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CSO/RP/1825/162

Petition of Reverend Alexander Heron, Presbyterian clergyman of Portadown [Synod of Ulster], County Armagh, to Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquis Wellesley, Lord Lieutenant, Dublin Castle, requesting he be given a portion of the royal bounty [regium donum] having taken the oath of allegiance to the king. Certificate added on base attests to the authenticity of applicant, signed by Reverend John Mitchel, moderator of the General Synod of Ulster, and Reverend William Porter, clerk of the General Synod; also countersigned by 2 magistrates of County Down. With declaration of approval overleaf signed by Wellesley and William H Gregory, Under Secretary of Ireland, Dublin Castle.

10 Jan 1823-14 Mar 1823

1823

CSO/RP/1825/755

Petition of Reverend Robert Allen, Presbyterian minister of Stewartstown, and Reverend Edward Michael Stewart, officiating curate of the [Church of Ireland] parish of Donaghendry, County Tyrone, to Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquis Wellesley, Lord Lieutenant, Dublin Castle, requesting a government grant to aid construction of a new school house at Stewartstown, County Tyrone. In support of the venture, they remark, subscriptions of £90 11s have been raised locally and the site itself is being given rent free by the local landlord.

15 Jul 1825

1825

CSO/RP/1825/777

Letter from Reverend George Hay, Presbyterian minister and regium donum agent for the General Synod of Ulster, Gresham Hotel, Sackville [O'Connell] Street, Dublin, to Henry Goulburn, Chief Secretary, Dublin Castle, seeking an audience with the Lord Lieutenant for a deputation of Presbyterian ministers. He also request a meeting with the Chief Secretary to discuss the inclusion to their body of ‘some new congregations’ in the south of Ireland, 22 July 1825; with response on reverse from Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquis Wellesley, Lord Lieutenant, Dublin Castle, stating he will receive them in person on Tuesday at 2 pm, or if it will suffice he will give an answer ‘in writing’, 23 July 1825. Encloses an address of the ministers of the General Synod of Ulster and the Presbytery of Antrim, Coleraine, County Londonderry, to Wellesley, expressing appreciation for his contribution to a fund for the support and maintenance of widows and orphans of deceases brethren of their church. Signed by Reverend James Carlile, moderator. Also cover note from Wellesley enclosing a copy response to members of the General Synod indicating on behalf of the king his feelings of benevolence towards their body and the charity in question. Directs that his answer be sent to Carlile, 27 July 1825.

22 Jul 1825-27 Jul 1825

1825

CSO/RP/1825/830

Letter from Lady Lifford [wife of James Hewitt, 2nd Viscount Lifford], Deanery House, Armagh, County Armagh, to Henry Goulburn, Chief Secretary, Dublin Castle, expressing disappointment over a lack of response to applications for aid to construct a new school house on the townland of Armaghbrague, in the parish of Armagh. Refers to some subscriptions given to herself and Reverend Radcliffe, Church of Ireland curate of the parish, in support of the school and also speaks of some other donations that have been pledged. Reveals the intended new school will serve a population in a remote part of the country who have no educational provision. Adds the primate [John George Beresford] is desirous of holding church services in the school, when complete, and anticipates building a new church to serve the people in the vicinity; also observes that a number of Presbyterian families in the immediate area would be inclined to attend for worship.

23 Jul 1825

1825

CSO/RP/1825/852

Letter from Major Alexander Taylor and Thomas N Edgworth, commissioners for paving, cleaning and lighting the streets of Dublin, Paving House, Mary Street, Dublin, to William H Gregory, Under Secretary of Ireland, Dublin Castle, reporting on an infringement by builders employed by a Presbyterian congregation in the erection of a new place of worship on Lower Abbey Street, Dublin. Indicates they object to the new church building going beyond the line of the existing houses on the street, in contravention of the 47th act of George III, cap.109. Returns memorial from the congregation of Presbyterian dissenters of Mary’s Abbey, Dublin, to Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquis Wellesley, Lord Lieutenant, Dublin Castle, requesting permission to allow their new church to extend ‘a few inches’ beyond existing buildings on Lower Abbey Street. States they have received full approval of their building plan by the commissioners for paving, and from Francis Johnston, architect and inspector of civil buildings. Observes the nearby Hibernian Academy, was granted special permission upon application to the Lord Lieutenant for a similar indulgence. Signed by Reverend David Stuart [minister, of Mass Lane congregation], 1 Florinda Place, Dublin. Also note from the CSO instructing a communication be sent to the paving board stating that the congregation may proceed with the building provided it does not extend more than ‘two feet beyond the line of the Houses’.

16 Jul 1825-28 Jul 1825

1825

CSO/RP/1825/1356

Letter from Thomas Coleman, tidewaiter, Belfast, County Antrim, to Henry Goulburn, Chief Secretary, Dublin Castle, reporting on the seizure of a subscriptions ledger for the collection of Catholic [Association] Rent in the parish of Lisburn, County Down [enclosed]. He states the item was confiscated from a ‘Papist who attended a Dance’ beside the town of Lisburn and later handed to Benjamin Ashenhurst, former district master of the Orange association in Belfast. Claims the ledger was passed to him by Ashenhurst and he now conveys it to government so they know ‘the enemies of Church and State is busy Employed to overturn our Glorious Constitution’. Expresses particular distaste for the character of those who subscribe funds to the association, in particular Dissenters or members of the Presbyterian denomination, whom he describes as ‘Vile Rebels to their God and Country’. Encloses printed Catholic Rent book for Lisburn, with handwritten information [in blank sections on front cover] revealing the distributor's name is Henry Mulholland of Bridge Street, Lisburn, and the parish collector is Thomas Walsh. Less than 1½ pages in book are complete: these comprise individual lines of written text stating the subscriber’s name and financial contributions per month [also brief calculations on final sheets]. A couple of supporters are identified in the body of the ledger as ‘Presbyterian’.

3 Oct 1825-25 Oct 1825

1825

CSO/RP/1825/1369

Letter from [Reverend] J McClenahan, Randalstown, County Antrim, to Henry Goulburn, Chief Secretary, Dublin Castle, requesting to learn from what source redress can be obtained for dissenting clergymen [Presbyterian] in the locality whose regium donum allowance is not adequate to their support. Indicates that evidence of the deficiency complained of will be presented ‘to substantiate their claims’. With reply overleaf explaining the rationale behind the allocation of the bounty to congregations; states the money is distributed in terms of importance of congregations rather than the individual circumstances of ministers.

22 Oct 1825

1825

CSO/RP/1825/1601

Petition of Reverend James Horner, Presbyterian chaplain, Newgate prison, [Harcourt Street], Dublin, to Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquis Wellesley, Lord Lieutenant, Dublin Castle, requesting appointment as chaplain to the Presbyterian prisoners on board the convict ship ‘Essex’ at Kingstown harbour [Dunleary; Dún Laoghaire], County Dublin. Expresses his anxiety to attend to the spiritual needs of ‘unworthy members of the Presbyterian church’ coming from the province of Ulster and also those from the of jail Newgate who are at present ‘deprived’ of all opportunity to worship. Complains of his exclusion from the convict hulk and notes that prisoners of both the Roman Catholic and Church of Ireland churches are permitted to avail of the services of a chaplain.

1825

1825

CSO/RP/1825/1735

Petition of the Presbyterian congregation of Dunmurry, County Antrim, to Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquis Wellesley, Lord Lieutenant, Dublin Castle, requesting they be promoted to the status of first class with respect to the payment of the royal bounty or regium donum. Claims at the period of the increase of the bounty in 1803, they were served by ‘a very indolent & careless Minister’ whose lack of drive saw them being classified at the lowest class; however, they enthuse, since 1809 they have continued to grow and prosper and now have the able Reverend Henry Montgomery as minister. Signed by William Hunter, clerk of the session, and John M'Cance, chairman; countersigned by George Augustus Chichester, 2nd Marquis of Donegall, and three others.

21 Dec 1825

1825

CSO/RP/1825/1812

Letter from Reverend George Hay, senior Presbyterian minister of Londonderry, County Londonderry, and regium donum agent, to Henry Goulburn, Chief Secretary, Dublin Castle, drawing attention to the persistence of the minister of the congregation at Portadown, County Armagh, who seeks payment of his quarterly bounty on the same footing as the clergymen of Drumlough and Anaghlone in County Down. Indicates he showed the man in question a letter of clarification he received on the matter from government [which he encloses and asks to be returned to him].

28 Nov 1825

1825