1700's Clonmel

Extracts from various publications in the 1700's.

Ellen Cumberfort's Will, dated 23 August, 1748.

Testament-and-Last-Will " I desire to be beryed in the Whites Chapell, if no roume there I leave foretteen pounds for a toume stone; 60£ be given to Rev. Father Thomas Henasey to descharge a lawful dept of mine which he has directions for ; to poor depters in prison of town five pounds, the poor prisoners money to be given to Parish Priest as best judge ;

to six poor widowes 10s.[shillings] a pees for six doses [i.e. beds.] Cosn Doraty White 5£ ; Mrs. Mary Miller St. John I0£ ; the poor house of this town forty shillings ; to James Striche's wife and her sister Carney each of them 40s. ; to Catteran Strich dawter to James Strich six tea spoons and toungs ; to my servant that lives with me 4£, and her wages and some of my clothesand lening [linen] :
to the poor fryars of this town, I desire that they will say masses forme 2£ :
to Robbin Sherlock a large silver cup his paying 9£ without interest which was the money I payed Mrs, Morgan to reles it from her, in August 1729, robbin Sherlock's mother severall yeares ago paid me thre pounds of the above, there remains 6£ ;
to the poor distressed and naked people among the poor 1£ to be laid out in bread for five fridays;
to the chappell for vestments, a black silk gound; I desire to be buried decently; for expenses 30£ lining [linen] and clothes to be divided.
One lase brade cape and lase hainkerchief, one pair lase ruffles to niece Nancy White ;
to nice Nancy White 2 lase caps ; to Betty White a blue damask gound ; to Nancy a blue Ludstris petty cote with my dressing glass ;
my cheney [chinaware] to be divided between Betty and Nancy White; to my nephew James her brother a silver pinte cann;
to Mrs. St John a small rose dymond ring, to [sic] cambick caps, 2 poys with my velvett poys, 2 of my best cloth aprons; to Catteran White her sister 2 night shifts, 2 cors [coarse] cloath aprons and all remainder of my caps with 3 comon gounds, a corsett with some of my quilted petty cotes ;
all my books to Jemmy White ;
to my nephew John Quanes Daughter 3 chest of Drawers upon a freame, a small ovell table, a tea chest, a small gilt leather trounk ;
to Mrs. Catteran White, daughter to my nephew Thomas A dymond hoop ring and a pair of large sconces, I peremtarlly desire the 2 hundred pounds of my money that lyes in Mr. Bagwell's hands may be imedeatly called in that there may be no delay to discharge this obligation, rest to be divided between Thomas Whites children, I would have 6 clergymen [at funeral] berers scarfs given them, and to the Doctor and pottacary a hood, and a scarf to my servant.
Bury me at night," etc

Some Corporation Rulings regarding the town.

(mentioned in "The History of Clonmel", by Canon Burke).

Burke wrote:

If the Corporation took care of their estate they do not seem to have fulfilled any other functions. The condition of the town in point of sanitation was infamous. The householders swept the street in front of their houses at their discretion, the corporation being merely concerned in keeping clear the open sewer which ran along the middle of the street, making its way somehow to the river. Nor was this sewer regularly cleared. In 1716 the D'Ouir Hundred Jury reported : —

Wee finde and present that the scavanger hath neglected his duty for the time past in not carrying off the dirt according to his contract, wee desire that he may for the future be obliged to carry off the same twice a week.

The following gives another picturesque view of old Clonmel : —

In 1724

Wee finde and present that John Evans bell man for being Remiss in his office, for not taking care to keepe the streets free from Strange Beggars and from Piggs and particularly for his neglect of takeing care of the Key and Court house for which he receives salleryes undeservedly, wee therefore present that his sallery may be stopt till he improves his Diligence.

Again in 1750 : —

Whereas the Inhabitants of the towne of Clonmel labour under great Evills and Inconveniencies not only from the filth, sudds and Excrements frequently thrown into the streets of this town by leasy and nasty persons, and by the Inhabitants frequently neglecting to sweep before their doors when publick Notice is for that purpose given but also from the great number of Piggs permitted to wander about the said streets to greate annoyance of the Inhabitants,

for prevention whereof be it Enacted and Ordained that if any person or persons whosoever, shall from hence forth throw or leave or cause to be thrown or left, in any of the Streets, Lanes, or Passages of this Town any Sudds, ffilth, Ashes, or Excrements or shall neglect to sweep before their doors in the usual manner after reasonable notice given for that purpose, or shall keepe their Piggs in the streets or permit them to wander therein after due notice given hereof by the Bellman, that every such offender shall for such or any of the above offences forfeit any sum not exceeding fine shillings to be adjudged by the Mayor of the town for the time being according to the nature of such offence, such forfeiture to be recovered in a summary way by taking summons before the Mavor for the time being and to be disposed off to the Poor of the parish of Clonmel aforesaid any By law or usage to the contrary notwithstanding.

At this period the streets afforded strange smells but equally strange sights and sounds. The shoemaker worked al fresco, while the pewterer from his booth made the air ring with sonorous activity. One of the most characteristic street scenes was removed by Act of the Council, 17th April, 1748.

middle ages shambles Whereas it has been found by experience, that the exposing of butchers meat to sale in the High street of the said Town of Clonmel is offensive not only to the Inhabitants but to Strangers passing through the said town, and the butchers blocks in the said street are an obstruction to passengers and sometimes an occasion of mischief.

To prevent which the Common Council of the said town and borough, encouraged John Power Esq. deceased to erect shambles in the said town in a convenient place and since his decease, the said Common Council of the said town have encouraged Elizabeth the widow and relict of the said John Power to proceed in the said undertaking, which shambles are completely finished at the expense of the said Elizabeth Power, and twenty seven stalls for Butchers Inhabitants are contrived within the said shambles and ten stalls for Butchers Strangers are erected without the said shambles but adjoining thereunto, for which the said several stalls the said Elizabeth Power hath agreed to accept of 17s and 4d yearly being 4d by the week to be paid weekly for each and every stall which is a reasonable and low price for them.

To the end therefore that the Butchers of the said town and borough as well Inhabitants as Strangers, may be obliged to resort to the said shambles and not elsewhere within the said town, which will be a means to preserve order and decency in the streets of the said town and give the mayor of the said town and borough a fairer opportunity of seeing and examining whether the butchers meat designed for the food of the inhabitants be sound and wholesome and dressed in such a manner as the law directs.

Be it enacted, eta, every Butcher offending shall forfeit the sum of twenty shillings sterling for the use of the poor of the parish of the said town of Clonmel, to be paid by the chamberlain into the hands of the minister and churchwardens of said parish.