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Annual Report 1903

Annual report, accounts and rental for year ending June 1903, showing a reduction in overall rental income, despite decreases in outstanding arrears and abandoned arrears. Describes the past season as being generally favourable for farmers and reports that rents were satisfactorily paid. Also reports on the destruction caused by the storm of February 1903, a weather event 'of unprecedented severity' which caused 'enormous damage' to the woods and plantations on the estate.

Annual Report 1891

Annual report, accounts and rental for year ending June 1891, showing a further decrease in overall rental income and arrears remaining unchanged. Expenditure on forestry only with some acres at Clonad, cleared, drained and replanted. Digby reports that the overall condition of the estate is 'most satisfactory' and that 'the traces of agitation which recently distracted the country have, owing to Mr. Balfour's fearless administration, improved agricultural conditions and the split in the Nationalist camp, almost entirely disappeared.'

Annual Report 1887

Annual report, accounts and rental for year ending June 1887, showing a small decrease in rent, a moderate increase in arrears which Digby blames on a 'grave agricultural depression'. Abandoned arrears are high with much of this land consisting of boycotted farms and lands now 'on hand' following surrender. Principal amounts of expenditure is for forestry at Scrubb Wood and Derryadd, which he points out led to a large amount of employment in the reach of small tenants and labourers on the estate who must otherwise have suffered from enforced idleness. Describes a 'half-hearted' agitation against the payment of any more rent than the National League authorities advised. Also notes that meetings were held before the winter collection of rents and a proposal to inaugurate the League's 'Plan of Campaign' was not successful.

Annual Report 1885

Annual report, rental and accounts for year ending June 1885, showing a gross reduction in rents by £95.16.0 and with arrears same as in 1884. Describes the year as 'singularly uneventful' and notes that the only work undertaken was a large area of ground replanted in Scrubb Wood, River Wood and Clonad.

Annual Report 1884

Annual report, accounts and rental for year end June 1884, showing a net reduction in the rental by £207.19.6 resulting from alterations by the Irish Land Commission or agreed to out of court. Also reports that there is a reduction in outstanding arrears but a high level of abandoned arrears owing to the amount of grazing land now 'on hand'. No estate improvements to report bar the topdressing of lands at Cappyroe for cultivation, minor works of maintenance and a further addition to Thomas Cobbe's offices at Annagharvey. Forestry work included the drainage of 14 acres of cutaway bog at Killeenmore and replanting with seven acres of larch and other hardwoods.

Describes the condition of the estate as 'uneventful;' with rents being fairly paid though not punctually and legal proceedings are resorted to with more frequency than formerly.

Annual Report 1879

Annual report, accounts and rental for year ending June 1879, containing a less favourable report than previous hears due to 'the great and general depression of trade and agriculture' and warns that another bad season will render the tenants in a precarious position. Reports that abandoned arrears had increased but that despite this the rental of the estate had increased and that a profit of £10000 had been remitted as usual. The estate was free of agitation, rents 'cheerfully paid' and only the 'thoroughly negligent' tenants affected by the depression.

Drainage works continued at Killurin and through Mr. Briscoe's property at Ross and there were further drainage works at Dalgan. The main expenditure on construction was for new farm buildings for Thomas Cobbe at Annagharvey, 'which are now the most substantial and commodious farm buildings on the estate.' Other works included a new dwelling house for Mrs Hoyland of Colehill; new outbuildings for farmer Thomas Foran at Killarles and a new slate roof for the priest's offices in Geashill.

Reports that the timber market is in a most depressed state. Forestry works included nearly 30 acres of clearances at Graigue Wood, Derrybrien Wood and Derryclure Wood, all of which were replanted.

Annual Report 1877

Annual report, accounts and rental for year ending June 1877, reporting no outstanding arrears with all rents paid punctually and not a single farm surrendered despite a bad harvest. Increased profit of £10,000 remitted to Lord Digby attributable to extra rents from the glebe lands of Killeigh and Geashill. Expenditure on drainage continued with works at Ballydownan bog and the thorough cleaning of the watercourse on the estate boundary between Cappancur and the late McMullen's bog at Ballydaly. Digby reports that the only centenarian tenant on the estate had been forced to sleep on his kitchen table due to the repeated flooding of his cabin in this area. A new drain was also sunk near Ballycommon canal bridge through the valley behind Ballinagar.

Construction works consisted of a new cattle shed for Darby Kelly, 'an improving tenant' in Cloncoher; new labourer's cottages at the Meelaghans; new cattle shed for Mr Davis, tenant of the reclaimed Meelaghans lands; a new dwelling house for J. Smollen of the Meelaghans; and the raising and repairing of the smith's house in Killeigh. Eighteen acres of the River Wood at Clonad was thoroughly drained and replanted with larch and oak.

Overall Digby reports that the estate is quiet and free from the disturbances and outrages perpetrated in other parts of the county.

Annual Report 1875

Annual report, rental and accounts for year ending June 1875, containing a positive report on the financial condition of the estate, with £9000 profit remitted to Lord Digby as in other years. Expenditure included the purchase of the glebe lands of Geashill from the Commission of Church Temporalities in Ireland for the sum of £3200. The glebe lands were subsequently let to Mr. Chissell.

Drainage works continued with the completion of a drain between Meelaghans and Cloncon to which the Earl of Charleville had paid £50. Other works included extensive reclamation works at Cappyroe and new reclamation works at Cappancur near the town of Tullamore. Expenditure on construction included £700 for a new and substantial farmhouse for Mr E. J. Odlum at Cappancur; two new houses at Killurin; a back yard for Mr Riddell at Annagharvey; raising and re-roofing of Mr Tarleton's house at Killeigh; and improvements to J. Forester's house in Ballinagar.

Notes the bad state of timber at Clonad and discusses new plan to recover the plantation there. Overall the condition of the estate is reported to satisfactory and having 'absolute immunity from disturbance or apparent discontent', with only one man in all the tenantry owing one half-year's rent, all others paid punctually.

Annual Report 1869

Annual report and rental for year ending June 1869, containing detailed report and accounts showing the receipts and disbursements on the estate for the preceding year. Records that the financial situation is favourable and that the largest expenditure was on drainage at Ballyknockan, Newtown, Killeenmore and Ballyduff. Reports that the RASI have awarded a 3rd Gold Medal and the Hall Challenge Cup for the best drainage in all Ireland. In relation to buildings and other improvements, he refers to ongoing renovations rather than new builds. Reports that the RASI have awarded a Gold Medal for improving existing labourers' cottages and that Mr Mallison, architect, was awarded £25 for best plans of labourers' cottages.(See 'Architectural drawings' preceding Index.) The constabulary barrack was fortified to withstand any attack. Woods and plantations were not as profitable as other years and reports on works on Derryclure, Clonad, Derryadd and Killeenmore.

In general, reports that 'an excellent tone pervades the people', that they appear satisfied and there is an absence of outrages. Regrets to say that part of the county boundary in Westmeath not for from estate is in a 'lawless condition'. Also reports on a 'curious incident' outside Tullamore where a ruse was employed by locals who wanted to divert police from an intended cock-fight. Also reports on the murder of Captain Tarleton and on a Mr Roberts who was forcefully ejected from his farm having 'seized' another farm which had belonged to a relative of his who had recently died. Appendix (pp54 and 55) contains copy correspondence between Lord Digby and RASI in relation to the establishment of a Digby Challenge Cup.

Annual Report 1867

Annual report and rental for year end June 1867, containing reports on the continuously improving financial situation of the estate, due mainly to the increase in rental receipts. Also reports on drainage at Ballyknockan and the remarkable effect of Dublin dairy manure has had on the land in this area. Other farming improvements include the invention and introduction by Trench of a new drainage plough which was given special merit by the Royal Agricultural Society of Ireland. Further farm machinery was also purchased such as a mowing machine and a hay-tedder which were hired out by the farmers of the estate.

Reports that building and slating has increased all over the estate and provides a description of various building repairs and a newly-built farmhouse let to the Commons family - 'one of the oldest and most respectable families on the estate.' Also reports that four new labourers' cottages built in Killeigh for people whose houses were in ruins, were awarded the Gold Medal and Challenge Cup by the Royal Agricultural Society of Ireland. Also refers to the sale of timber to the Great Southern & Western Railway, which allowed for a large portion of Derryclure to be thinned of beech and replanted with larch and oak, and also necessitated the purchase of a weighing machine for timber to avoid the tolls of the weighbridge in Tullamore.

Referring to past agrarian outrages, Trench remarks that the tone on the estate is 'excellent' and 'it is as if Fenianism never existed'.

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