Perpetual Commissioners For Taking Acknowledgement Of Deeds By Married Women In Ireland For Co. Cork, 1886.

Abraham Watkins Esq, Cork Extensive Property Owner in Bandon, Will dated 12th July 17  My Daughter Mary Watkins ‘Not to have one penny if she marries Darby Cartie the Fiddler’

https://wordpress.com/post/durrushistory.com/5125

Will 176:

The name Abraham Watkins appears in Coolfadda as early as 1626.

http://www.bandon-genealogy.com/bandon_rent_roll_1720.htm

The Irish Manuscript Commission have digitalised some of their old publications.  This is from a series on Memorials in the Registry of  Deeds.  These survived the destruction of 1922.

http://www.irishmanuscripts.ie/servlet/Controller?action=digitisation_backlist

Will  405, of Mrs Eliza Gethin (late husband Percy), Cork, extensive property owner including Upton (Garryhenkera) mentioned Dr. Boyle Coughlan, leaves £20 to ‘To the mulatto boy known as James Kelly, the sum of £30 the interest to provide for his clothing’

The Irish Manuscript Commission have digitalised some of their old publications.  This is from a series on Memorials in the Registry of  Deeds.  These survived the destruction of 1922.

http://www.irishmanuscripts.ie/servlet/Controller?action=digitisation_backlist

There are references from time to time in contemporay Cork records to mulattos/negroes/blacks in wills, deeds and newspapers. Cork had extensive links with the West Indies and had a number of sugar mills.

Many of the Irish who went to the West Indies, as Sugar Planters, Merchant or Administrators had concubines or second families with women of African origin.

Among the slave owners in Barbados who were compensated in 1820 for emancipation was the Nathaniel Evansons who were related to the same family of Cork, Bandon and Durrus. One of the Durrus family had married in Antigua c 1750.

Will 267

Richard Skuse, Derrygarren, Barony of West Carbery, Co. Cork, Farmer, 29th April 1802, Sworn 1st May 1802.

To Michael Albridge (wrong should be Attridge), of Skibbereen, Co. Cork, Woollen Draper, and Jno (John?), Glasheen …Aulin?, Cork City, …..Allen  said County farmer, all his interest in lands at Derrygarren and Ininshbeg (Inishbeg) both in Co. Cork, … held under Head Lease from Cornelius O’Driscoll, Esq. and the latter under Thomas Somerville and Burris Erwin, Esqs., in trust  to pay Testator’s wife Mary Skuse, an annuity of £10 residue of profits from said lands to raise a payment of £40 each to the Testator’s seven daughters, Dorothy, Abigail, Elizabeth, Margaret, Mary, Ann, Frances, and then to pay the profits to Testator’s son Francis Skuse for life, in default of his  issue to said  seven daughters.    Dwelling house at Derrygarren, furniture to the said wife for life, then the furniture divided between the three youngest daughters Mary, Ann and Frances

Executors: Thomas Somerville, Michael Attridge, Jno Attridge.

Witnesses: Richard Sinnick, Gent. Denis Donoghue servant to said John Denis. John Denis Gent.

Witnesses to Memorial Richard Sinnick, John Denis Gent.

Registry of Deeds Reference 551   395  363727

The Irish Manuscript Commission have digitalised some of their old publications.  This is from a series on Memorials in the Registry of  Deeds.  These survived the destruction of 1922.

http://www.irishmanuscripts.ie/servlet/Controller?action=digitisation_backlist

Dr. Richard Caulfield, Cork Antiquarian and later Librarian of what is now University College Cork  in his transcriptions of the records of St. Fnbarr’s Cathedral Cork has a number of references to the Attridges of Glasheen and Bandon Road.  They were the arteries to West Cork from the South Gate Bridge of hr City.   Glasheen that time was a thriving centre of the textile industry run by the Shears family two of whom, the brothers were executed for rebelion in 1798.  The family house was later used as a school by Mr. Donolly.

Another name which crops in those records is the Protestant O’Leary family of Glasheen, most likely connected to the family of Art O’Leary of Inchigeela/Macroom.

John Denis is an Attorney at George’s Quay, Cork:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mMDGaZCW9Z6Cq_C_gwm_FB2orzTe2WxR0WcLXjZZO40/edit#gid=0

https://www.google.ie/maps/place/Squince,+Co.+Cork/@51.5311695,-9.13664,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x4845ae64dbfb0df5:0xaed3cfebbb61bc1c

Will 238    Will of Alexander Donovan, Squince, Parish of Myross, Co. Cork, Will Dated 22nd December 1785, Memorial Sworn at Skibbereen 29th May 1800.  To his son Doctor James Donovan, Doctor of Physic, his interest in lands at Rinogreny, Keamore, Saravelly, Co. Cork, to his son Alexander Donovan his interest in the farm at Myross with all the utensils belonging to the fisheries, salt house, and large boat subject to the head rent and lands at Manhelare and Cusronan , Filmuck, and Carhngariff (Cahhugariff), Co. Cork,  Executors his sons James and Alexander.  Witnesses Daniel Collins, now Skibbereen, Doctor of Physic, John Wright, Glandore, Merchant, Richard Donovan recently deceased (1800), Warrensbrook.  Witnesses to Memorial (1800), Daniel Collins, Richard Tomkins, Gent.

Registry of Deeds References

518, 427, 345908

The Irish Manuscript Commission have digitalised some of their old publications.  This is from a series on Memorials in the Registry of  Deeds.  These survived the destruction of 1922.

http://www.irishmanuscripts.ie/servlet/Controller?action=digitisation_backlist

The reference to fishing is interesting.  The O’Donovans of O’Donovan’s Cove, Durrus (Kealties/Tullagh) acquired an interest in a small estate c 1750, most unusual for a Catholic family.  There is a possibility they were involved in the pilchard fishery as there is a ‘Palace’ nearby.  One of the family, Timothy, was one of the first Catholic Magistrates in Co. Cork  and gave written evidence to a Parliamentary enquiry sitting in Bantry in 1836 which showed a remarkable knowledge of the fishing industry.  He is buried in the ancestral tomb at Caheragh Old Graveyard.

One of the 1800 witnesses to the Memorial, Richard Tomkins may have been an Attorney, for some reason they are rarely described as such.  The name is alive and well in the area, Larry Tomkins was a star footballer with the Castlehaven winning Gaelic Football teams with the late John Richard O’Donovan.

Early Irish History and Antiquities and the History of West Cork By Rev. W. O’Halloran 1916, O’Donovan Genealogy.

The use of the Registry of Deeds Project as a Genealogical Aid, Some West Cork Names,  Attridges, Beecher, Bernard, Coughlan, Cotter, Crowley, Dalys, Evans, Freke, O’Driscoll/Driscoll, Dukelows, Evanson,  Hutchins/Hutchinson, Jennings, ]ago, Kingston, McCarthy, Mellifont, Murphy, Puxley, Shannon, Swanton, Somerville, O’Sullivan/Sullivans, Townsend, White, Woulfes, Vickeries,   The Fund of Suitors of the High Court of Ireland and Mortgage Deed In Irish, Co. Clare 1540.

After the Forfeitures and Confiscation of the lands Irish Catholic Gentry in the late 17th century the Registry of Deeds was set up c 1704 to ensure a functioning system of Land Registration for Ireland.   It operated on the basis that a summary of the relevant deed called a memorial was prepared itemising the parties, the transaction, it was witnesses and lodged at the Registry.  Before the coming into being of the system if a person purchased property there was no way of knowing if there was a mortgage or charge affecting it.

http://members.pcug.org.au/~nickred/deeds/memorial_extract.cgi?my_memorial=460736&my_indexer=RonPrice

Thankfully the record shave survived intact.  In the 1990s a fund known as ‘The Fund of Suitors’ of the Irish High Court was utilised to refurbish the King’s Inns and Registry of Deeds located between Henrietta Street on Constitution Hill.  The fund consists of monies accumulated but not claimed intestacies, Wards of Court funds etc., periodically the accumulated surplus is applied to a worthy cause.   In this case it was well spent.  The restoration is excellent and it is possible to examine the original leather covered ledgers and indexes.

By and large the broad mass of the population Catholic and Protestant are not represented.  It tended to be people of property.  However many family settlements are recorded. In farming areas in the 18th an 19th century a common form of leasing was the use of leases for 3 lives.   In those case usually two of the lives were for named young children related to one of the parties and the town lands are often recorded.  Accordingly it is a very valuable source of family information.  Also the document are often witnesses by non family members again locating name to areas.

The Registry of Deeds project is Volunteer based and so far something over 10% of the relevant deeds have been transcribe.

http://www.irishgenealogynews.com/2013/09/registry-of-deeds-index-project-latest.html

This is an example involving Michael Sullivan, Bantry, he was a Catholic and the children of his marriage to Vickery were brought up in the Church of Ireland, he was  the holder of substantial property, heart Tax Collector, and one of the  the ancestors of an enormous extended family world wide of Sullivans, Vickeries, Bryans among others.  Interestingly one of the early deeds from the Bantry area involved Donough O’Daly c 1705, he was presumably of the family that up to some years before had the western half of the Munitervara Peninsula.

http://members.pcug.org.au/~nickred/deeds/memorial_extract.cgi?my_memorial=460736&my_indexer=RonPrice

http://members.pcug.org.au/~nickred/deeds_index/name_index.php

The Norman Common Law took root in Ireland early and ran even in Gaelicised area.  The Manuscript section of the National Library have an original mortgage deed from 1540 in irish over lands at the Burren.  It is substantial the same in content as a modern mortgage deed.

1608 Mortgage of lands in the Burren, Co. Clare written in old Irish, with Conveyancing Deeds of 1540 in Irish

Bowl Playing West Cork, Armagh and the Myth of Illegality

The author Flor Crowley, national Teacher, and Chairman 1965 An Bol-Chumann, native of Dunmanway author of Local History Articles and Books..

Words in Irish from Dunmanway, West Cork from Flor Crowley N.T. (National Teacher), Behigullane, Dunmanway. .

https://durrushistory.com/2014/08/20/pre-1965-farming-practices-west-cork-red-elephant-and-epicure-potatoes-working-with-the-grufan-threshing-with-the-steam-engine-winnowng-of-wheat-and-oats-working-in-the-bog/

From Kevin Whelan on Catholic Middlemen.