Also known as the Spinning Wheel List or the Flax Growers Bounty List 1796, the Flax Seed Premium Entitlement lists the names of persons in Ireland to whom the Trustees of the Linen Manufacturers paid premiums for sowing flax in 1796. Most entitlements were paid in Northern Ireland. The list here shows the Kerry recipients and the civil parish of their residence.

Processed to produce oil and textile goods, flax was an important cash crop of the 18th and 19th Centuries. During this time period, thousands of Irish farmers grew the crop for their livelihood.

The Kerry names were extracted from the All Ireland Heritage microfiche, 225 Cedar Ln, Vienna VA 22180.

The original source material is available at the Linenhall Library, 17 Donegal Sq, Belfast, Northern Ireland and the Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. 2 Explanatory Articles listed in the Flax Growers of Co Armagh in Genealogical & Historical Vol 1 # 7, 1981.

Thanks to Bridget Smith and son Dennis Smith for sharing this data.