Sunday, February 21st, 2021

Over the years Danny Dowling recorded information regarding various artefacts that have been discovered in and around Glenmore including ancient burial sites, coins and common household invoices from local businesses. Today, we are going to highlight three different types of artifacts. The first is a simple letter written and mailed in October 1859. Although Danny can not recall how he obtained the letter, or when it joined his collection, it was in a shopping bag with other letters from that era and steamship sailing information and receipts. Danny in his younger days was noted for urging people to donate to local libraries and archives. Often when people were cleaning out a cupboard or attic they would bring old documents, books and records to Danny who would accept the items and try to find a suitable library or archive for the items. If unsuccessful Danny would add them to his ecliptic collection. The second artefact is a Senior Football Kilkenny Championship medal awarded in 1917 to Thomas “Tommy” Forristal, of Rochestown, Glenmore. The third artefact is the 1907 photograph of the Maddock family of Listerlin, Tullogher.

 The Letter

Today, with letter writing becoming less common due to email and other electronic means of communication this 162 year old letter, although dirty, is in remarkable condition. Physically, the letter is comprised of a single sheet of paper 16 inches by 10 inches. The sheet of paper was folded in half and the letter was written on one of the halved surfaces (8 inches width and 10 inches height). In the middle 19^th century envelopes were not common. After the letter was written the two ends were folded in to form a rectangle 5 ½ inches by 8 inches. The rectangle was folded and the finished rectangle was 5 ½ inches (width) by 3 ¼ inches (height). On the back the ends were secured by wax. On the front are two stamps and the handwritten name of the addressee, Miss Anne Ryan, New Ross. Also handwritten on the front is the word “Registered.” The front of the letter is very dirty, and although the two stamps are postmarked the postmark is not legible. Another postmarked is on the back and reads “New Ross, Oct 2, 1859  A.” It is assumed that this is the postmark reflecting when the letter arrived in New Ross.

Most 19^th century paper was made from rags and made without most of the chemicals found in paper today. It is assumed that a stylus type pen was used to write the letter. By the mid-19^th century quills were no longer the usual instrument for letter writing. Steel nibs had been developed and were dipped into ink. Fountain pens that had a reservoir for ink did not come into general use until about 1900. The handwriting on the letter is typical of mid-19^th century handwriting where the first S in Ross and Miss looks like a modern f. Now that handwriting is not a taught subject in school in many parts of the world it will be interesting if future generations will have difficulty reading and deciphering surviving 20^th and 21^st century handwritten documents.

The last unusual physical feature is the fact that a hole that is perfectly centred through all layers of the letter. This hole is from where the letter was spindled. In most businesses a spindle, which was an upright spike of approximately 6 to 8 inches in height, was used to hold papers until the papers were filed or destroyed.

The Letter Transcribed

Dublin 1 Oct 1859

Miss Anne Ryan New Ross

Dear Miss Ryan

            I have received your letter of yesterday and regret to hear of the death of Miss Murphy. I am sure Mrs. Conell when I mention the fact to her this evening will be very much hurt that it was not communicated to her when it occurred.

            I enclose a credit on the Bank of Ireland New Ross for ten pounds account(?) of your half year annuity the 29^th Sept of which please acknowledge the receipt(?).

Sincerely(?) Francis Conell

(Registered)

Although several women named Anne Ryan are represented in death records from 1859 to 1900 without an address or approximate age it is impossible to determine who received this letter. From the contents of the letter it would appear that Miss Anne Ryan had an investment with Mr. Francis Conell that paid her twenty pounds per year, a large income in 1859. Given that steamship related tickets etc. were found in the same sack containing the letter it may be the case that Miss Ryan or her family were engaged in ticket sales or other businesses in New Ross. The fact that no house name is provided for Miss Ryan, and the fact that no business or street name is provided on the letter suggests that Miss Anne Ryan was a well known person in New Ross.

The Thomas Forristal Senior Co. Kilkenny Championship Football Medal

The photos of the medal were provided by Brian Forristal. Brian stated that he was told that his grandfather Thomas “Tommy” Forristal (1886-1955) a native of Rochestown, Glenmore wore the medal on his watch chain. The front of the medal is very ornate and reads “T. Foristal.”  The inscription on the back is “Kilkenny Senior Football C’ship 1917. Won by Glenmore.” Several hallmarks are visible on the back of the medal.

Thomas Forristal was born 23 June 1886, at Rochestown, Glenmore the son of John Forristal and Mary Forristal née Reddy. Thomas married Kate Roche, of Rathinure, Glenmore at Glenmore on 11 July 1921. Kate was the daughter of John Roche, a farmer in Rathinure. The couple moved to Waterford where they resided at 28 Morgan St. Kate died tragically at the Parliament Street Hospital on 2 March 1923 while 7 months pregnant. Thomas at the age of 41 married another Glenmore native, Sarah Foran (1896-1983) of Kearney Bay, Glenmore. Sarah was 31 years of age when she married Thomas Forristal on 21 February 1927 at St. Patrick’s of Waterford. At the time of his second marriage, Thomas was living at 20 Morgan St. and Sarah was living on Patrick St., Waterford. Sarah was the daughter of John Foran and Ellen Foran née Power.

The Maddock Family Photo

The third artefact is a photo from the collection of Michael Hoynes, of Ballybrahee, Glenmore. It is a family photo of the family of Michael Maddock (c. 1853-1910) and Bridget Maddock née Gaule (c. 1856-1933) of Listerlin in the parish of Tullogher. This 1907 photo is unique in that all family members are present. We know from the 1911 census that Michael and Bridget had 11 children born alive and all were alive in 1911. By 1911 only 5 of the Maddock children were living at home. Their father, Michael had died on 30 July 1910 of cancer of the liver at the age of 57.  The photo in addition to depicting the clothing and hair styles of the time shows that Michael Maddock wore a medal on his watch chain.

Michael Maddock (farmer) of Listerlin married on 19 September 1878 Bridget Gaule, also of Listerlin. Michael was the son of David Maddock and Bridget was the daughter of Luke Gaule.

The Maddock family in the 1907 photo (front row left to right) William Maddock (b.1894) (standing); MOTHER Bridget Gaule Maddock (c. 1856-1933) (seated); Bessie Maddock  (b. 1898) (seated); FATHER Michael Maddock (c.1853-1910) (seated) and John Maddock (b. 1896)  (seated); (back row left to right) Ciss Maddock (b. 1880); Dick Maddock (b. 1891); Bridget Maddock (b. 1886); David Maddock (b. 1882); Luke Maddock (b.1885), Statia Maddock (b. 1889); Molly Maddock (b. 1888) and Sylvester Maddock (1892-1917). Due to Sylvester being an unusual name it was easy to discover that he tragically died at the age of 23 of TB. At the time of his death he was working as a grocer’s assistant.

One Maddock daughter, Bridget Maddock (b. 1886) on 30 January 1913, in Rosbercon married George O’Connor (1881-1965) of Ballyfacey, Glenmore. To this union ten children were born. One daughter of George and Bridget O’Connor, Catherine O’Connor (b. 1917) married Philip James Hoynes on 14 January 1948 at Glenmore.

Special thanks to Michael Hoynes for sharing the 1907 Maddock Family photo and information and Brian Forristal for taking photos of his grandfather’s football medal and sharing the photos.

If there are any errors or omissions or anyone has any information to add concerning Miss Anne Ryan of 1859 New Ross etc. please email us at glenmore.history@gmail.com.

Dr. Kathleen Moore walsh