The Highland clearances; During the mid-to-late 18th century and continuing intermittently into the mid 19th century around 8,000 individuals left Shetland in search of a more prosperous lifestyle.
Shetland families migrate to all corners of the earth, in particular, New Zealand and Australia.
In this chapter, I will tell the story of my 4th great-uncle Francis Bolt, his family and his descendants.
Francis was born on 13 September 1830 in the town of Lerwich, Shetland, Scotland. He was the eldest of six children of Laurence Hughson Bolt and Grace Bolt (nee Ganson) my 4x great grandparents.
On the 19 May 1858, at the Catholic Chapel, Emerald Hill, Victoria, Australia Francis Bolt married Anne Clary a 22 year old lady formally of County Clare, Limerick, Ireland.
Over the following twelve years, Francis and Anne establish a home and a family around Melbourne, Victoria. Francis and Anne had six children; Mary born 1859, Laurence born 20 Nov 1860, John born 1863, Francis born 14 July 1865, James Robert born 23 Dec 1867 and Archibald born 6 Sep 1870. Sadly after a short illness, Anne died on 12 February 1874 aged just 38.
During 1875, Francis Bolt married for a second time. His bride was Wilhelmina Whitmarsh an Australian, born in Victoria around 1855. Francis and Wilhelmina had one child a girl born in 1877 they christened her Ann presumably after Francis first wife.
Research on-going I understand that Ann married William Edward Powell around 1900 and have two daughters, Ivy & Edna. According to my research Both William and Ann died at the age of 38 sometime between 1915 and 1917.
To date; there are Bolt descendants in Perth, Western Australia - Adelaide, South Australia - Melbourne, Victoria - Sydney and Wollongong, New South Wales.