Labourers in Co. Carlow in 1793/4

Small Sources 13:   Below is a list of  111 labourers employed on the Vigors Estate at Burgage, near Leighlin Bridge, Co. Carlow in 1793/94. The names are on four separate lists all apparently written by the same farm manager or foreman (based on the handwriting)  and included  in the Cliff – Vigors  Estate Papers in the National Archives of Ireland (Ref NAI 1096.2.12). See here for a description of the holdings.   A detailed account of the Vigors family and their estates is in 2011 issue of  the journal Carloviana which is available on-line here  – see p. 93.

List 1 is headed ‘Mowers 1793’ and contains 20 names, all men; the second unheaded list has 21 names, all men except for 3 widows; List 3 is headed ‘January 1794 at Manure, Burgage’ which suggests that these workers were engaged in hauling and spreading manure. It contains 27 names of men and 3 widows. The final list, also unheaded, contains 43 names including 3 widows.  Was it perhaps the custom to give work to widows?  Other than names, the numbers of days worked are also listed. There are some names which recur in more than one list, e.g. John Lennon, Ned and Tom McCardell, P.Mulloy, P. Delaney and a few others.  Some of these workers may also have been tenants on the Vigors estate as it was very common for tenants to pay their rent in the form of a number of days of work.  A separate article on Rentals provides further information on the tenant management practices of Irish estates.

Ancestor Network will offer 1 free hour of research by a professional researcher to  conduct further research on these individuals or others in these estate papers and/or to obtain copies 0f the original. Click here and quote ‘Carlow  SS13’ in the subject line.

Dargan
T Doran
Js. Kelley                                 probably James
James Connors
Tom Dundon
Larry Ryan
Js. Wall                                      probably James
John Connon ?
Robt. Welsh
Michl. Byrn                              Michael
Owen Mahon
A Hughes
P. Collins
P.  Neal
Tom Keef (Reef?)
Bryan Byrn
? McCabe
Redmonds
Jack Poor
John Lennon

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Joseph Reddy
Little L. McCabe
P Kinsella
Wid. Mulrooney            probably widow
Robt. Cody
Jn. Kearney                        probably John
Wid. Hearn                        probably widow
Dick Wynne
Tom McCardel
Dl. Mara                              probably Daniel
Dl. McDonel                                  ”
Thos. Conway                     Thomas
Jams. Brennon (?) Wood
Mick McCabe
John McCabe
Widw. Kelly                        probably widow
Billy Mara
Darby Mara
Red McCabe
James Brohan
John Lennon

Widow Brennan
P. Byrn
P. Mulloy
C. Byrn
Wm. Mara                            William
Js. Brohan                            probably James
Widw. Fitzgerald
L Marks
Ds. Reddy                              probably Denis
P Murphy
Ed. Laler                                probably Edward
Ts. Brennon                          probably Thomas
Pat Mooney
W. Lynchey
Ts. Conra                              probably Thomas
Pat Delaney
James Kelly
John Poor
Wid. Mulrooney                    probably widow
Wid. Kerns                                       ”
Ned McCardel?
Pat Lynchey
Paddy Marks
Michl? Welsh
Tom Cavenagh
Pat Ralf
Bryan? Doran

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Mich & Steven Byrn
Widow Brennon
Paddy Marks
Mick Lynchy
Larry Marks
P. Mulloy
P. Hannaway
Darby Caulfield
Wm Mara
Dargan
Js. Brohan                                    probably James
Sally Welsh
Judy Dun
Darby Mara
Sally Farrell
Widow McAnally
James Mooney
Dl. Mara                                         probably Daniel
Darby Neal
James Trinity
Js. Cody
E. Foley
Js. McCabe
Js. Condra
Mich. Byrn Morris
Wat. Mooney
Ds. Laler
Tom McCardell
Widow Maher
John Divine
Tom Holran
Rich. Wymse
Mick Reddy
Jn. McCabe
Pat Kinsela
Ned McCardel
James Reddy
F Doran
P Delaney
Lancton
G. Byron
T McCardel
Js. McDonel                          probably James

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Other articles in our series on Irish Family Sources:

• Petty Sessions– the records of local courts
• Grand Jury Presentments – records of local councils on payments for public works and staff
• Rentals – management of tenants by estates and the records created
• Middle names – the use (or non-use) of second or middle names in Irish records
• How comprehensive are  Irish Civil Records?
• Catholic Church Records 
• Travellers’ accounts of Ireland in the 18th and 19th centuries
• Census returns in Gaelic or Irish language
• 50+ blogs with names extracted  from manuscript source.   A handy map index to these is available here.
  

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