During the 1850s and 1860s, around 8,000 individuals left Shetland in search of a more prosperus lifestyle. Families migrated to all corners of the earth in particular New Zealand and Australia.
This page I hope will tell the story of Francis Bolt, born 1830 in the town of Lerwich on the Shetland Islands. Francis 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 young lady from County Clare, Limerick, Ireland. Over the following twelve years, Francis and Anne had six children; Mary born 1859, Laurence born 1860, John born 1863, Francis born 1865, James Robert born 1867 and Archibald born 1870. Anne died on 12 February 1874 aged 38.
During 1875, Francis married for a second time. His bride was Wilhelmina Whitmarsh or Gray ? an Australian born in Victoria around 1855. Francis and Wilhelmina had one child a girl in 1877 they christened her Ann presumably after Francis first wife. It is belive Ann had two daughters, Ivy & Edna.
