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Box of in-letters from correspondents whose names begin with ‘A’ and ‘C’, including correspondence about Sir Nesbitt Armstrong’s trusts, and letters from James Callaghan (a thatcher employed by the Rosse estate), from the ‘Chief of Staff, January 1923’ about the occupation of Birr Castle by the Free State Army, from W. Y. Chisholm (manager of the Rosse sawmill [see Q/327]), from Miss Edith A. Cramer, [see M/18], from Messrs Coutts & Co., etc.

Includes: Letter from Padraig Ua Maolchatha, Col. Comdt., G. O. C. 3rd Southern Command, Roscrea: I am directed by the Chief of General Staff to inform you that it will not be possible to evacuate any portion of the premises occupied by the troops before Christmas. I am at present unable to give you any idea when we may be able to evacuate Birr Castle but assure you that we will not occupy it any longer than necessary. I regret being unable to facilitate Lord Rosse’s family in this matter but trust that the owner will appreciate the circumstances which force us to remain in occupation.’ (4 December 1922)

Includes letter from Capt. F. O’Brien for the Chief of General Staff, Dublin, to Toler Garvey: ‘I have been in communication with the General Officer Commanding of the Area who informs me that we was aware of game being shot on the Rosse Estate, but did not prevent it, as he was not aware that the game was preserved.’ (8 January 1923)

‘P’, ‘Q’, ‘R’ and ‘T’ - including letters from the Hon. Geoffrey L. Parsons, in Basingstoke, relating to the affairs of Birr Castle Demesne, during the period in which he acted on behalf of the sixth earl in his minority (1918-1924). Also includes letters from members of the Pigott family [see V/24], Mrs Manning Robertson, the 5th and 6th Earls of Rosse, J.H. Tyler (the Womersley agent [see H/117]), etc, etc.

‘W’ and ‘’Y’ - principally Edward Walsh (town clerk of Birr, who writes about all manner of local government matters), Harold J. Wiley & Co., insurance brokers of Dublin (who write about Birr Castle insurance), Mrs F. White Spunner of Milltown Park, Shinrone, King’s County (whose estate Garvey managed [although, apart from these letters, no other record of this agency survives in the archive at Birr Castle]).

Includes minor letters from Captain P. Wall, Castle Barracks, Birr (1922-1923).

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).

Letters sent to Theodora Trench between 1943 and 1947. The letters are a mixture of personal and business matters.

Included in the file is a 1945 letter from Haddie, Florence in which she passes on her thanks to Sheelah Trench for helping to locate her brother who had a bomb drop on his house.
1946 Business and personal letters sent to Theodora Trench in 1946. Includes a letter from Josephine Flanagan regarding the sale of a cockerel and a letter from Sheelah Lefroy sending birthday wishes.
1947 Letters sent to Theodora Trench in 1947. The letters are a mixture of pleasure and business. Topics covered include importing coal through Dublin General steam shipping and purchasing chicks from P Flanagan.

Memoranda from T. J. Kelly, Secretary, Offaly County Council requesting schemes of public utility that might be carried out as post emergency employment schemes [some suggestions written on back of letter].