Tenants of the Barton Estate, Fethard, Co. Tipperary 1775-1805.

Small Sources 36: This is a list of 183 tenants from the index to a rental of the Barton Estate in Tipperary. The original document is in the National Library of Ireland and contains “Rent ledgers of the estate of William Barton in Co Tipperary, 1775-1782; 1796 – 1805. NLI, Ms. 5875.” Rentals are the records of the landlord on tenants, their holdings, and their payments. Although these might appear to be purely business records, many contain rich family information. A full description of rental formats and practices, and on the useful family information they can provide is in our blog Rentals as a resource for Irish family history.

The list below is from the index to the rental (see an example in Fig 1). The number after each name is the reference to the account of the tenant, which will provide a location for the holding and further information on rents, partners etc. Most holding appear to be in the town of Fethard and the surrounding parishes. A few are indicated as being resident elsewhere. Thomas Barton bought the estate at Fethard, county Tipperary, in 1751 and the family kept possession until the 1950s. Thomas was a member of the Barton family of Fermanagh and in the 1720s he established a wine business in Bordeaux, France, which still exists as Barton & Guestier. Thomas Barton was Member of the British Parliament for Fethard until 1800. His estate in Tipperary was in the parish of Fethard (barony of Middlethird) and in the neighbouring parishes of Baptistgrange, Barrettsgrange, Coolmundry, Peppardstown, Rathcool and Redcity. The Barton residence was at Grove House near Fethard.

It may be useful to know that, due to the way in which the rental is completed, the earlier names within each alphabetical list will be tenants from earlier in the rental period 1775-1805. Within the ‘B’ list, for instance, Widow Bacon was an early tenant, whereas Thomas Bourk was one of the later tenants registered. Many of these are prominent people and several are listed as freeholders of other properties in Tipperary in a 1776 list of Freeholders. The earliest commercial directory for Fethard town is Slater’s Commercial Directory of Munster, published in 1846. As this is 40-70 years after the time period of this record, it is not surprising that few of the names listed here still occur. Exceptions are Henry Seyres (who is listed as a land agent), Matthew Jacob ( a local Magistrate) and Hugh Massey (also a magistrate). These may also be successors with the same names.

Name abbreviations are listed as found and include Michl. = Michael; Jno = John; Wm. = William; Nichs = Nicholas; Edwd. = Edward; Edmd. = Edmund; Hamn. = Hamilton etc. Further information on Tipperary tenants is available in other blogs in this series including: Woulfe-Mansfield Estate 1783; Prittie Estate 1826; Trant Estate Dovea 1837; and Thurles tenants 1816.

The images of the document above and below were created by Ancestor Network in the National Library of Ireland and are reproduced here through their courtesy. Ancestor Network will offer 1 free hour of research by a professional researcher to conduct further research on these individuals, or on other tenants of this estate. We can also obtain images of the original documents, and search the rental account of the tenants listed below. Click here and quote ‘TippSS36’ in the subject line.

Tenant Names

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Archer Wm.
Ailwood Wm.
Arran, Earl
Association of Fethard
Aldwell, Revd, Basil
Bacon, Widow
Bacon Revd. Edwd.
Bacon, John
Burrowes, James
Bowls, John
Bray, John
Bryan & Hanley
Bradshaw, William
Boughally, Pat
Bulburt, John
Butler, Theo
Baxendale, James
Brown, Saml.
Butler, John
Butler, James & Jno.
Boyle, Wm.
Britteen, Wm.
Babington, Thos.
Buckley, Danl.
Bourk, James
Breen, Wm.
Brenan, Thos.
Brereton, Michl.
Bride, Pat
Baker & Hall
Brazier, Arabella

Boyd & Woodward

Barton, John
Baker, Kilner
Bowles & Wilson

Bourk Thos. Wm.
Barton Mrs.
Barton Esq. Thoms.
Carthy, John
Carthy, Florence
Connell, Thos. (late of Philip)
Campbell, Geo.
Connell, James
Cahill, James
Cormick, Thos.
Cormick, Jas. & Nichs.
Cody, Edmd.
Crane, James
Crane, John
Crane Wm. (Widow)
Crane & Partners
Carew, Thos.
Connolly, Wm.
Cooke, Joseph
Cooke, John
Carew, Phillip
Crawford, Rev. Thos.
Carew Catherine

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Collins, Edwd.
Cahill, Mary
Carleton, John, Dublin
Cooke, Edwd. Clonmel
Connory, Jno. & Jas.
Champion, Richd.
Connell Jas. Jim
Daniel, W (?)
Dooling, Pat
Dalton, Thos.
Donaghoe, Wm.
Doody, John
Duan, Mary
Dee, Mary
Dee, Wm.
Dee, John
Dee, James
Delahunty, Richd.
Devine, Edwd.
Dwyer, Pat.
Despard, Wm. Esq.
Everard, Pat.
Everard Joana (?)
Everard, George
Fleming, Wm.
Fitzgerald, John
Franklin, Robt.
Fitzgerald, Jas.
Fleming, Michl.
Grady, Denis
Gleeson, James
Gleeson, Matthew
Guynan, Thos.
Guilfoyle, John
Gahan, Danl. Esq.
Hutchinson, Richd.
Herne, Danl.
Henderson, Thos.
Hartness, Joseph
Howell, John
Hackett, Thos. Esq.
Hazlitt, James
Hanrahan, Thos.
Hayes, Thos.
Houston, Wm. & Robt.
Holmes, Thos.
Hodgson, Thos. Esq.
Jacob, Matthew Esq.
Jessop, Revd. Wm. Lismore
Kelly, Daniel
Kearney, Denis
Kennedy, James Gardr.
Kickham, Henry
Kennedy, John
Kinna & Skehan
Landers, Davd.
Landers, Adam (Widow of)
Latham, Wm. Esq
Lowe, Lovelace Esq
Low, Hamn. Esq.
Lahiffe, Richd.
Langley, Henry Esq.
Loughman, Mau.
Langley, Chas & Henry
Lahiff, Robt.
Lonergan, James
Lahiff, Richd ..ept?
Meagher, Richd.
Meagher, Davd.
Meara, Denis
McAllister, Richd.
McAllister, Ann
Moran, Widow
Murphy, Michl.
Massey, Hugh Esq. Armsbrook
Meagher, Joan
McAllister, Edwd.
Meagher, Edmd.
Minchin, Francis Jr. Dublin
Moore, Docr. John Dublin
Murphy, John
Murreen, Pattrick
Meagher, Cornelius
Myrick, James

Fig 1. Extract from the ‘M’ index of names. The number after each tenant;’s name is the page number for their rental account

Nugent, Ann

Napper, John
Needham, John
Napper, James
Otway, Cooke Esq.
Portice, Robt.
Phelan, Bryan
Quinn, Andrew
Roberts, George
Russell, Thomas
Ruirk & Morrissy
Ruirk, John
Ryan, John. Cooper
Ryan, Joan
Read, Catherine
Roche, Wm. Youghal
Ransberry, Robt.
Sankey, Richd.
St John Edmd.
Shea, Richd.
Shea, Wm.
Slattery, James
Small Richd.
Small, George
Smith, Edward
Sutton, Caesar
Smith, Nichs. Esq
Skirmer, David
Strang, Mary
Sheppard, Jos. Dublin
Seyres, Henry
Strong, Charles
Traverse, Richd.
Walsh, James
Walsh, John
Walsh, Wm.
Watson, Robt.
Winston, Henry
Walsh, James, Kilsallagh
Walsh, Oliver C. Esq
Watts, Rev. Robert