INTRODUCTION MARTIN & BRETT PAPERS

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INTRODUCTION

MARTIN & BRETT

PAPERS

November 2007

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Public Record Office of Northern Ireland

Martin & Brett Papers (D3406)

Table of Contents

Summary .................................................................................................................2

The Coote papers (D3406/D)...................................................................................3

The Kane of Drumreaske papers (D3406/E)............................................................4

The Leslie of Ballybay papers (D3406/D) ................................................................6

The Lloyd papers (D3406/F)....................................................................................8

The Plunket papers (D3406/A) ................................................................................9

The Richardson papers (D3406/C) ........................................................................11

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Martin & Brett Papers

Public Record Office of Northern Ireland

Summary

Messrs Martin & Brett, solicitors, Mill Street, Monaghan, acted for many major landed

families in Co. Monaghan. Of these families, the papers of the Earls of Dartrey

(D3053) and the part of the papers of the Lords Rossmore (T2929) which came from

Martin & Brett, have been separately noticed, simply because of their scale.

What follows is a description of the more miscellaneous and smaller archives

transferred from Martin & Brett to PRONI. They are not described as miscellaneous

because they are unimportant: in fact, some of them are very important. They are

arranged in alphabetical order.

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Martin & Brett Papers

Public Record Office of Northern Ireland

The Coote papers (D3406/D)

These comprise three boxes, 1800-1906, containing c.300 title

deeds, rentals etc., relating to the family estates in Monaghan

and Cavan of the Coote family of Fortwilliam, Co. Cavan.

These were bequeathed by Charles Coote, one and only Earl

of Bellomont of the second creation, of Bellomont Forest,

Cootehill, Co. Cavan, who died in 1800 without legitimate

issue, to the third of his natural sons, Thomas Coote, later of

Fortwilliam.

Charles Coote,

Earl of Bellomont

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Martin & Brett Papers

Public Record Office of Northern Ireland

The Kane of Drumreaske papers (D3406/E)

Robert M.Young, in Belfast and the Province of Ulster in the 20th Century (Brighton,

1909), describes Drumreaske and the Kanes as follows: '... Drumreaske, in the

parish of Tydavnet, Co. Monaghan, is the seat of William Francis de Vismes Kane,

MA, JP, DL, and lies within two miles of Monaghan. The demesne of 120 acres is

extremely picturesque, with hanging woods surrounding a pretty lake with islands,

and the house commands a distant landscape of hill and dale. The pleasure grounds

and approaches are adorned by a profusion of rare flowering shrubs and flowers.

Mr de Vismes Kane traces descent from Hugh, a son of Roderick McCanus O'Kane,

Chieftain of O'Kane's Country (the county of Derry), who settled in Leinster about the

year 1570. Hugh O'Kane's great-grandsons, Joseph and Nathaniel, were Lords

Mayor of Dublin in 1725 and 1734 respectively. The latter, in conjunction with David

Digges, a French Huguenot emigré, who took the name of Latouche about that date,

founded in 1715 in Dublin the first private bank opened in Ireland, which up to the

close of the last century was the well known "Latouche's Bank". His grandson, Lt-

Colonel Nathaniel, was grandfather of Mr de Vismes Kane of Drumreaske, whose

mother was Mademoiselle de Vismes, only daughter of Colonel the Count de Vismes

of the Coldstream Guards.'

There are two boxes of title deeds, leases, accounts, correspondence, etc, relating to

the estates of the Kane family of Drumreaske, Monaghan, in Co. Monaghan, and in

Dublin City and County, 1721-1930, as follows: copy and original title deeds, leases,

etc, relating to the Dublin City and County properties, 1721-1911; a copy 'Bargain

and sale of lands in the barony of

Trough [Co. Monaghan}... from James

Hamilton to Nathaniel Kane', 1730; a

deed leading to a recovery of Joseph

Kane's lands of Aghadromerner,

Ardginy,

Cregahan,

Killitanreven,

Terearon, Dirryrelan, Dirrenedarane,

Corneheve,

Glanmore,

Derrylea,

Killyleck, Killydreen and Edinmore, all in

the parish of Errigle and barony of Trough, 1829; and a printed Landed Estates Court

rental of the estate of Henry Mitchell in Co. Monaghan, including the house and

demesne of Drumreaske, 1863.

Drumreaske

Deeds, case papers and correspondence about Kane settlements and mortgages

covering both the Dublin and Monaghan estates, c.1800-1914, include papers about

the settlement, and the settlement itself, on the marriage of Joseph Kane and Eliza

Jane de Vismes, 1837, papers about a mortgage raised off the Kane estates, and the

mortgage itself, 1863, settlements and other papers about the marriage of William

Francis de Vismes Kane and the Hon. Mrs Louisa Catherine Green-Wilkinson, née

Bateman, 1902-1903, and deeds and correspondence about their separation, 1914,

etc.

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Martin & Brett Papers

Public Record Office of Northern Ireland

There is a run of rentals and accounts for the Dublin estate, 1813-1836. More

miscellaneous material comprises: the probate (1841) of the will (1841) of Joseph

Kane of Baggot Street, Dublin; a slim volume (largely empty) of workmen's accounts

[for Drumreaske prior to its acquisition by the Kane family?], 1850s; a bundle of fairly

low-grade correspondence, accounts, ejectment decrees and two leases, all relating

to the Co. Monaghan estate, 1893-1916; a bundle of letters and papers about the

Dublin estate, 1891-1932; the appointment by W.E. de Vismes Kane of William

Harvey Swan as his under-sheriff for Co. Monaghan (two documents), with Swan's

fidelity bond, 1909; and a typescript copy probate (1918) of the will (1915) of W.F. de

Vismes Kane, with correspondence, case papers, etc, relating to it and to sales of the

estate under the Land Purchase Acts, together with a letter and two rentals and

accounts of 1929-1930 (the accounts being between the trustees of W.F. de Vismes

Kane, deceased, and Capt. J.L. Kane).

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Martin & Brett Papers

Public Record Office of Northern Ireland

The Leslie of Ballybay papers (D3406/D)

Robert M. Young, in Belfast and the

Province of Ulster in the 20th Century

(Brighton, 1909), describes Ballybay and the

Leslies as follows: 'Ballybay House, the seat

of Edward Henry John Leslie, J.P., near the

town of Ballybay, ... is a fine mansion,

surrounded by a well wooded park of some

600 acres, on the banks of one of two lakes,

a mile from the town.

The Leslies of Ballybay are descended from

James Leslie, fourth son of the 4th Earl of

Rothes of Leslie House, Fifeshire ... . He married a daughter of Sir James Hamilton

of Evendale; their eldest son, born at Aberdeen, settled in Ireland in 1614. He was

chaplain to Charles I, and in 1635 was made Bishop of Down and Connor, and

afterwards translated to Meath. He was the owner of the property and castle of

Kilclief (now a ruin), on the shore of Strangford Lough, Co. Down, which has

remained in the Leslie family ever since.

Ballybay House

His eldest son, the Rt Rev. Dr Robert Leslie, was Bishop of Raphoe and Clogher,

and married a daughter of Sir Francis Hamilton, Bt, of Castle Hamilton [Killashandra,

Co. Cavan]. His second son, James, married a daughter of John Echlin of Ardquin

[Co. Down], and from their eldest son, Henry, Archdeacon of Down, who married the

heiress of Peter Beaghan of Ballybay, is descended the present owner.'

The Leslie archive consists of eleven boxes of title deeds, leases, correspondence,

surveys, Irish Land Commission (ILC) papers, etc, 1559 and 1632-1921, relating to

the Ballybay estate, Co. Monaghan, and to the Leslie estate at Kilclief, in the barony

of Lecale, Co. Down, as follows:

1714-1911

Family settlements and other papers about general

matters of title.

1663-1912

Wills and testamentary papers.

1804-1911

Judgements.

1669-1912

Co. Monaghan title deeds.

1780-1915

Co. Monaghan expired leases, including leases of

premises in Ballybay.

1853-1921

Papers about Ballybay House, demesne, markets,

railway, and glebe.

1559:

1632-1907

Co. Down title deeds.

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Martin & Brett Papers

Public Record Office of Northern Ireland

1793-1827

Co. Down expired leases.

1785-1901

Cos. Monaghan and Down estate surveys, etc.

10-11 Late 19th

century

Cos. Monaghan and Down estate papers mainly early

20th century Irish Land Commission sale papers.

Among the Leslie of Ballybay papers are deeds of feoffment dated 155[?9] from [ ? ]

Fitzroger to John Macsimon for the island known as Fitzroger Island [D3406/7]; two

copies of the Charles II patent which granted the Ballybay estate to Peter Beaghan in

1669, and a copy of the patent, dated 1673, conferring the right to hold markets in

Ballybay [D3406/D/4/1-D3406/D/4/3]. There are also a number of papers relating to

disputed wills [D3406/2], including those relating to the dispute between James

Leslie of Sheepland, Co. Down, second son of Robert Leslie, Bishop of Clogher, and

Mrs Niccola Leslie (afterwards Mrs Conygham), widow of James, his elder brother,

dated 1663 and 1672-5. A run of leases, judgements and settlements trace the

family's fortunes through the intervening years until, by 1876, Mrs Emily Leslie of

Ballybay owned 5,463 acres in Co. Monaghan, with a total valuation of £5,073.

In addition, in DIO2/9/49, there is a declaration of 29 August 1834, by Charles Albert

Leslie, that he will pay tithes for townlands in the parish of Ballybay. A map of these

is attached.

Ballybay House was burnt down by terrorists in 1921, in the absence of the then

owner, E.H.J. Leslie, who was a Foreign Office official in London.

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Martin & Brett Papers

Public Record Office of Northern Ireland

The Lloyd papers (D3406/F)

These comprise seven boxes of title deeds,

leases, wills, rentals, accounts, Irish Land

Commission (ILC) sale papers and other

papers, 1667: 1742-1953, of the Lloyd

family of Farrinrory, Co. Tipperary, and

Ballyleck, Co. Monaghan (who moved north

to Co. Monaghan because of a double

marriage connection with the Rossmore

family, the 2nd and 3rd Lords Rossmore

having married Lloyds as their second

wives).

Ballyleck

The Tipperary material comprises: two envelopes of title deeds relating to, and deeds

of settlement affecting, Farrinrory, Co. Tipperary, 1667 and 1742-1872; an envelope

of leases of parts of Farrinrory, 1813-1875; an envelope of deeds, schedules of

deeds and leases, all relating to Foyle, Graigue, Kyleaduher, etc, Co. Tipperary, a

property bought by the trustees of Capt. Jesse Lloyd of Farrinrory in the Encumbered

Estate Court, 1819 and 1855-1905; mainly OS maps of the parts of Co. Tipperary

where the Lloyd estates lay, c.1840; and rentals, accounts and vouchers, all relating

to the Tipperary estates, 1849-1905.

The mainly Monaghan material comprises: two boxes of title deeds, leases, deeds of

settlement and mortgage, accounts, correspondence, etc, 1781 and 1841-1953, all

relating to the Lloyd estates, some of them leasehold under the Rossmore family, in

Co. Monaghan - Brandrum (including Ballyleck), Drumgarve, Kildoagh, Leitrim,

Ramany, The Hill (Monaghan) and other premises in Monaghan town. The papers

relating to Ballyleck include a series of case papers, 1894-1899, between Colonel

Jesse Lloyd and one Edward Walmisley, agent and receiver for that property (who it

was alleged had not properly accounted for sums of money received by him), and a

'Copy valuation of furniture, etc, at Ballyleck, the property of Miss Coralie Lloyd made

by Mr Butler on 5 August 1903'.

There follows maps of parts of the Lloyd estate in Co. Monaghan, including an OS

map of 1864, a series of leases with integral maps, 1868, a survey of Brandrum by

V.H. Smith, 1879, and another by A.H. de Wind, 1884; the original and a copy of the

settlement made on the marriage of Capt. (later Colonel), Jesse Lloyd of Farrinrory

and Ellen Vincent, daughter of George Vincent of Erinagh, Co. Clare, settling among

other things a legacy of £3000 left to Jesse Lloyd's mother, Mrs Harriet Amelia Lloyd,

by the late Colonel Henry Westenra of Camla, Co. Monaghan, and the Vincent

property of Ballysimon, barony of Clanwilliam, Co. Limerick, 1853; a box consisting of

a large number of wills and testamentary papers of the Jesse and Lloyd families and

others, 1769-1903, including late 19th-century papers of Colonel Jesse Lloyd of

Ballyleck (late Lt-Colonel of the Monaghan Militia); and a box of ILC sale papers

relating to both the Tipperary and Monaghan estates, 1923-1949.

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Martin & Brett Papers

Public Record Office of Northern Ireland

The Plunket papers (D3406/A)

The then Lord Plunket's estate in the Rockcorry area,

Co. Monaghan, in 1876, consisted of 2592 acres valued at

£1981. Although his property was about the least important

thing about William Conyngham Plunket, 1st Lord Plunket,

it did give him an independence of his professional income

as a barrister, and helped him to finance his parliamentary

career up to 1822, when he was mainly in opposition and

out of office.

In the archive, there are c.1150 documents, 1673-c.1930:

patents, title deeds, leases, rentals, maps,

correspondence, Irish Land Commission (ILC) sale papers

etc., relating to the estates of the Plunket family, Lords

Plunket, in Cos Louth, Monaghan, Cork, Galway, Mayo

and Roscommon, and, in a few cases, to the careers of

William Conyngham Plunket, 1st Lord Plunket, and of the Rev. Thomas Span

Plunket, 2nd Lord Plunket, Bishop of Tuam.

William Conyngham

Plunket, Lord Chancellor of

Ireland

The papers include title deeds and leases, 1753-1919, relating to

the Co. Louth estate of the Plunket family, inherited from the

Foster family of Milestown, Co. Louth, as an eventual

consequence of the marriage of the Rev. Thomas Plunket and

Louisa Foster in 1819. There is also a considerably smaller

quantity of title deeds, leases and rent books relating to the

Co. Monaghan estate of the Plunket family. One part of this was

the Raw estate, consisting of the lands of Dunmakenna, Moyle,

Raw and part of Corsillagagh, and owned by Dr Patrick Plunket

M.D., by 1802. The other part was the Milltown estate, consisting

of the lands of Coolkill, Cloncorick, Rakera, Drumavady,

Corglass etc., barony of Dartrey, and Drumore in Cadagh etc.,

barony of Cremorne, bought by Dr Patrick Plunket from Lord de

Clifford in 1809. There are expired leases, 1801-1811, of the

Raw estate from Dr Patrick Plunket and the Rt Hon. William

Conyngham Plunket, his younger brother, later Lord Chancellor of Ireland and

1st Lord Plunket.

William Conyngham

Plunket, from a

cartoon of 1827

The rent books relate to both the Raw and Milltown estates, and cover the years

1838-1840 and 1844; they also relate to the Plunket estate in Co. Cork, comprising

the village of Newtown and the lands of Newtown, Shananagh, Kilmagoura and

Clonleigh, barony of Orrery and Kilmore. The map material, 1833, 1840, 1856 and

1881-c.1930, consists of maps of various parts of the Louth estate, a map of the Raw

estate, Co. Monaghan, and two maps of premises in the town of Tuam, Co. Galway;

and there are voluminous Irish Land Commission (ILC) and related papers, late 19th-

early 20th century, concerning the estates in both Louth and Monaghan.

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Martin & Brett Papers

Public Record Office of Northern Ireland

Wills and testamentary papers include: a copy probate (1854) of the will (1846) of the

lst Lord Plunket; testamentary papers, 1859-60, concerning the will and bequests of

the 2nd Lord Plunket, Bishop of Tuam, who died in 1862, and lands and property in

Cos Louth, Monaghan, Galway, Mayo and Roscommon; and other testamentary

papers, 1854-late 19th-early 20th century, mainly deriving from the Hon. Mary

Elizabeth Alice Plunket, wife of Sir Thomas Forster (note the different spelling), 3rd Bt

of Coolderry, Co. Monaghan, and daughter (and apparently co-heiress with her

unmarried sisters, Katherine and Gertrude) of the 2nd Lord Plunket. This marriage

connection also explains the presence of two title deeds, c.1861 and 1876, relating to

Coolderry.

The non-estate material consists of formal documents, 1828-1829 and 1834-1835,

relating to the legal career of the 1st Lord Plunket, including a patent granting him a

pension of £4000 a year, 1834, and a patent appointing him Lord Chancellor of

Ireland, 1835; and formal documents concerning the ecclesiastical career of the 2nd

Lord Plunket, including his elevation to the united bishopric, 1839.

Arrangement of the archive

1754-1919

Co. Louth title deeds.

1753-1865

Co. Louth expired leases.

1673-1872

Co. Monaghan title deeds and rent books.

1801-1811

Co. Monaghan expired leases.

1808-1891

Cos Galway, Mayo and Roscommon title deeds,

leases, etc.

1833-c. 1930

Cos Galway, Louth and Monaghan estate maps.

7-8

late 19th - early

20th century

Cos Louth and Monaghan estate papers, mainly 20th

century Irish Land Commission sale papers.

12-13 mid-19th

century onwards

Testamentary papers.

1754-1922

Miscellaneous papers, including formal documents

concerning Lord Chancellor Plunket.

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Martin & Brett Papers

Public Record Office of Northern Ireland

The Richardson papers (D3406/C)

These derive from the Richardson family of Poplar Vale (Monaghan). There are three

boxes, 1807-1926, containing c.300 estate papers, title deeds, leases, etc., relating

to the Richardson estate in Co. Monaghan. Also included are John Richardson's

ensign's commission in the Monaghan Militia, 1807, and freemasonry printed matter

of the 1920s.