Identificatie
referentie code
Titel
Datum(s)
- 1830 - 1885 (Vervaardig)
Beschrijvingsniveau
Collectie
Omvang en medium
16 Presentment Books
2 Coroner's Report Books
27 lists of jurors
Context
Naam van de archiefvormer
Institutionele geschiedenis
The grand juries were among the most important organs of local administration at county level until the passing of the Local Government Act of 1898. Although originating in Norman times, the first mention of grand juries on Irish Statute books is in 1634. King’s County, which was shired in 1556, and like all other counties was used as a unit for the administration of justice, although over time, its administrative function increased and it became responsible for public works such as road construction and later for construction of infirmaries, bridewells and other institutions of local governance.
The jurors originally comprised ten in number but this was raised to twenty-three. Members of the grand jury were selected by the high sheriff from the leading property owners in the county, the order in which the jurors stood on the list being an indication of their social standing. The sheriff’s discretion in the nomination of the grand jury was total. The sheriff was a political appointment and it frequently happened that he filled the list with his friends and supporters. Catholics were prohibited from serving on grand juries until 1793 but even after this date, jury lists were predominately Protestant due to the concentration of property in Protestant hands.
Over time the administrative function increased. The 1634 and subsequent acts authorized the justices of the assizes with the consent of the grand jury to levy the costs of roads and bridges on the county or barony. This rate was called the county cess. By 1705 the grand juries were authorised to make presentments or propose works.
The grand juries met twice yearly at the Spring (or Lent) Assizes and the Summer Assizes. The King’s County Grand Jury held its assizes at Philipstown (Daingean) until 1835 when the administration of the county moved to Tullamore. The presentment sessions dealt with the expenses of each barony and then for the county-at-large. They were conducted by the justices of the peace and from 1833 included five to twelve cess payers.
The Local Government Act of 1898 abolished the administrative functions of the grand juries, these functions transferring to the newly formed county councils in 1899. The judicial functions ceased in 1924.
Naam van de archiefvormer
Biografie
James Franck Rolleston , D. L., J. P., Franckford Castle, Dunkerrin, Co. Offaly, was a member of King's County Grand Jury, serving as Sheriff. He was also a chairman of the Roscrea Board of Guardians.
Naam van de archiefvormer
Biografie
Henry Trench was the second son of William and Sarah Trench of Cangort Park, Shinrone, Co. Offaly. He married Georgina Mary Amelia Bloomfield on 22 October 1836 and had 8 children. By the 1870s Trench owned 4,707 acres in county Tipperary, 2,113 acres in county Offaly, 1,926 acres in county Limerick, 1,581 acres in county Galway, 704 acres in county Clare and 432 acres in county Roscommon.
archiefbewaarplaats
Geschiedenis van het archief
Collection of King's County Grand Jury material, its provenance deriving from individual sets of presentment books purchased at auction and other donated or salvaged material. In June 1922, Tullamore Courthouse, including the offices of the Crown and Peace, was burnt by retreating anti-Treaty forces in the Civil War resulting in the destruction of many records.
Inhoud en structuur
Bereik en inhoud
Presentment or 'Jobs' Books for the years 1830-1878 from two sets of bound volumes originally belonging to James Franck Rolleston, Franckfort Castle, Dunkerrin, and Henry Trench, Cangort Park, Shinrone, respectively, with some crossover. Also includes two coroner's inquest report books of James Dillon, King's County Coroner, and 27 printed general lists of jurors from the baronies of Ballyboy, Ballycowan, Garrycastle, Geashill, Kilcoursey, Moycashel, Lower Philipstown and Upper Philipstown.
Waardering, vernietiging en slectie
Aanvullingen
Ordeningstelsel
GJ1 is arranged as follows:
GJ1/1/1-10: Presentment books (James Franck Rolleston)
GJ1/2/1-6: Presentment books (Henry Trench)
GJ1/3/1-2: Coroner's Report books
GJ1/4/1-27: General Lists of Jurors
Voorwaarden voor toegang en gebruik
Voorwaarden voor raadpleging
By appointment only. Contact Offaly Archives at [email protected]
Voorwaarden voor reproductie
May be reproduced in accordance with provisions of the Copyright and Related Rights Act (2000). No reproduction online, in print or broadcast without express permission of copyright holder.
Taal van het materiaal
- Engels
Schrift van het materiaal
Taal en schrift aantekeningen
Fysieke eigenschappen en technische eisen
Toegangen
Michael Murphy, Anne Coughlan and Gráinne Doran, 'Grand Jury to Áras An Chontae: local government in Offaly', (Jetprint: Tullamore, 2003). Superseded by this catalogue.
Verwante materialen
Bestaan en verblifplaats van originelen
The following item is available in University of Cambridge:
1) King's County Summer Assizes, 1821 (Ref Bradshaw Collection Hib.4.821.1)
The following related material is held in the National Archives of Ireland -
1) Abstracts – summer 1891
2) Summer 1892
3) Spring 1895
4) Summer 1895
5) Summer 1896
6) Abstracts – summer 1896
7) Lent 1897
8) Presentment papers and lists, 1922 - 1934
The following related material is held in the National Library of Ireland:
1) Abstracts of presentments granted....for King's County, 1863-1865 (Ref: 16A 2994)
The following information transcribed in 1890 from Grand Jury books not now extant can be found in John Wright's 'King's County Directory', pp 252-262':
1) Secretaries to the Grand Jury (1817-1880)
2) Official Gleanings (1787-1885)
3) County prisons (1820-1886)
4) Police notes (1823-1886)
5) List of High Sheriffs (1815-1889)
Bestaan en verblijfplaats van kopieën
Related units of description
Notitie Publicaties
Michael Murphy, Anne Coughlan and Gráinne Doran, 'Grand Jury to Áras An Chontae: local government in Offaly', (Jetprint: Tullamore, 2003).
Notitie Publicaties
Lisa Shortall, ‘Instances of death in infancy and childhood in the inquest casebooks of James Dillon, King’s County Coroner, 1836–1859’, Offaly Heritage 10 (2018), pp 134–67.
Notitie Publicaties
Michael Byrne, 'Legal Offaly: the county courthouse at Tullamore and the legal profession in County Offaly from the 1820s to the present day', (Esker Press, Tullamore, 2008)
Notitie Publicaties
Aantekeningen
Alternative identifier(s)
Trefwoorden
Onderwerp trefwoord
Geografische trefwoorden
Naam ontsluitingsterm
- Dillon, James (Onderwerp)
- Rolleston, James Franck (Onderwerp)
- Trench, Henry (Onderwerp)
Genre access points
Beschrijvingsbeheer
Identificatie van de beschrijving
Identificatiecode van de instelling
Toegepaste regels en/of conventies
ISAD(G)
Verwijdering van datering archiefvorming
June 2019, Erin Sears
Revised November 2020, Lisa Shortall