Original incoming and copy outgoing correspondence relating to the administration of the Geashill Estate. Matters referred to include complications in the of sale of Scrubb Wood to A. E. Morean of Borrisokane due to the death duty on timber owed by Digby; applications for licenses from the Forestry Department to fell trees during wartime; emergency powers (control of timber) order 1941; trespass and poaching; offer of sale of Derrygunnigan wood to the Forestry Division, Department of Lands; wartime food supplies; and rental arrears.

Includes letter from Digby to Kennedy: ' I am absolutely at a loss to make out how you make out that duty was not paid on the Irish property and the woods. I am sure it was; the valuation included the woods as far as I can remember. When I have sold the woods before no question of this has arisen & I don't want this raised now. In fact if there is any quotation of it, the whole matter of the sale in this manner should be held up and the sale carried out similar to the Derrygunnigan sale or not at all. This raises such a big question that I should prefer to have no sale rather than a letter should go anywhere near the authorities on this subject. What action have you taken? You don't say whether you have raised the matter through the London solicitors or tried to do it direct. Please do nothing of this kind in future without writing to me on the subject.' (27 October 1940)

Includes letter from Kenneth Robins, stonemason, Portarlington to Kennedy: 'Looking at the ruins of the Digby Estate in Geashill the other day. I would like to know if their representatives would sell the pieces of cut stone in and around the site? I would buy and take away any stone suitable to my trade.' (2 February 1942)

Includes letter from G. Muir, forester on Digby Estate to Mr Douglas (Of A & L Goodbody): 'I am sending you this note as Mr K may be at Court top let you know that we have had the devil's own fire on Derryadd. It has been a night & day job since 11 last night until 11 today and now we have got to put out the fire in Derrynasligue Ditch or bank, and a half of a long road to carry water. Damn bogs anyway, they may be the glory of Eire but any way a curse to me.' (7 May 1942)

Includes letter from Kennedy to Digby:'We are all keeping well but as you say housekeeping is becoming increasingly difficult. We are really fortunate living in the country and cannot very well starve as I have been able to produce an acre of potatoes, and we have plenty of our own milk and eggs, and I have also produced 35 barrells of oats off two statute acres not to mention a very adequate supply of good turf (not off the two acres!). Unfortunate people especially of the poorer class in Dublin and other cities must be in a bad way. (19 September 1942)

Original incoming and copy outgoing correspondence relating to the administration of the Geashill Estate. Matters referred to include Col. Bury granted the concession of Cole Hill area; supply of poles for ESB; Lord Digby's broken leg; purchase by Offaly County Council of a site in Ballydonnan for housing site (includes map with coloured section); Clonad hit by storms and blizzards but no major damage; sale of Ballingaore House by the Perry Estate; poaching on Derrygunnigan woods; repatriation of items confiscated during a trip in August 1946; repair of Geashill Garda Barracks.

Includes letter to Muir from Digby detailing effects of rations and austerity in post-war Britain: "Lady Digby was beaten by the Farmers Union Candidate in fact the number of women on our [County Council] was reduced to 3... Things here are getting very unpleasant and terribly expensive. The Budget looms ahead in rather a disagreeable light! ... Restrictions are very severe about timber cutting here. you cant cut your own trees unless they are dead, and if they are dead you can't get any one to saw them up. I can't get a portable handsaw that I want and there are no saw benches about that aren't commanded by the Ministry of Supply". (1 April 1946).

Includes letter from James Brophy, Derrygolan to Digby, informing him that there is "a well containing oil on [my] turf bank". (4 June 1947).

Includes letter from Digby to Kennedy, describing a great holiday in Ireland where he was able to bring back all the things he purchased to the UK as dual resident "The inevitable economic crisis which I forecast when I was with you has fallen with great severity upon us all... We managed to get all the things that we bought in Eire safely over to this country and had no trouble on either side. I found the fact that I was a dual-resident was a great help" (22 September 1947).

Original incoming and copy outgoing correspondence relating to the administration of felling notices and forestry at the Geashill Estate concerning purchase orders issued by J&L Goodbody Manufacturers, Clara to the Digby estate; the supply of 3000 stakes to the Office of Public Works, Tullamore; application for public liability insurance for the felling of trees on Geashill estate; application to the Department of Land under for Felling Licence; orders for timbers for parties including TP Kavanagh, WH Kearon and Benjamin Reid.

Includes letter from the Department of Industry and Commerce: " I am writing to appeal to you and all owner of woods to place substantial quantities of timber on sale at the earliest possible date. It is essential in the national interest that building activity should be resumed on an extensive scale without delay. From time to time during the past six years scarcity of building materials has brought building virtually to a standstill. As a result there are large arrears of housing and other important building work to be made good... Unless an effective start is made at this stage, opportunities may be lost that can never be recaptured. Skilled craftsmen now in Great Britain will not return if work is not found for them immediately. If they drift into regular employment abroad, they may be lost to this country for good. The major obstacle in the way of a large-scale resumption of building activity is the scarcity of timber. As you are aware, the country in the past depended on imported timber for practically all of its building needs. There seems to be no immediate prospect of the resumption of imports on the pre-war scale... What therefore I ask the owners of woodlands to do is to help the Industry to tide over this difficult period. this they can do by offering for sale immediately quantities of timber which they would not normally have put on the market until a later date. It is estimated that 15000 standards of good quality timber will suffice in the coming year to make the position of the industry reasonably secure for the future". (31 July 1945)

Includes letter from Department of Lands: "With reference to your letter dated 20th inst. regarding Lord Digby's Estate, I am to state that Felling Notices must be lodged by or on behalf of the owner of the lands on which the trees stand at the Garda Station nearest the trees. If the Department are prepared to grant a Felling Licence they will grant it to the owner of the lands and the owner will be liable for any replanting condition which may be imposed in the Licence." (27 April 1951).

Includes copy letter to John Dunne: "Referring to previous correspondence herein, and your various suggestions of purchasing Spy Hill Wood, Lord Digby instructs us to tell you that after considering the matter very carefully he has come to the definite policy of not selling any more woods on the Estate for various reasons including certain taxation problems. If he was selling woods he would have given you every consideration" (31 July 1951).

Letter from T. J. Kelly, County Commissioner for Offaly to the Secretary of each Parish Council notifying of the visit of Eamon de Valera to Tullamore to hold a convention of Parish Councils with reference to fuel and food production.

Undated letter from T. J. Kelly, County Commissioner regarding the programme of work of the Parish Councils. Letter states that 'each Parish Council must act for itself and must examine the situation locally'.

Undated printed notice to householders regarding food and fuel supply using each household to ensure that an adequate supply of food and fuel is maintained in the parish.

Circular from Parish Committee regarding amounts of flour, sugar, tea and coal held in stock in the parish.

Typed memoranda from Offaly County board of Health with regard to the boards role in ensuring that as much foodstuff as possible is home produced. Requests that Parish Councils ascertain the number of labourers who desire to cultivate allotments and the amount of land available.

Copy letter to Secretary of Offaly County Board of Health noting that there are twenty-eight applicants for land and that there was no forthcoming information as to any available land about town.

Typed letter from T. J. Kelly, Courthouse, Tullamore to the secretary of Banagher Parish Council requesting details regarding number of allotments and anticipated yield of wheat, barley, potatoes and oats.