By Averil Staunton
The cost of the Earl Grey orphan scheme was to be funded by the Australian Colonial Authorities, and the Boards of Guardians of Workhouses agreed to join the scheme. The Board of Ballinrobe Workhouse decided that they would avail of the offer of the Government to send 26 orphan girls to Australia. They made a selection of appropriate girls between 14 and 18 years of age whom they recorded as having ‘volunteered for emigration’.