A presentation about the Nine Ships 1825 – Peter Robinson Irish Emigration Bicentennial will take place at the Millbrook and Cavan Historical Society meeting on Friday April 11 at 7:00 p.m. at the Millbrook Legion at 9 King Street East, Millbrook, Ontario. The public is welcome to attend.

The Peter Robinson Emigration of 1825 was a landmark initiative that brought over 2,000 Irish men, women, and children to Canada to “the place at the end of the rapids” which the local First Nations at that time called Nogojiwanong. This laid the foundation for what would later be called Peterborough. This unique government experiment was aimed at testing the viability of British emigration policy by covering all expenses for settlers for 18 months. Each family’s journey and experiences were meticulously documented, providing a rich archival resource.

To mark the Bicentennial, the not-for-profit organization called Nine Ships 1825 Inc. has been formed to honour this chapter in Canadian history. Named after the nine ships that carried the Irish emigrants across the Atlantic in 1825, these ships were named: the Fortitude, John Barry, Resolution, Regulus, Albion, Star, Elizabeth, Amity, and the Brunswick. They embarked from Cobh, County Cork, and set sail towards what was then Lower and Upper Canada.

Cultural resource manager and historian Dennis Carter-Edwards will speak to the significance of this emigration, outline the journey and highlight the resources available to learn more. Past President of the Peterborough Canadian Irish Club, Maureen Crowley, and former Mayor of the Township of Selwyn, Mary Smith, will speak about previous commemorations of this emigration, describe how Nine Ships 1825 was formed, and what events all the community partners and heritage/historical groups are planning to have during 2025, including special Bicentennial events during
August 1-10, 2025.