Two 18th Century Wexford Newspapers

lan Cantwell

WEXFORD newspapers of the 18th century have survived badly and except for two runs from July 1788 to June 1789 and July 1792 to June 1793 only two other issues have survived. These are the Wexford Journal, Feb. 15-19 1776 and the Wexford Chronicle July 28-Aug. 4, 1777, which are in the National Library, Misc. Newspapers, Vol. 5. Richard Morton published the Wexford Journal and this particular issue is vol. 7 no. 3. The paper was of smaller size than the usual broadsheet and its printing standards were poor. The news included The American Revolution; Dublin crimes: confiscations of tea and brandy from smugglers and storm damage around the country from 'hurricanes and whirlwinds'. There were some published letters; the first from the Mayor, Bailiffs, Burgesses and freemen to Richard Le Hunte and Richard Neville with a letter of thanks from Neville; the second was a letter of support from the Grand Jury to Vesey Colclough and a letter of thanks and the third was from the Grand Jury asking George Ogle to reconsider his decision to stand down and a letter from him saying that he would now stand. John Harvey, secretary of the Association for the suppression of the Whiteboys had a letter asking the members to uphold law and order and to keep the societies resolutions secret. It is from this society that we get the list below, other notes relevant to Wexford are also included. Research in the P.R.O. and the Registry of Deeds did not uncover any information on the printer himself though an abstract of the Prerogative Will of John Morton, Gent., of Wexford made and proved in 1798 shows that John's second son was a Richard and that his father was William. The Wexford Chronicle, or the Impartial Register of News, Politics and Literary Entertainment was a far more pretentious and also better presented newspaper. The surviving issue was no. 10, vol. 1 and cost 3'/id. The printer, Alex. Stuart, was having his problems as the persons he brought from Dublin to assist in the management had just walked out without notice bringing him down from two issues a week to one. He hoped to bring more people down from Dublin to help him. News was from the American Revolution, War Office, and various European cities. He had information on Prices, Fairs, Tides and Port news. Most of the first page was taken up with an essay from a 'Friend to Ireland' on the Stuart and Hanover Kings which is as objective as one would expect from a Protestant of the period. There was also a column of 'Parnassiad' from a Dr. Dodd. Of interest was the list of book titles that he brought down from Dublin and gives a good indication of what the Gentlemen of Leisure were reading. The majority were history, travel and literature with some science and gent's D.I.Y. The most expensive was Ewing's 12 Vols. of Shakespeare at 1/19 and Foo/s of Quality, 5 vols. at 16/3. The cheapest were Oeconomy of Life and Beze's Latin Testament at 1/7 each. Two books of Irish interest were Dr. Ruttle's Natural History of Dublin at 13/- and Harris's Hibemica at 6/6, the latter price being the high average. A note at the bottom notifies country chapmen and dealers that he had School books. Penny books and Ballads at Dublin wholesale prices. Items relating to Wexford are given below. He gives very little local information but mentions that bodies, thought to have come from the returning West India Fleet, were washed up on Bannow Strand. Research has thrown up no information on the printer and it seems likely that he was not a native of the county. The only other newspapers of the 18th century mentioned above was the Wexford Herald, printed at Main St. by C. Taylor. This run contains very little local

information, as most news was lifted from London, Dublin and County Papers and the only consistent items are the advertisements. What is reported is mostly gossip like 'A boy went into a field of horses in Drinagh to pick blackberries, he was kicked by one and now has a broken leg.' The Wexford Journal appears again in 1810 but appears to be a completely different newspaper published by William Lord, first issue being vol. 5 no. 54 costing 4d.
STUARTS WEXFORD CHRONICLE Vol.1 No. 10 28/7-4/8/1777

Misc. NOTE Jos. Miller mentioned as treasurer of County Infirmary.

PERSONAL NOTES

John Hatton, Ballymartin, died.

ADVERTISEMENTS

James Cowen, late of Dublin, next door but one to church on Main St., Wexford, cosmetics, accessories and wigs (listed). John Hogan, Wexford, Materials (listed), grocer and wines and spirits. Mr. Blake, Hermitage, wanted a man to wait at table, care for a pair of horses and garden; pleasure boat for sale. Mary Gordon, late of Wexford, now of Tynehally, Gout cure at Daniel Summers at Tougher, Killyveny. Alex Stuaft, Main St., Printer of this newspaper, list of c. 230 books for sale with prices. PROPERTY ADVERSTISEMKNTS Revd. Mr. Eastwood, Wexford, and Mr. Richard Lyon,Williamstown, near Waterford, Tithes of Union of Mulrankin to be let. John Leared, House in Neat Alley to be let. Russell Budds, Faith, House and Cabins to let in Faith. Printed by Alex Stuart, Main Street, Wexford. WEXFORD JOURNAL Vol. VII No. Ill Feb. 15-19 1776 Mary Mitten of Mangan attacked by people under arms called Whiteboys. Subscribers to the Association for the suppression of those insurgents called Whiteboys John Harvey, Vesey Colclough, George Ogle, Harry Hughes, Edward Turner, Philip Palliser, Ab. James Howlen, John Hatton, Adam Colclough, Edwards Rogers, Cadwallader Edwards, Charles Hill, Richard Nevill, Robert Phaire, Joshua Nunn, Thomas Derenzy, Izaac Cornack, Joseph Nunn, Richard Newton, Fuller Sandwith, David Dempster, Henry Hughes, Samuel Heydon, Andrew Hamilton, Patrick Boyd for Lord Portsmouth, Richard Bennett, Matthew Talbot, John Fitzgerald, Maurice Roche, Harvey Hay, Solomon Richards, John James, Henry Pierce, Thomas Braddell, George Braddell, Lord Courtown, Thomas Stopford, Andrew Ram, Theobald Brownrigg, Thomas Houghton, Philip Savage, John Glasscott, George Glasscott, John Devereux, Robert Boyd, Adam Rogers snr., Adam Rogers ]'un., Francis Glasscott, William Gifford, Stopford Fielding, John Lindon, William White of Ballynatra, James White of Middletown, Hawtry White, John Moore, Henry White, William Burkitt, Isaac Jones, Edward Tottenham, William Clifford, John Colley, Henry Brownrigg of Killigown, Rev. Dr. Arthur Jacob, Shapland Carew,

Goddard Richards, Walter Hore. George Parker, Matthew Keogh, Arthur Murphy, William Bolton of Island, William Pigott, Henry Brownrigg of Winfield, William Batt, Denis Carthy, Robert Hyde, Archdeacon Hastings, Eben. Radford Row, John Lloyd, Robert Doyne, Robert Carew, Charles Vero, Ben. Neale Bayley, Ulysses Jacob, Charles Tottenham of Ross, William Gainfort, Abel Ram, David Brownrigg, Oliver Carey, John White, Matthew Ford, Josiah Martin, Cornelius Grogan, John Cullimore, Benjamin Radford, Eben Jacob, Robert Devereux, Samuel Waddy, Robert Leigh, George Hatchell, John Jones, William Devereux, Arthur Meadows, Robert Sparrow, Charles Huson, William Alien, Nicholas Gray, Henry Monck, George Reade, John Freke, John Tottenham, William Dickson, Francis Harvey, Thomas Stephens, Ivory Brown, Isaac Cullimore, Frederick Flood, Stephen Ram, William Bolton jun., Joseph White, Francis Goodall, Abraham Goodall, Thomas Gainfort, Wheeler Sparrow, Shapland Swiny, Richard Ie Hunte, Richard Donovan, Nicholas King, Roger Colley, George Alien, Thomas Kavanagh, John Greene, Matthew White, Wm. Todd Blake, William Toole, Jacob Goff, Caesar Sutton, Handy Pemberton, Saunders Frayne, William Boyd, John Simpson, Bartholomew Thomas, Francis Humphrys, Francis Piers, George Humprys, Richard Boyse, Robert Birch, Richard Frizell, Edward Bennett, O'Neill, Richard Derenzy, Armstrong Brown, William Robinson, Richard King, Christopher Harvey, John Bowers, John Baylis, Patrick Rossiter, Thomas Edmond, John Beauman, Maurice Jones, John Roch, John Dixon, Richard McCarthy, Michael Ryan, Lord Ayrey, Lord Valentia, Lord Donegall, Richard Donovan, Henry St. George, James Boyde, John Byrne, William Boxwell, Daniel Kelly, Benjamin Thomas, Tempest Knox, Michael Vicary, John Lightburne, Luke Corish, William Kearney, James Fannin, Allan McClean, John Devereux of Enniscorthy, Walter Freyne, Lord Ely, Charles Naylor, Thomas Richards of Wexford, Elizabeth Ogle, Elizabeth Heydon (188). Signed by John Harvey, Chairman of the Association in Enniscorthy on the c)/2/17^6. MISC. NOTES FROM THE SAME PAPER John Breen, Walter Breen, Luke Breen, Francis Breen, Wm. Devereux all of Taghmon, merchants and Roman Catholic Gentlemen took Oath of Alliegance before Walter Hore, Justice of the Peace.
PERSONAL NOTES RELATING TO WEXFORD

At his house in the town, yesterday, morning, the Lady of James Boyd jun. of a daughter. (In Wexford?) Mr. Bowling of Copper Alley, Cutler, to Miss Gromley of the Coal Quay. Married Thomas Parker to Miss Harding of Great Island.
ADVERTISEMENTS

Mr. Stephens, Grange, Handsome Bay Mare for sale. Henry Lemaistre, Watchmaker, 28 Skinner Row. Thomas Hinton, Enniscorthy, has erected a Distillery, wholesale spirits. James Furlong, Bear Inn, Enniscorthy. Miller Clifford, Wexford, 2 pairs of large stone urns for sale. William Monaghan, Wexford, Clothing and materials from England, Halifax and Manchester. Charles Dawson, Charles-ford, Whipper-in wanted, boy, less then 10 stone. William Monaghan, Bristol Bottles and Window glass. Dorothy Archer, Bostocke and Radford Jacob, demand that debts due to late partnership of Mssr. Archer & Jacob to be paid.

Daniel Kelly, Attorney, 200 wanted as loan to pay debt.

PROPERTY ADVERTISEMENTS

Henry Wheelock, land at Glinraney for sale, 208 acres at 32 rent per annum. Thomas Jones of Wexford & James Davis of Enniscorthy, 30 acres for sale at Donore adjoining bridge of Ballynapierce. Walter Freyne, Enniscorthy, House & Demesne of 69 acres to let with a description. Edward Dalton, Old Ross, Farm of Raheenduff of 54 acres near bridge at Fowlks's Mill. Mr. Vicary, Lands & Limestone quarries in Whitestown to let, rent 75 per annum. Mr. Nassett Marchent, New Ross, House, outhouse, tan yard and few acres to let. Wm. Devereux, Tomhaggard and John Scallan, Wexford, house adjoining Custom House to let, formerly inhabited by Mrs. Mary Dixon and lately by Mr. M'Carty. William Bayley, Dublin, Golden lane, 300 acres in Upper & Lower Knockroe to let, Edmond Nevill of Ross and James Murphy of Ballyroe will send person to show lands. Isaac Jones, New Park and Richard Woodruff, Gorey, Mansion House and 43 acres to let at New Park, Barony of Ballaghkeen between Killenagh and Ballicannon and Manor bogs of Annagh or Sciunews. Robert Devereux, Wexford, 115 acres lands at Shanconlagh to let. John Doyle, Salt Warehouse, Enniscorthy, House Main St., Wexford, next door to Mr. Fanniss, formerly inhabited by Richard Morton, Printer. Mr. Boyd, Wexford and Mr. James Davis, Newry, and Lord Bishop of Ferns, 50 acres of Oakwood, 18 years old, at coppice of Coohou near Ferns, for sale. Samuel Penrose, Cooper Penrose, Susannah Dennis, 80 acres land at Ballynabarny to let, held by William Willoughby whose lease expires 25/3/1776, he was also advertising causing some dispute. Rev. Philip Heydon, Tract of Oakwood of 20 & 22 years growth at 17 March by 'public cant'. Newspaper printed by Richard Morton in the Back St.