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).

Typescript diary entry of William Bury Homan Mulock, reflecting on the surroundings of the Bellair Estate; his childhood on the estate; estate improvements; sale of the estate to tenants under the Land Acts; effects on Irish agriculture and corn production during the first World War.

"The Townland of Bellair or Bally-ard (High Town) stands almost in the centre of Ireland and its hill crowned with a thick grove of beech and fir is a conspicuous object from most of the Counties in Ireland...

I dearly loved and revered the old place with all the tradition it stood for, and for my first day in India I determined to save money and pull it through as my father had always impressed on me the severe strain his large family had been on the estate...

I have now held it for close on 30 years and in the natural course of things must soon relinquish it. I can however fairly claim to have done more than any predecessor for its benefit. I have sold to the tenants, under the Land Acts, and have paid of all charges. I have renovated the house and wing, rebuilt all the farm buildings, and a good part of the stabling...

I have now (1918) had close on ten years experience as an Irish Landlord without tenants, having sold under the Land Acts 1908-9. I can't say that I regret their loss. I live more like an English squire, without anxiety or fear of malicious injuries, cattle drives, or burnings, and I have more leisure to look after my Bellair farm which is now paying me well for all my improvements".

Original incoming and copy outgoing letters relating to Ernest H Browne's management of the Bellair Estate. Matters referred to include:
outstanding head rent owed by Henry Adamson for holdings at Curries, Co. Westmeath; attempts to establishment the tenant of the estate between Henry Adamson and Captain Arthur G Adamson; negotiations of purchase price; affidavit granting application the Judicial Commissioner for payment of arrears and Land Commission case.

Includes letter from Browne to Mulock, "I quite agree with your views, but the difficulty is, from what Goodbody tells me, taking any proceedings against any man who is at the Front, however, we are making inquires at the Land Commission to see exactly how this case stands, and are going to try and ascertain from the Land Commission Officials whether they think it would be likely that a Judge would give an Order for them to pay us direct". (18 February 1916).

Original incoming and copy outgoing letters relating to Ernest H Browne's management of the Bellair Estate. Matters referred to include: the sale of Mulock's holdings of four townlands in Westmeath (Moate, Killeenboylegan, Knockdominey [Knockdomny] and Ballynagarbry) to tenants under the Land Commission; list of tenants and particulars of interest in lieu of rent collectible by the Irish Land Commission; agreement with the Land Commission in 1911 to buy Mulock's estate; dispute with Midland Great Western Railway Company over disputed boundaries; schedule of 23 tenants in Westmeath sold to with name, townland, advance, annuity and rent recorded.

Includes letter from Browne to Mulock: "As I wrote to you yesterday I had a long and very wordy interview with your Knockdomini, Moate and other tenants in that district on Saturday. First of all they did not want to pay their rent, I told them before I would discuss anything about purchase the rents must be paid, so after a time a good many of them paid their rents and other asked for a little time. Having arranged the rent question I then began to talk to them upon the purchase question. Some of them were very hot about this and made strong remarks, but I think I made a few stronger, with the result that I at last got them to agree to purchase at 4/- & 6/-, &3 3⁄4 interest, Purchase Agreements to be dated as from the 1st November, the hanging gale to be forgiven where it exists and all rent paid up to the 1st May last. The second term men, Farrell & James Moran refused to buy, also King, but I have every reason to believe that these men will buy and also any of the Killenboylegans who can. I presume that I may now proceed with the sale and get any remaining lands that Bourchier has not yet mapped completed." (9 November 1908).

Original incoming and copy outgoing letters relating to Ernest H Browne's management of the Bellair Estate. Matters referred to include copies of proposal to purchase tenanted and untenanted Bellair estates of William Bury Homan Mulock by the Estate Commissioners; copy of schedule of tenancies of Bellair, showing the purchase monies paid by respective tenants; copy of OS maps of Bellair.

Bellair tenants referenced include: Anne Daly; Frank Claffy, James Lambe, John Digan, Patrick Galvin, Thomas Williams, Joseph Murray, Kieran Larkin, Farrell Connolly, Thomas Daly, Margaret Larkin, Patrick Digan, Jeremiah Guinan, Stephen Quinn, Patrick Murray and James Reamsbottom.

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)