Routine letters to clients, generally 1 per page. Badly faded and illegible in parts.
Includes letter to Fr. J. Bergin, Philipstown: 'As you are aware a Notice of every Charitable Request has to be published in some newspaper circulating in the District in which the Charity is to be applied - published in 3 successive issues of such newspaper. I had the Notice in this case published in An Claidheamh Soluis, the organ of the Gaelic League which you may have seen. I enclose a copy for reference. The copies of the paper containing the Notice have to be lodged with the Commissioners of Charitable Donations who invariably require some evidence that the paper containing the Notice has some circulation in the District. I know of my own knowledge that the paper does circulate more or less in the District. However, all the evidence the Commissioners require, as you will see from enclosed letter, its a letter from you as parish priest of Philipstown and Clonfert stating that you have seen this notice published. I shall be much obliged if you would kindly write us such a letter.' (7 February 1912)

Routine outgoing letters, some badly faded and illegible. Approximately 1000 letters averaging 1 per page.
Includes letter to Secretary, Estate Commissioners, Dublin concerning Estate of Lady Bury Record No E. C. 8423: 'I am obliged for yours of the 23rd inst. and I note that the Commissioners are in communication with the Vendor's solicitors. If I may say so, I think it would be most advisable that the Commissioners would be in full possession of the local facts and circumstances from this point of view also. I think this would most likely facilitate a free solution of the questions that must be arising. The Commissioners may not be aware for example that the tenant of the large grass farm in the Croghan District is most willing to sell his interest, and as a matter of fact at the present time I am in communication with the tenant's representative with a view of finding out the lowest figure at which the tenant's interest can be acquired. It would be a thousand pities to let the opportunity pass of acquiring this land to relieve the frightful conditions of some of the Congested Tenants. I should be glad on behalf of the tenants, accompanied by one or two of the local clergymen to wait on you at any time to discuss the matter as I rather think the matter would be very useful.' (26 February 1912)

Copies of approximately 1000 outgoing letters, averaging at 1 per page. Some letters illegible due to fading.
Includes letter to E. des. H. Browne, Charleville Estate Office, Tullamore re Sherlock Estate: ' Replying to yours of the 20th inst. It is begging the question to suggest that these tenants understood or were satisfied with the last receipts you gave, or with any of the receipts. The original rent in the time of Sherlock's predecessor was £2.1.10. I have a whole bundle of receipts in evidence of this. It was customary by the Landlord as shown by receipts to give a substantial abatement off this rent and eventually some years before Mr. Sherlock became owner and according to my instructions after a valuation was made by the agent, the rent was fixed at the figure of rent paid. The original tenant was John Fitzgerald Snr and his brother Bernard resided on the lands with him. John allowed Bernard the use of half the lands on paying half the rent., and eventually Bernard's name found its way into the rental, and ever since Mr. Sherlock acquired the estate, half of the rent was paid by Bernard. John died and was succeeded by his widow Mrs Bridget Fitzgerald on whose death John Fitzgerald Jr became the tenant, and John Jr and Bernard appear to be now tenants in common of these lands. I give you these particulars as Mr. Sherlock in court did not seem to be conversant with the facts. It is admitted that the yearly rent of £1.14.0 has been regularly paid every year. These illiterate men paid very little attention to receipts which they can hardly be blamed for not understanding: they were content so long as they paid their year's rent and heard no more about it. But now that the question has been raised they will naturally decline to pay the next gale of rent except in exchange for a proper receipt up to date.' (28 January 1914)

Copies of approximately 1000 outgoing letters, averaging at 1 per page. Some letters are illegible due to fading. Contains many letters relating to the sale of the Purdon Estate, Philipstown.
Also includes letter to John Gorman, Ballinagar, Clonmore, Tullamore: 'I have yours of the 4th instant and note contents. I think the Geashill Vigilance Committee is acting properly in converting itself into a branch of the National Organisation. It will thus become entitled to have the influence of that powerful organisation exercised on its behalf. I shall send a copy of the Memorial to headquarters. I may have an opportunity of discussing the matter with the Chairman of the Committee in the near future. Owing to the long vacation which is now on - and to the war scare now naturally absolving everyone's attention - you may take it that no progress can be made for the next 3 months. (5 August 1914)

Copies of approximately 1000 letters, averaging 1 per page. Some letters illegible due to fading. Contains many letters relating to ongoing sale of the Purdon Estate, Philipstown (Daingean) as well as letters relating to the Geashill Cattle Drive.
Includes letter to R. F. Barry, Esq., Crown Solicitor re The King v Adams and 45 others Geashill Case: 'I give you on annexed page particulars of the rail fare paid by the 45 defendants to take them to Kingsbridge for their trial in December last. There were 46 charged, but one, Thomas Hynes, was a prisoner and was conveyed up by the Authorities. Two witnesses were also brought up, namely, Father MacDonald and Dr. Barry of Philipstown, and both were examined. I also include their single fares. The accused and the witnesses had, of course, to be conveyed to Green Street, and I put £1 down for this though it would not probably nearly cover it as several of them took cars from the station. There can be no controversy however about the railway fares. I also give the figure of the return fares in case these are allowed. The parties had to come back, and as a matter of fact, were kept in Dublin two days; but I do not think these expenses are payable. I trust you will be able to kindly have whatever they are legally entitled to paid to them through me.' (29 March 1915)

Copies of approximately 1000 letters, averaging 1 per page. Good legibility.
Includes letter to Rev. J. Bergin, Philipstown re Purdon Estate sale: 'You will remember this transfer. I enclose the deed, as perhaps you would like to have it. The reason I write to you about it now is that I was squaring up matters generally with Mr. Crozier, and this case was mentioned., and he states the nominal purchase money of £1 was not sent on. If you will kindly let me have this sum, I shall forward it to Mr Crozier - or perhaps you would prefer to send him a cheque direct for £1. I was very sorry to hear about the burning of the school, as it must have been a worrying matter to you.' (15 January 1916)

Letterbook created by Reginald Digby recording letters received from the tenants’ association on the Geashill Estate in relation to the sale of lands by Lord Digby to the tenants under the Land Act of 1903. Includes his copy replies to the secretaries of the association, James Matthews and John Corcoran, and later James Chissell. Also includes copy letters from solicitor to the estate, Lewis Goodbody, who advises on proceedings with the Land Commission and letters from Fr. O’Beirne PP, acting as an intermediary between the estate and the tenants.

Includes a memo of a meeting between Lord Digby and a deputation from the tenants’ association on 30 September 1907, and the decision arrived at by the tenants at a further meeting in the Forester’s Hall, Tullamore, on 2 January 1908 to reject the terms of sale put forward by Lord Digby due to his decision not to cancel the hanging gale and remit a half year’s rent as requested by the tenants.

Also includes later newspaper cuttings concerning unrest on the Estate at the decision to sell untenanted lands to three land owners rather than distributed to small holders and evicted tenants. Cuttings also refer to the Geashill Cattle Drive of November 1914 and the subsequent court martial with James Rogers representing the forty-six arrested. Includes transcripts of James Rogers’ cross-examination of County Inspector Hubert William Crane. Also includes a loose printed catalogue of the auction of Geashill Castle’s contents to be held 22 March 1922.

Original bundle of letters and papers concerning the 4th Earl’s patents for a machine which he had invented for removing leaves and other matter from turbines, 1901-4; together with notes on his experiments with electro-plating, 1908. [Not in chronological order.]

Letters and papers of the 4th Earl about Parsonstown/Birr: the Castle – his youthful recollections of it, extensions to it 1867-72 [see also M/25], a magazine portrait of his way of life there, 1898, and magazine obituaries of him, 1908; an incident which took place on the road between Banagher and Parsonstown and in which the 4th Earl and his party were stopped and temporarily put in gaol by a drunken R.I.C. man, 1868; the Parsonstown Barracks, 1869, 1899 and N.D.; the Parsonstown Town Commission and Commissioners, 1870 and 1885; admissions to the demesne of privileged locals, 1876-1910; and one of the bridges in the Birr Castle demesne, and the Rivers Brosna and Camcor, 1880 and 1896. The correspondents include Gladstone, W.E. Forster and Lords Strathnairn and Roberts. The sub-section also includes a small account book recording local subscriptions to the Parsonstown Defence Association, the Property Defence Association, the legal fund of the Irish Land Committee, and the Field and Rossmore Testimonials, c.1882.

Letters and papers, mostly of the 4th and 5th Earls and Dr Otto Boeddicker, concerning Parsons family history and genealogy, including information about the Oxmantown/Phoenix Park property, sold by the elder branch of the Parsons family to the crown in 1672. Of particular interest is a paper entitled ‘How the Parsons, Earls of Rosse, got the Titles of Baron and Viscount of Oxmantown’.