1. Irish Diaspora and the Typhus Epidemic of 1847
When they were building Victoria Bridge (Montreal), the workers discovered the remains of Irish
immigrants who died in the fever sheds – quarantined with Typhus ( “Ship fever”). This rock
was thus moved and put here to remember the memory of those who died there. (Photo credit:
Wikipedia)
The year 1847 was a year of deep tragedy for the nation of Ireland. The first half of the century
had seen unprecedented demographic growth, with the population doubling from four to eight
million by 1845. Naturally, the structures were not in place for such rapid growth. Agrarian land
holdings became smaller as the population expanded. The remaining farms had to maximize
their food production to keep up with the demand. Farms that were already in a precarious state
financially due to heavy farm tariffs were put completely out of commission when a series of
crop failures occurred in the late 1830s.
In 1845, problems were compounded further when Europe’s crops were ravaged by a potato
blight. Ireland was the hardest hit, and its potato crops were decimated. The resultant famine
combined with the precarious economic conditions triggered a huge wave of immigration and
subsequent Irish diaspora.
Nearly 100,000 boarded ships bound for Canada and the United States. These ships soon
1/2

2. became floating coffins as immigrants – already weakened by lack of sustenance – succumbed
to disease.
On May 17, 1847, the Syria floated into Grosse Isle in Quebec. Sickness had wracked the
passengers and 430 were down with fever. In the days that followed, eight more ships pulled
into the harbor, each carrying even more typhus victims. A week later, 17 more vessels had
arrived, each carrying passengers infected with the fever. At this point, 695 people were already
in hospitals and the doctors hardly knew where to put the new arrivals.
The number of ships soon reached 30, and over 10,000 immigrants were aboard waiting to be
processed through immigration. By the end of May, 40 ships were lined up along the St.
Lawrence River, stretching along the banks for two miles. Each ship held passengers affected
by typhus and dysentery. Soon 1100 infected passengers were laid out in tents and fever
sheds.
The island was rapidly overwhelmed, and some immigrants were transferred to Montreal where
three long fever sheds had been constructed. Thousands more continued to arrive, and soon
there were 22 sheds full of invalids. Troops guarded the area so no one could escape; still,
typhus quickly reached epidemic proportions in Montreal. Between 3,500 and 6,000 Irish
immigrants died in Montreal’s fever sheds.
Other Canadian cities were affected as well. During the summer of 1847, 863 Irish immigrants
died in the fever sheds of Toronto, and 2115 more died in New Brunswick. When over 3,000
Irish arrived in Bytown, fever broke out there as well. Fever sheds were erected and the Rideau
Canal was shut down to prevent the spread of disease; still, approximately 200 died in
quarantine. Kingston also was affected when fever-stricken immigrants passed through and
took shelter in immigrant sheds. Some 1,400 immigrants died of fever there.
The consequences of the typhus epidemic hit Canada hard. Death and disease took their toll,
but the country was also put under serious financial stress as much trade came to a standstill. In
time, however, the country began to recover. Today there are 1,230,000 Irish descendants in
Canada, many of whom can trace their lineage to the Immigrants of ’47.
Related articles
Identifying Survivors of the Great Irish Famine
2/2
Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)