In 1857 THOMAS BATES, his wife MARTHA ELLIOTT and five children emigrated to Moreton Bay, Australia on the "Mary Pleasants" and settled in what is now known as Queensland around the Ipswich Area, close to Brisbane. Dorothy, My G/Grandparents William and Rebecca Elliott from Makenny Tyrone, also immigrated on the ship "Mary Pleasants" in 1857. They too settled in Ipswich, but only for two years before re- locating to the Gerringong area of NSW. My William and Rebecca Elliott's names are listed together with your Thomas and Martha Bates, three down from the top on a long list of 208 passengers,in a thank you letter to the Captain and Crew. I've always wondered if there could have been a Elliott family connection, as I have only been able to take my Elliott family back to 1819, in Irvinestown Fermanagh. Where they lived before that date is unknown. The Omagh area is only about 12 or 14 miles east of Irvinestown. My William Elliott was born in 1832, s/of William born C.1797. This 1797 William's father was possibly a Alexander or Thomas Elliott, who was deceased when the 1821 census was recorded, but William's mother was Elizabeth b. 1768. Could your William Elliott f/of Martha, have been a cousin to my 1797 William Elliott?? Was it just a coincidence that the Bates and Elliott names were listed together on the Mary Pleasants? The list was not alphabetical. Were they all travelling together or were they drawn together because of the Elliott name?? Going by death certificates THOMAS BATES would have been born about 1817 and MARTHA about 1826. They would have married about 1843 going by birth of first child. Have you tried to obtain their C.1843 marriage certificate? Ballynatty, Psh. of Drumragh where two of the children were baptised, is close to Rylands Drumragh where a Robert Bates is listed (possibly Thomas' brother??) in the Griffiths Val. Robert is listed in a house only, his L/L was James White, whose L/L was Sir James M. Strong/e. Maybe this Robert Bates was a servant in the "big house" to Sir James???? Regards, Carole Elliott.