This section contains mainly legal documents including various types of deeds of title including leases, mortgages, wills, property abstracts, searches and financial documents. The section also includes correspondence from solicitors engaged in legal work connected with the conveyance of property. The material is divided into three sub-series relating to the approximate location of the plots of ground to which the document refers: Queen Street (later Father Mathew Street); Charlotte Quay (later Father Mathew Quay); St. Joseph’s Cemetery; Other locations in Cork.
Lease by Mary Foott, widow, and executrix of James Boyce Foott, late of Cork, merchant, to Elizabeth Georgina Howard, spinster and administratrix of Thomas Howard, of a plot of ground on Morrison’s Island for 736 years at the yearly rent of £18 9s 2d. The lease notes that the plot is tenanted by John Foot and contains a dwelling house and stores and measures 65 feet to the front of South Mall, and is situated on Morrison’s Island being part of Dunscombe’s Marsh in the city of Cork. (See also CA HT/2/1/1/36 and CA HT/2/1/1/11).
Lease by Robert Warner to John Henry Gamble of a stable, coach house and other concerns on Queen Street, Cork, lately in the possession of William Cash and George Evans situated in the parish of Holy Trinity, Cork, for 599 years at the yearly rent of £25. A sketch of map of the demised property is endorsed on the verso. Scale: 40 feet to 1 inch. With counterpart and three typescript copies made by J.C. & A. Blake, solicitors, Cork, 22 Nov. 1906.
Assignment of a lease by Francis King and Elizabeth Georgina Howard to Thomas Ronayne Sarsfield, Valentine Tomkins and others of all the premises comprised in a lease (dated 17 Oct. 1840) of premises on South Mall, Cork, for all of the unexpired residue of the term of 736 years subject to the rent reserved by and covenants and conditions contained in the said lease. Thomas Ronayne Sarsfield and the other parties to the assignment agree to pay all the rent and arrears of rent during the continuance of the aforementioned lease of 17 Oct. 1840.
Lease by Robert Warner to Thomas Ronayne Sarsfield and others of a piece of ground adjoining Queen Street ‘bounded on the east partly by a store and concerns in the possession of John McNamara, Edward John Gould and Michael McNamara … and to the rear by Mister Dunan’s dwelling house, and on the south by the Chapel of the late Reverend Mister Mathew’, for 750 years at the yearly rent of £40. A sketch map of the premises referred to in the said lease is attached. The map was drawn by Frederick A. Klein, South Mall, Cork. Scale: 20 feet to 1 inch. With a typescript copy by Gregg, Jermyn & Sons, solicitors, and a registered memorial of the said deed dated 22 July 1929.
Copy will of William Clarke, merchant, Cork, dated 27 Oct. 1818 with nine codicils. The copy was extracted from the Probate and Matrimonial Division of the High Court of Justice, Ireland. The final codicil is dated 4 Oct. 1825. The will and codicils relate primarily to the provision of a legacy/trust for his daughters, Anne Walker and her husband Rev. Thomas Walker. An addendum notes that the said William Clarke, latterly of Kilinalooda Glebe, Cork, died in February 1826 and that his will was proved on 18 Sept. 1867. Letters of administration were granted by the Court of Probate to Sir William Henry St. Lawrence Clarke Travers, 2nd Baronet, 3 Queen’s Gardens, Hyde Park, London, grandson of the deceased residuary legatee named in the said will (referred to as Sir William Clarke).
Lease by John Cotter Wood, 28 Longford Terrace, Monkstown, County Dublin, to William Adams, Queen Street, Cork, of the dwelling house, yard and premises at No. 13 Queen Street, Cork, for 99 years at the yearly rent of £20. The lease has a note attached from John L. Wood (dated 29 Nov. 1894) to the Provincial Bank of Ireland, Cork, objecting to William Adams depositing this lease with the bank. (See also CA HT/2/1/1/9 and CA HT/2/1/1/21).
This section relates to two houses on Walkin Street which were formerly known as the Munster Arms. A Kilkenny newspaper, 'Finn’s Leinster Journal' (18 July 1770), included an article which referred to an old Inn known as 'The Munster Arms' on Walkin Street. The plot of ground on which this building stood was situated opposite the existing Capuchin Friary on Walkin Street. The buildings were purchased by the Capuchins in 1896 and part of the Munster Arms’ site was given over to Bishop Abraham Brownrigg in lieu of an alms house or charitable institution which was located on the opposite, Friary side of Walkin Street and which was subsequently demolished and incorporated into the existing Friary building (see CA KK/2/1/1/1/15). One of the above-mentioned houses on the Munster Arms site was retained and let to a tenant in order to meet the annual rent of £13 7s 8d on the property (see CA KK/2/1/1/2/5). The section includes deeds with numerous references to the historic owners of the Munster Arms and Alms House sites on Walkin Street including the Colles and Empson families. It is likely that part of Munster Arms site is currently occupied by a property now known as 17 Friary Street which was subsequently sold by the Capuchins (see section 2.1.1.2. below).
Renewal of a lease from Abraham, Richard and Rachel Colles, Millmount, County Kilkenny, grandsons and granddaughter of William Colles, late of Abbeyvale, deceased, to Richard Empson, merchant, of the premises known as the ‘Munster Arms’ on Walkin Street in Kilkenny, in consideration of the fines payable for the addition of two of the three lives referred to in the original lease of 8 Apr. 1769. (See CA KK/2/1/1/1/1).
Copy will and probate of Richard Empson, Kilkenny city. He leaves all his freehold and personal property situated in Kilkenny to his wife, Ruth Epsom, subject to several legacies charged upon the said properties for his sons and daughters. It is noted in the will that the house and concerns on Walkin Street are ‘now in the possession of Mr Mathew, Mr Max, Mr Hunt and their tenants’. Ruth Epsom and George Leech are appointed executrix and executor of the will. The probate was granted on 6 Nov. 1820.