moved to yet another farm, again as a dairyman.
It was here that one day Perce arrived home from school at 9 years old with a badly bruised knee from playing football. These were days when there was no National Health Service and seeing a doctor was expensive so Daisy dressed the bruise with bread poultice. A day later it was worse so Daisy took him to the doctor who told her to continue with the treatment and it would be fine. When Perce started to limp, the doctor still said it would be alright. Eventually Daisy took Perce to the children’s hospital at Brighton, even though a referral letter from a doctor was needed and her doctor refused to write one, still insisting it would be fine in time. Fortunately, as they reached reception, a nursing sister came along and saw his knee and she immediately arranged for a consultant to see him. The consultant wanted to know why he had not been earlier! The doctor at Henfield retired shortly afterwards. The outcome might have been far worse if Daisy had not been such a determined woman.
Perce was kept in hospital where they tried to disperse the bruise. He underwent six operations but eventually they had to amputate the leg, leaving just a small stump. Perce was fitted with an artificial leg at Roehampton Hospital in London at a cost of £50; a fortune in those days. As Perce was only nine he kept growing to over 6 foot so he regularly had to have new artificial legs at great expense but somehow Daisy and Frank always managed to afford it.
It was a year after Perce had had this accident that my mother, Joyce was born; now Daisy had three girls under 3 and Perce had temporary paralysis in the arms due to using his crutches and as a result, he was unable to feed himself. Life must have been very hard for a while.
Perce grew up and became a successful business man, running his own cobblers shop (shoe repairing) in Sussex, he married Rose and they had two sons, David and Gordon.
Jim became a market gardener in Hampshire and, after having married Dora, had two children Michael and Elizabeth.
Hilda and Eva were in the Auxiliary Territorial Service during the war where they met and married their husbands, Jim and Hughie. Hilda went on to have four children, Susan, Philip, Sheila and John, and they lived in Sheffield until they moved back to Sussex; likewise Eva had two sons, Frank and Hughie and they lived in the home country of her husband, Scotland.
Joyce, my mother became a nurse during the war and met my father, Les True as the war ended. They married and had three daughters, myself, Anne, and my sisters, Linda and Sylvia. We moved quite a bit due to my father’s job; we moved from Salisbury, Wiltshire to Bedford then onto Cyprus and back to Buckinghamshire. I often wondered if James’ and Mary Jane’s nomadic genes had been passed to my mother!
Frank died 1944 after an appendicitis operation due to a blood clot, leaving Daisy May to find a job as a housekeeper to two bachelors in Horsham. They were very kind to her and treated her like one of the family; she stayed with them for the rest of her life.
Whilst we were in Cyprus, Daisy May became very ill with cancer. She had several operations but eventually died on 28th May 1962, aged 73. I was 13 and last saw her when I was aged 11. I remember her as being a very gentle, kind lady; very tall and upright with the most beautiful thick, long grey hair which she would tie up in a bun during the day then take down at night to brush. I have learnt so much about her start in life that now I marvel at the fact that she, a small, helpless, 6 month old baby, survived the ‘Dresden Affair’.

Respaldo al documental // Supporting the documentary

2009-08-28T18:06:00.009-03:00

Esta gacetilla fue distribuida por Peter Mulvany, descendiente de John McCarthy y Mary Callaghan, a varios medios alrededor del mundo.
Muchas gracias Peter por respaldar tan activamente al proyecto.

This press release was distributed by Peter Mulvany, descendant of John McCarthy and Mary Callaghan, through some newspapers around the world.
Thanks so much Peter for supporting so actively the project.

JP
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El irlandés en la Argentina - emigrantes olvidados
Versión en Español

Estimado editor:
El viernes 25 de enero de 1889, el SS DRESDEN zarpó del muelle Deepwater Quay de la ciudad de Queenstown/Cobh con destino a Buenos Aires. De los 1.772 emigrantes que iban a bordo, 1.500 eran irlandeses, incluida la familia McCarthy de Ballyclough (condado de Cork). El barco de emigrantes DRESDEN llegaría a Buenos Aires el 15 de febrero de 1889 y nuestra familia entró en Argentina por medio del Hotel de Inmigrantes, ubicado en Dársena Norte (Buenos Aires).
En abril de 2009, por fin tuve el privilegio y el honor de rendir homenaje a mis bisabuelos John McCarthy y Mary Callaghan, enterrados ahora bajo suelo argentino en el Cementerio Balcarce. Asimismo, tuve la oportunidad de ver por primera vez a mi familia hiberno-argentina en Mar del Plata.. El hecho de que mi familia sobreviviese y prosperase en una tierra extranjera, con una cultura y un idioma diferentes, es testimonio del espíritu y la fortaleza de nuestros bisabuelos. En la actualidad, las barreras lingüísticas son todavía evidentes en la medida en que nuestra familia hiberno-argentina no habla inglés y uno tampoco puede comunicarse en español. Éste es el legado de la experiencia de nuestros bisabuelos como inmigrantes en Argentina. Nuestra familia posee una dualidad inconfundible: sus miembros irlandeses y argentinos. Nos sentimos muy orgullosos de nuestros exclusivos lazos hiberno-argentinos y formamos parte de 'Na Gaeil i dTír na nGauchos' y de la historia de los irlandeses en Argentina.
Por último, quisiera hacer un llamamiento a cualquier descendiente que guarde relación con la experiencia migratoria del DRESDEN para que se ponga en contacto con Juan Pablo Álvarez Pearce y cuente su historia a fin de contribuir a este extraordinario proyecto, Los descendientes del Dresden. De lo contrario, la historia de la más amplia ola de inmigración irlandesa a Argentina caerá para siempre en el olvido.
Atentamente,
Peter Mulvany
Presidente
Irish Seamen’s Relatives Association (1939-46)

Para obtener más información, consulte:
The McCarthy Irish /Argentine Connection
Los descendientes del Dresden

The Irish in Argentina - Forgotten Emigrants
English version

Dear Editor,
On Friday 25th January 1889 , the SS DRESDEN left the Deepwater Quay, Queenstown/Cobh, bound for Buenos Aires , with 1772 emigrants onboard 1500 of whom were Irish, which included the McCarthy family from Ballyclough in County Cork . The DRESDEN emigrant ship subsequently arrived in Buenos Aires on the 15th February 1889 , and our family entered Argentina through the emigrants hotel located in Dársena Norte, Buenos Aires .
Last April 2009, I had the priviledge and honour to finally pay homage to my great grandparents John McCarthy and Mary Callaghan now buried in Argentine soil in Balcarce Cemetery , and to meet for the first time with ones extended Irish Argentine family in Mar Del Plata . That our family survived and prospered in a foreign land with a different culture and language is a testament to the spirit and fortitude of our great grandparents. Today those language barriers are still visible, insofar as our Irish Argentine family do not speak English and one cannot communicate in Spanish. This is the legacy of our great grandparents Argentine migratory experience. As a family, we are together distinctly Irish and Argentine, very proud of our unique Irish Argentine connections and are a part of 'Gael i dTír na nGauchos' the story of the Irish in Argentina .
In conclusion, one would appeal to any descendents who have a link to the DRESDEN migratory experience to contact Juan Pablo Alvarez Pearce and relate their story for his excellent project Los descendientes del Dresden, otherwise the history of the largest Irish migration to Argentina will be forgotten and lost forever.
Yours Sincerely
Peter Mulvany
Chairperson
Irish Seamen’s Relatives Association (1939-46)

Further background information:
The McCarthy Irish /Argentine Connection
Los descendientes del Dresden

Los descendientes del Dresden

2009-07-28T13:54:00.008-03:00

Inicialmente este documental pretendía armar la historia del barco a partir del relato de los descendientes de los inmigrantes que vinieron. Avanzando en las entrevistas y encontrándonos con silencios históricos de generaciones, sale a la luz este primer documental, que trata de levantar una bandera en la historia (olvidada) de la inmigración irlandesa a la Argentina.

En 1889 vino a bordo del SS Dresden el mayor contingente de irlandeses que vino a la Argentina. Hoy, 120 años después esta historia solo se puede encontrar en un libro olvidado y fuera de circulación, The Story of the Irish in Argentina de Thomas Murray y en una nota que Mike Geraghty publicó en 1999 en el Buenos Aires Herald.

Los Descendientes del Dresden vuelve a retomar la historia perdida buscando aportar nuevos datos a la historia.

El SS Dresden // The SS Dresden

2009-04-20T14:50:00.004-03:00

En el libro de Thomas Murray, el barco que trajo al mayor contingente de Irlandeses a la Argentina era el City of Dresden. Pero no fue así. El City of Dresden no estuvo relacionado en el transporte de inmigrantes. Si lo fue el SS Dresden. Lo importante es dar una chance a que el error se corrija. Es por eso que me parece importante dejarlo en claro en esta página también.

Gracias Peter por los aportes.

Modelo a escala del SS Dresden

Este es la réplica a escala del SS Dresden de la North German Lloyd. El modelo se encuentra en exhibición permamente en la "Foxford Admiral Brown Society" en Irlanda y representa el único bastión donde la historia del vapor se asocia al mayor contingente de irlandeses que viniera al país en Febrero de 1889 a la Argentina.

Peter Mulvany, quien donó la réplica el año pasado a la Sociedad de J.J. O'Hara, reconoce su aporte como parte de un plan para que la historia no vuelva a tapar y silenciar la historia de su familia.

Datos del Barco y un poco de su historia
HELIUS Steel screw steamer (UC 1904-1906)
O.N. 118066
Builders: Fairfield S.B. & E. Co. Ltd., Glasgow (yard no: 336) Tonnage: 4,527 gross 2,950 net
Dimensions: 387.4 x 46.7 x 31.1 feet
Engines: Triple expansion by builder 2,800 i.h.p. 13 knots Passengers: 38 first, 20 second, 1,759 steerage ('tweendecks):

1888, Launched: December I as DRESDEN, the first in a new series of cargo and passenger ships built by Fairfield for Norddeutscher Lloyd, Bremen - all were named after German cities. 1889: January: delivered. 1903: November: sold to British and South American Steam Nav. Co. Ltd. (R. P. Houston & Co., managers), Liverpool for their cargo and passenger service to South Africa. Renamed HELIUS. 1904: After one voyage, Houstons agreed to drop this service after they were admitted to the conference lines. March: sold to Union Castle. Laid up at Netley with PEMBROKE CASTLE and never used. 1906: June: both ships sold to the Turkish Government. HELIUS became the navy transport BEZMI-I ALEM (Council of the Universe). 1914: November 6: en route from Istanbul to Trabzon with troops and stores, sunk by Russian destroyers near Kandilli in the Black Sea (41.23N-31.32E). In the same attack, the transports BAHRIYE AMER (ex ROLAND 3,603/1893) and MITHAT PASA (ex PORT ROYAL 4.455/1900) were also sunk.

Fuente: Peter Mulvany & UNION-CASTLE LINE, A FLEET HISTORY (Extract - Page 102 - ) by Peter Newall, published in 1999 by Carmania Press.

Los McCarthy en Argentina

2009-04-19T22:03:00.007-03:00

John McCarthy nació en 1887 en Irlanda, vivió y murió en Argentina. Su hermano, Timoteo, nació en Argentina, vivió en Irlanda y murió a bordo de un barco de la marina mercante británica, cerca de las costas mediterráneas de Egipto. Sus nietos respectivamente, Jorge Makarte y Peter Mulvany, luego de más de 100 años, hoy se conocen por primera vez y se enfrentan a una barrera cultural que no pueden franquear: el idioma. Jorge nunca habló inglés y Peter jamás el español.

Peter vino de visita antes de entrar al quirófano, se dijo a si mismo y a su familia, que era ahora o nunca. No sabe cómo va salir de la operación. Lo que si sabe es que este gran paso que él está dando quede para las generaciones que vienen y que puedan encontrar en Argentina, la tierra de sus ancestros.

Este es uno de los casos curiosos que este documental está poniendo en mi camino.

La historia de esta familia es increible. Está relacionada incluso con la causa revolucionaria nacionalista y el nombre de John McCarthy figura entre la lista de sospechosos de integrar los inicios de Sinn Féin. También con héroes de la II Guerra Mundial.

Esta foto muestra el momento del encuentro: Peter Mulvany (de barba a la izquierda de la foto) con Jorge Makarte (a la derecha). Son primos de segundo grado que hoy se encuentran por primera vez y este encuentro marca el primero en las familias de cada uno después de que sus abuelos se separaran en 1905.

Lista de Inmigrantes / Immigrant's List

2009-02-16T10:54:00.005-02:00

Pasajeros de tercera clase en la cubierta de un barco de la NDL

Foto: Gentileza Norddeutscher Lloyd Archives

Para mayor información pueden ver la lista completa en http://www.irlandeses.org/passenger.htm.

For more detailed information please go to http://www.irlandeses.org/passenger.htm.

Saludos/regards,

JP

The Dresden Descendant's Project

2009-02-12T23:50:00.000-02:00

I started this project many years ago trying to find my great-great-grandfather and, without realizing, suddenly I ended up with the story of this immigrants over my shoulders (as I feel), with a lot of information, with a lot of contacts of descendants, with many names and places, heroes and victims, statistics and details that I never thought I could find.

This project wants to register the testimonies of the descendants of the SS Dresden, the steamship that brought the largest batch of Irish immigrants ever come to Argentina, making them the main actors of the story. They will tell us how their relatives come to the country and how they get till these days. From there, with their testimonies and memories, we’ll bring back to life those old images from the past.

So, why not to get in touch with all this people and generate them the space necessary where they all can built together the story of their descendants of the Dresden, leaving something to the next generation coming. And that is the challenge, that instead of finishing with him, it’s just beginning.

Thomas Murray said in his History of the Irish in Argentina: 'Whether you be young or old, man or woman, if you know anything worth while, bearing on the Irish in Argentina, set to and write it off to some paper - get it into print, and you have done something - you have laid your stone on the cairn of the race'. I change him the paper for the video. I hope he don’t mind.

I want to thanks very much to SILAS (Society for Irish Latin American Studies) for giving me the space for making my dream come true: making this documentary. So, here are my words of thanks for them.

Kind regards and many thanks for giving me this opportunity.

Sincerely,

Juan Pablo Alvarez

Proyecto "Los descendientes del Dresden"

2009-02-11T18:00:00.000-02:00

Comencé este proyecto varios años atrás tratando de encontrar a mi tatarabuelo y de pronto, casi sin darme cuenta, terminé con la historia de estos inmigrantes sobre los hombros (como lo siento), con muchísima información, con varios contactos de descendientes, con varios nombres y lugres, héroes y victimas, estadísticas y detalles. Nunca lo hubiera imaginado.

Este proyecto pretende registrar los testimonios de los descendientes del SS Dresden, el vapor que trajo a la Argentina el mayor contingente de irlandeses, haciendo de ellos, los actores principales de esta historia. Nos contarán cómo sus antepasados vinieron al país y como sus familias llegaron hasta nuestros días. Y desde allí, de esos testimonios y anécdotas, construiremos esas viejas imágenes del pasado.

Por qué no ponerse en contacto con todas estas personas y convocarlas a fin de obtener y reconstruir, entre todos, la historia de los descendientes del Dresden, dejándoles algo a las generaciones venideras. Y ese es el desafío, que por cierto no termina en este documental sino que, a con él, empieza.

Thomas Murray dijo en su “Historia de los Irlandeses en Argentina” allá por 1919: 'Whether you be young or old, man or woman, if you know anything worth while, bearing on the Irish in Argentina, set to and write it off to some paper - get it into print, and you have done something - you have laid your stone on the cairn of the race' (Thomas Murray 1919: 479). Le cambié el papel por el video. Espero no se ofenda.

Hoy SILAS (Society for Irish Latin American Studies) me da el espacio para que pueda cumplir mi sueño de años: hacer este documental. Vayan pues mis palabras de agradecimiento para con ellos.

Saludos y muchas gracias por darme una oportunidad.

Cordialmente,

Juan Pablo Alvarez