Catherine Foy : Short Biography

Catherine Foy was born 23rd March 1834 in Currin.  The immigration record  of Catherine FOY (sometimes spelt Fay, Phie) state that her parents were Patrick and Ellen Fay/Foy. She was Roman Catholic and could read, but not write.  She immigrated to Australia, departing in April 1850 via the John Knox.  At this time, both of her parents had died.  She was part of the Orphan program.  She died in Australia.

Catherine was an inmate of Carrickmacross Workhouse, Co Monaghan.  On 29th April 1850 Catherine arrived in Sydney aged 16 years aboard the John Knox after leaving Plymouth with 343 other Government Immigrants on 6th December 1849 after 144 days at sea via the Cape of Good Hope. 

On the 1st of May 1850 young Catherine was indentured to a W A Cavill of Bathurst New South Wales, and was sent to work for him.  Her employer did not honour the conditions of her indenture.  Catherine, a courageous young woman, made her way from Bathurst back to the Hyde Park Female Barracks in Sydney, a journey of 125 miles, where she made a complaint against her employer, the indentures were cancelled in the January of 1851. 

Catherine then found employment in Queensland, her first employer was William Turner of Helidon Station in 1851.  Here she met John Cavanagh and they were married on Dec 20th 1852 in Ipswich.  They both worked for William Turner at Tamborine Station and Tarome Station and saved enough to purchase 11 acres and three perches of land at Coopers Plains on 1 September, 1856, later building a home in 1860.  

In 1861 John Cavanagh accepted an offer of employment from James Taylor of Dunmore Station (Cecil Plains) as Sheep Overseer and the family (now with four young sons and a daughter) moved once more.  On Jul 24th 1863 at Dunmore Station John Cavanagh died from a fall from a horse, and was buried on the station.  This was a shocking change of circumstance for Catherine with 5 young children. She returned to their block at Coopers Plains where she opened a store.  

In 1888 Catherine subdivided the land selling some off and moved to Kunioon near Nanango in Queensland with her sons where they selected land, Catherine selecting 160 acres between Barkers Creek and Middle Creek.  She suffered a stroke in 1894 and then lived with her sons before ill health saw her move to Gympie, Queensland to live with her daughter Margaret Moloney for three months before her passing on 8th Dec 1899  She was buried in the Gympie Cemetery.

Catherine was my Great Great Grandmother, a strong resilient woman.

Michael Carter