Original incoming and copy outgoing letters relating to Ernest H Browne's management of the Bellair Estate. Matters referred to include: annual updates on rental and accounts; grazing agreements; delayed payments of rents by tenants; request by Mulock that the yearly rental and account be issued bi-annually.
Tenants referenced include: W C Clibborn; Charles G Adamson; John Joyce; Mrs Finnamore; John Deehan.

Letter from Browne to Mulock: "You ask me if I find same difficulty on other estate, Yes, I most certainly do. You may remember the old saying 'The poor are ever with us'. I regret to state that the bad paying tenant is also always with the unfortunate Landlord... My experience is that once a tenant from whatever cause it may be gets hard up, he is always pulling the Devil by the tail and in spite of good times he never able to satisfy all his Creditors. I only wish I had every estate as well paid as your estate is". (11 January 1918).

Original incoming and copy outgoing letters relating to Ernest H Browne's management of the Bellair Estate. Matters referred to include: the transfer of head rent of lands in Skehanagh from the late, John Joyce to JM Colahan; proposal of 25 years purchase to Colahan.

Letter from JM Colahan to Mulock: "Please excuse delay in replying to yours of the 24th inst. I have been in communication with my cousin, Mrs Doyle, who is joint owner with me of the small profit rent of Skehanagh, she would not agree to purchase the head rent" (October 1916).

Original incoming and copy outgoing letters relating to Ernest H Browne's management of the Bellair Estate. Matters referred to include: schedule of the transfer of head rent of lands in Bellair from the original lessee, Thomas Lowe, to his descendants; arrangements between W B Homan Mulock and Patrick Keena for a 16 year purchase of the lands; schedule of deeds and documents received by W B Homan Mulock from A & L Goodbody, solicitors.

Includes letter from A & L Goodbody to W B Homan Mulock, following the destruction of Dublin's Custom House, "Owing to all their records having been destroyed, the Inland Revenue Officials have asked us to lodge with them for noting the copies of the wills of your Father and Grand-uncle and we should be glad if you would let us have these copies at your early convenience" (14 June 1921).

Annual report, accounts and rental for year ending June 1873, containing positive reports on the financial condition of the estate with only 'trifling arrears' of £32 and a general increase in overall rental income. Expenditure consisted of main drainage of lands at Roskeen, Queen's County; the reclamation of the bog at Killurin; thorough drainage at Bawnmore; construction of two new cottages in Geashill Village and a substantial range of offices for Mr Warren of Gorteen. Also comments on the scarcity of labour on the estate due to emigration to America, and that the 'Russian Village' (portable labourers' housing) has been moved to Cappyroe from Ballyknockan.

Regrets to say that relations with the tenantry are not entirely satisfactory. Tenants without a written contract were asked to sign one but the parish priest, using 'the extraordinary and mischievous power which an Irish priest possesses over an ignorant Roman Catholic tenantry', informed tenants that by signing they will exclude themselves from any benefit under the Land Act.

Describes the eviction of Mr. O'Flanagan, a large tenant on the estate, who had tried to establish 'tenant-right' through the courts but 'failed signally, as at the last moment before the claim came before the Chairman of the Quarter Sessions, Mr. O'Flanagan signed a paper admitting that he had no claim whatever to tenant-right in his holding.'

Annual report, accounts and rental for year ending June 1874, containing a positive report on the financial condition of the estate with an increase in the overall rental income. Expenditure consisted of further land improvements including drainage works in Roskeen, Killarles, Cappyroe and Clonmore. A drain was sunk at Meelaghans and Cloncon which serves as a boundary between the Geashill and Charleville Estates and report notes that Lord Charleville has undertaken to pay half the cost of the drain. Construction of a new farmhouse for Mr Riddell of Annagharvey cost £514.19.6.

Report also discusses the introduction of concrete works as a construction method due to the difficulty in sourcing masons, many of which have emigrated. Also notes that the forester has had to be replaced as Mr McIntosh had emigrated to California. New plantations were established at Cappyroe and the Meelaghans.

Despite the eviction of Mr. Connolly of Clunagh who was in occupation of a farm in Clonad, overall agitation on the estate dissipated after the death of the former parish priest, and Digby describes his successor as 'a bright exception amongst Irish priests.'

Annual report, accounts and rental for year ending June 1881. Reports that the financial condition of the estate had disimproved, outstanding arrears remaining due and abandoned arrears considerably increased. Profit remitted was £8500, a decrease on previous years, although there was a net increase in the overall rental income. Also reports that the Roskeen lease was surrendered by the reps of Mr. Bailey, and that the farm at Ballydownan was surrendered by Mr Adams and now in Lord Digby's hands and set for grazing with newly purchased cattle.

In terms of land improvement, Digby reports on the completion of a number of Board of Works projects including the draining and squaring of the moors under Scrubb Wood, the deepening of the boundary stream at Cappancur and the sinking of a large main drain in Balinvally bog. Construction works included new offices for Mr Arthur of Killurin and Patrick Nugent of Ballycollin; new cottages completed at Killeigh; new cottage commenced in Geashill Village and assistance give to William Mathews to erect substantial new dwelling house in Killurin. Also reports on the thinning and replanting of Derrygunnigan Wood.

Warns that agrarian agitation is increasing encouraged by the Land League. Blames the Government for slow response to agitation. Reports on a 'monster meeting' held in Tullamore by the Land League prior to the winter collection of rents (1880) where the Geashill tenantry requested en masse Griffith's Valuation as a fair rent which was subsequently refused by Lord Digby, but who abated the rent by 10% on the half year's rent payable. Identifies William Adams as the leader of the agitation and describes the court proceedings taken against him individually. With the result of being faced with bankruptcy, Adams paid his rent and then surrendered farm at Ballydownan, with the result that all other agitation on the estate ceased and rents were collected within three weeks. Also refers to 'boycotting' occurring throughout the estate but that no acts of violence or outrages took place. A further attempt at withholding rent in May 1881 was similarly short-lived.

Original incoming and copy outgoing correspondence relating to the administration of the Geashill Estate. Matters referred to include installation of a telephone at the Forester's Lodge, Digby Estate; proposed sale of Garda Barracks; insurance renewals; fisheries rates; accounts for purchase of timber; issuance of gun and wireless licences; arrangements for Lord Digby to meet the Irish Land Commission to discuss Geashill queries.

Includes letter to Kennedy from Digby: "Thank you for your letter of March 29th dealing with the Archdeacon and the appointment of his successor. I quite realise the difficulty with regard to anybody having to take on the Geashill Rectory, when the upkeep is bound to be great. With regards to building a bungalow rectory in the Castle grounds at Geashill, the idea does not appeal to me much, especially as now I have decided to plant all land I have got left, and which probably go onto my Schedule B Assessment, which is what I would like to happen. I should have thought that part of the rectory grounds could have been sliced off as a site for the new rectory. Unless, of course, the Garda Barracks house is to be given up by the Garda as was considered as a remote possibility last year" (1 April 1960).

Letter from Department of Posts and Telegraphs: "with reference to your letter of the 30th May to the Postmaster, Tullamore we are now arranging to provide the telephone and the usual agreement will be forwarded for signature in the next few days. The rental will be £14 16s 0d per annum which is calculated on the actual radial measurement of 3 mile 3 furlongs between the Forester's house and Killeigh Exchange. The minimum term of agreement will be for five years. The telephone will be connected to Tullamore exchange for engineering reasons" (3 July 1961).

Copy of letter to Canon A K Palmer: "I have received a letter from The Hon. Captain Edward Digby in which he says that Lord Digby and he wish to make a contribution towards the new school at Geashill and he has requested that I forward you cheque for £300" (14 August 1962).

Original incoming and copy outgoing letters relating to management of the Charleville estate. Matters referred to includes: letter from Income Tax Advisor agreeing to the sum of £211.14.10 as repayment claim against Colonel Howard Bury's liability as executor of the estate of Lady A J Howard Bury; settlement of the estate of the deceased Lady Howard Bury.