Thomas Keane: The Last Waterford Tobacco Spinner

One of the best things about transcribing Danny Dowling’s handwritten notebooks is reading about the interesting people Danny interviewed over the years. Most were from Glenmore, had Glenmore connections, or had some historical fact or story that Danny found interesting and thought should be recorded. Today’s blog falls into the last category.

While working as a Housing Officer in Waterford, Danny met and later in 1975 interviewed Jack Keane, British Railway Cottage, Adelphi Quay, Waterford. Jack Keane informed Danny that his father, Thomas Keane was the last man to make handmade tobacco in Waterford. His grandfather was also a tobacco twister.

Thomas Keane worked for the Slaney Tobacco and Snuff Manufacturers. The Slaney firm was the last tobacco manufacturers in Waterford. The Slaney premises were on Broad Street where the gas showrooms were in 1975. The Slaney factory was in the same building at the rear of the retail shop and overhead in the lofts. From the stalks of the tobacco leaves, which were waste after the manufacture of tobacco, snuff would be made. The business had three apprentices and another man named Walsh also worked with Thomas Keane. Slaney also made what was called “pigtail” chewing tobacco from Cavendish Leaf. It was very mild. Unfortunately I could not find any advert in a local newspaper or business directory concerning Slaney.

Jack Keane told Danny that his father was a good cricketer, and played for the Ballytruckle team. The Keane’s lived on Poleberry Street as did an uncle of Jack Keane’s named McConnell who was a carpenter.

In 1979 Danny again interviewed Jack Keane who provided  more information about his father and spoke of his own life. Jack Keane’s father, Thomas Keane, died in the 1930’s aged 84 years. The Slaney firm was bought out by Carroll’s of Dundalk.  The manufacturer of tobacco and snuff discontinued  in Waterford just prior to the outbreak of World War I.

Jack Keane worked all his life with British Rail as an inspector. Jack explained to Danny that he served in the first World War in the Royal Irish Regiment. Jack served from 14 December 1915 until 21 March 1918. Jack was taken prisoner at Messines Ridge, and worked as a POW in Duisburg.

After the war Jack Keane went to work for British Rail which acquired control of the  Waterford Steamship Company. Its headquarters were on the Mall near the old Adelphi Hotel. The old Waterford Steamship Company had its berthage opposite Reginald’s Towner. British Rail had ships plying to Southhampton, London, Bristol, Glasgow and Liverpool. Bristol and Waterford, and Liverpool and Waterford had direct sailings.

Although Jack Keane referred to his father and grandfather’s profession as tobacco twisters according to the 14 October 1899 edition of the Waterford Standard the profession was known as “tobacco spinners.” The article notes that Waterford City since 1663 had a number of ancient Guilds or Fraternities including buttonmakers, weavers, tobacco spinners, rollers and cutters. The 1899 article bemoans the fact that some of the ancient trades had disappeared altogether from the city such as the buttonmakers, tobacco spinners, rollers and cutters. Notwithstanding the 1899 newspaper article, census records from 1911 support that his father, Thomas Keane, was employed in 1911 as a “tobacco spinner.”

Although Jack Keane did not provide a lot of information to Danny concerning his personal life the census helps piece together his early circumstances. In 1911 Jack or John, aged 13, was living at 76 Poleberry with his father Thomas Keane, aged 54, a widower. Thomas declared  his profession as “tobacco spinner.” Thomas and Jack Keane were boarders in the house of Patrick and Mary Ellen Keily. The only clue as to Jack’s mother is his reference to his uncle being named McConnell, a carpenter, who also lived on Poleberry.  The 1911 census provides two McConnell’s who are carpenters in Waterford. Patrick McConnell is living alone and James McConnell is 24. In 1911 neither lived on Poleberry.  The 1901 Census does show that a McConnell family was living at 67 Poleberry. Patrick McConnell, carpenter, was 48; his wife Alice McConnell was 49, and James McConnell was 15.

In the two short interviews Danny recorded information concerning a profession and industry that had flourished in Waterford for over 200 years and disappeared from Waterford in the first decade of the twentieth century. The interviewee was a soldier and POW in the Great War and returned to Waterford.

Update, we have just surpassed 10,000 views. Thank you all for your continued support and queries. The transcription of Notebook 22 is complete and we will update the family pages etc. as time permits.

Dr. Kathleen Moore Walsh