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Part 1
Pat Purcell Papers. Letter, Genealogical enquiry, Dated,
May, 1931. From:
J. Hallam [ ? ], Threadneedle Street, City of London,
England. [Note added by Michael Purcell, 2012 -I have
posted some of the letters / enquiries, dating from 1920s to 1980s that
were sent to Pat Purcell during his lifetime. Among the 100s of letters in the PPP this letter
of 52, double sided hand-written pages, is one of the most interesting. Here are a few edited and abbreviated (by me)
extracts. Further information on the famous Fanny Kemble
may be sourced via Google.]
Pat Purcell Papers. Letter, Genealogical enquiry, Dated, May, 1931. From:
J. Hallam [ ? ], Threadneedle Street, City of London, England. To:
Pat Purcell, Town Hall, Carlow, Ireland. Dear Mr Purcell, I am looking for information on the present
ownership and standing of Steuart's Lodge situated in Leighlinbridge,
County Carlow. Mr Duggan has suggested that I write you in
connection with my search. The enclosed
chronicle was compiled by my Carlow born grandmother, the wife of Rev.
William Hickey of County Cork, she commenced writing this on her 49th
wedding anniversary in 1862, and in fact lived to celebrate the 62nd
anniversary of her wedding day, they were married in 1813, her husband
died in 1875, she died in 1877.
For My Children. December 11th 1862. Family motto;
"NOT WE FROM KINGS, BUT KINGS FROM US" Today is the anniversary of my marriage, 49
years ago! How like a dream does that period seem to me
now! I can scarcely identify myself with the then
blooming bride of twenty-one summers, and alas! what changes have passed
upon those who witnessed my wedding; many of them have entered into
eternity, and upon those that remain Time has laid a heavy blighting
hand. I have been asked by my children to note down my
personal recollections, and also the traditional accounts of my
ancestors, and of those connected with me by ties of blood; in short to
write a family chronicle, and I shall endeavour to do so, although the
task will be a sad and difficult journey into the Golden days of past. I was born on the 24th May 1792, at Steuarts
Lodge, in the County of Carlow. My father, John Steuart, was the proprietor of a
small estate which had been in his family for only two generations. His grandfather, the Honourable John Steuart,
was a younger son of the third Earl of Galloway. He left Scotland to serve as Colonel of a
British Regiment, and was in 1707 Brigadier General at the Battle of
Almanza in Spain during the War of succession. He was left for dead on the battlefield of
Almanza, but was rescued by the servants of a Spanish lady who resided
near the field of battle, and who despatched her servants to help the
wounded. Upon his recovery he was received by Queen Anne,
who, as a mark of her favour, bestowed upon him a magnificent diamond
ring, and also it is said gave him the white satin quilt and pillow case
all now in my possession. He sold his Army commission and bought an estate
and house in County Carlow. He moved to Carlow and at the age of 60 married
Bridget, sister to Admiral Pocklington. They had two
children, a daughter, Henrietta, who married Anthony Weldon, Esquire, of
Kilmarony, and a son, William who married twice, first to
Anne Eliza Butler, daughter of Sir
Richard Butler, of Ballintemple, Carlow and secondly Miss Swift. My father's step-mother, Miss Swift was a woman
of extravagant habits, is said to have indulged in a new pair of gloves
every day, and a new pair of stays every week, and as her other tastes
corresponded to these small items, she found it necessary to raise money
in order to gratify them, therefore, following my grandfather's death,
she sold the Diamond ring which had been presented to my ancestor, the
Honourable John Steuart by Queen Anne. She also sold a silver shield which had been an
heirloom in the Steuart family of the ROYAL STUARTS of which the
Galloway family were the elder Branch. By his first marriage
to Anne Butler, he had a son John (my father) and five daughters viz.,
Bridget, Henrietta, Anne, Mary and Hannah, by his second marriage to
Miss Swift he had a son, William,
and three daughters, viz., Emily,
Catherine, and Sophia. [the letter then names in great length and
detail who the children married. Here are some of the marriages that may be of
interest to our readers] Anne married Thomas Whelan, Esquire. [related
to Pilsworth Whelan].
I must now speak of my great grandmother Lady
Butler. I remember as a child sitting upon her great
bed. I was about 4 years old when she died.
She
was formerly Miss Percy, of the Northumberland House. Her husband was Sir Richard Butler, she was
early left a widow when her husband, Sir Richard, died on a visit at
Kilkenny Castle. to visit his cousin, Lord Ormonde, having been
accidentally suffocated by the sulphur of Kilkenny coal in his bedroom. Her eldest son was killed by a fall from his
horse when out hunting; Her second son, Pierce, emigrated to America,
and served under General Washington in the American Army. (his grandson,
Pierce Mease Butler married Miss Fanny Kemble in 1834, the noted British
actress and writer.) Her third son, William, married Harriet Nickson. Her eldest daughter, Anne Eliza, married my
grandfather William Steuart. Her second daughter was Henrietta, Mrs Eustace,
from whom is descended the present Countess of Howth. Her third daughter, Jane, married the Hon. Mr
French, brother to the Earl of Clancarty. (her son was Captain Nicolas
French, Inspector of Constabulary.) Her fourth daughter, Miss Butler, married Mr
Gordon of Belmount. Her fifth daughter, Fanny, died unmarried. It is a rather singular circumstance that for
several generations there have been three Ladies Butler living at the
same time, owing to the premature death of their husbands. As my grandfather's first wife died early in
life, and my grandfather married again, Lady Butler took my father and
his five sisters to live with her at Ballintemple. Her daughter, Mrs Eustace also died young and my
grandmother also took her children into her care at Ballintemple. At one point thirty of her descendants resided
at one time beneath her roof. Her only income was £1,000 per annum, what would
the present generation think of so many being supported by such a sum? However, she had several acres of land in her
own possession and tended a very productive garden that supplied all of
the necessary dietary needs for her extensive extended family. She attained a great age, and her death was a
heavy loss to many of her descendants. [note added 2012 by
Michael Purcell -
to
be continued, we are only on page 15 of 52 pages!]
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