Correspondence and other papers of the 4th and 5th Earls of Rosse on subjects other than astronomy, including estate and other King’s County affairs, the 4th Earl’s contributions to public life as a representative peer, Chancellor of T.C.D., etc, etc.
Sem títuloLetters and papers, mostly of the 4th and 5th Earls and Dr Otto Boeddicker, concerning Parsons family history and genealogy, including information about the Oxmantown/Phoenix Park property, sold by the elder branch of the Parsons family to the crown in 1672. Of particular interest is a paper entitled ‘How the Parsons, Earls of Rosse, got the Titles of Baron and Viscount of Oxmantown’.
Sem títuloLetters, tradesmen’s accounts, inventories of plate, specifications, tender and other papers of the 4th and 5th Earls, all concerning the contents of Birr Castle or improvements and alterations to Birr Castle and demesne and
to houses and cottages owned by the estate – the installation of motors and turbines, plumbing, lighting, heating, redecorating, ‘hacking off’ plaster-work, etc. [Not in chronological order. For other inventories of plate, etc, see H/8 and T/83.]
Bundle of deeds and copy deeds constituting a re-settlement of the Rosse estate by the 4th and 5th Earls (1898), with sequel releases and appointments of new trustees of the settlement.
Sem títuloLetters and tradesmen’s accounts to the 5th Earl relating to seeds, shrubs, trees and planting, including 3 letters from Augustine Henry [botanist renowned for his flora-collecting explorations in central and western China], 1908-10. One of
Henry’s letters, dated 26 July 1909, is about [Chinese?] plant specimens at Birr; it has been photocopied by PRONI, T/3498/4.
Patents appointing the 5th Earl Lieutenant and Custos rotulorum of King’s County in succession to his late father,
including two letters from [the Lord Lieutenant], Lord Aberdeen, on the subject (one of them making unsubtle reference to the necessity for the 5th Earl’s committing himself to political support of the government of the day), letters to the 5th Earl giving confidential opinions as to the suitability of various people for appointment as J.P.s, and a tradesman’s account for supplying a Lieutenant’s flag for Birr Castle. [Not in chronological order.]
Four envelopes of tradesmen’s accounts to the 5th Earl, including a few to Lady Rosse, from London, Dublin and Birr tradesmen (primarily the first) for all manner of goods (among them a pendant brooch supplied by C. Faberge,
1910), but excluding accounts for major items connected with Birr Castle and gardens [for which see M/25 and 33 respectively], 1910-18; together with 7 volumes of Birr Castle house-keeping books kept by Lady Rosse/de Vesci and (in one case) her sister, Countess de la Feld, 1910-30. [See also T/30. Not in chronological order.]
Administrative correspondence relating to the prisoner of war relief scheme set up at Birr Castle under the patronage of Lady Rosse; postcards and letters of thanks from the prisoners of war from Irish regiments (but predominantly the Irish Guards) interned in Germany; and acknowledgment postcards of parcels received from same.
Sem título