Hi every-one I am hoping that there is some-one who can tell me why so many boat loads of unmarried lasses (of marriagable age) migrated to this country on their own, please? I have TWO female ancestors with no other family in this country, who arrived via boat, and married some after arrival. I have been unable to find out what they did on their arrival to fill the short gaps. Jane SMART born 1852 by shipping records and details reported on the birth certificates of her children; or 1856 in Lyneham, Wiltshire, England, UK if the records from Catherine House are the correct ones. She lived in Ireland and then arrived on the "LANDSBOROUGH" which departed London 15 Jul 1873 and arrived Rockhampton 24 Oct 1873. Jane married Michael MADDEN on 23 March 1874, and her first child was born 28 July 1874 under her maiden name. Pregnant either at end of boat trip or soon after arrival!!!! No other known family in Australia at that time. Does anyone have the shipping records for that trip of the "LANDSBOROUGH" to check for other single lasses? Mary Jane DAVISON was born 27 August 1852 in County Dury, Ireland. She was the daughter of Alexander and Jane Davison. She arrived in Rockhampton approx 1877, (said to have married directly after arriving). Mary Jane married in Springsure, Qld on 20 April 1877. Again, no known family in this country at that time. So, my question, why where the single lasses coming to this country in the 1870's, well after the potato famine??? Thank you Lorrae Johnson Plainland Qld 4341 http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=helmrich