Personal and military papers of William Edward Parsons, Major Lord Oxmantown, (from 1908 the fifth earl of Rosse) including commissions; illuminated addresses from the Heaton and Shipley tenants on his coming-of-age, 1894; and from the Birr Parish Vestry on his marriage, 1905; a fairly savage attack on him in The Midland Tribune at the time of his return from the Boer War in 1900 to join the newly formed Irish Regiment; letters from him to Toler R. Garvey during the Boer War and the first World War; a page recording the signatures of Lord Oxmantown and other Irish notabilities who attended a shoot at Ashford, Cong, Co. Mayo; during a visit by the Prince of Wales, 1905; and the fifth earl’s London address book, 1911.

Also includes copy of his birth certificate (1873); commissions and applications to Officers’ Reserve (1908); appeal to be allowed to appear before Medical Board in Dublin, not London (1916); detailed medical reports on the extent of his wound, by shell to the head, where a palm-sized piece missing, damage to his speech, comprehension and gait causing 80% disability with epileptic attacks; his death certificate plus further obituary of the fifth earl by Michael Pegum prepared for the Kildare St and University Club for publication in a book of memorials to those members of the Club who gave their lives in WWI and WWII (2010).

Includes letters to Toler R. Garvey (‘Rob’) from the front describing poisonous gas attacks in the trenches (26 April 1915 and 11 May 1915).

Collection of books, press cuttings, photographs, and memorabilia related to the Leinster Regiment at Birr Barracks, collected by Henry G. Farmer (1882-1965), son of Sergeant Henry G. Farmer, quarter-master, Leinster Regiment, Birr Barracks.

School copybook containing printed newspaper minutes of War Relief Committee of Garrycastle.
First committee meeting held on 9th November 1914. Committee comprised of Rev. Dr. Monaghan, Dean of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise, Miss Armstrong, Mrs. W. Perry, Mrs. Sherrard, Dr. Meagher, Dr. Dalton, Mr P. Egan, J. P. and R. H. Moore, N. T. Miss Armstrong appointed Treasurer, Dean Monaghan appointed Chairman and R. H. Moore appointed secretary.
Minutes of 23rd November note that money would be made available from the central fund for the purpose of helping the sub-committees to provide furniture bedding and 'otherwise supplementing local efforts for the maintenance of the Belgian refugees'.
Minutes of 7th December 1914 note that the Local Government Board has informed by letter that they are at present unable to send any refugees. They informed that 250,000 refugees were coming to England during the following two month and that 20,000 of them would be located in Ireland. Contains 4 pages of ms accounts of War Pension Committee 1914-1918 recording weekly payments of £2 for maintenance. Last entry notes that Belgian family of [Ceunincks] left Banagher on 14th February 1919.

File of photographs taken during the St Barnabas pilgrimage to the battlefields and war graves of Salonika and Gallipoli. The file contains a mixture of personal photographs and professional photographs taken by Graphic Photo Union, Tallis Street, London, England and Central Press Photograph, 119 Fleet Street, London, England. The file also includes Rev. Mullineux at the unveiling of the New Zealand memorial at Gallipoli in April 1925.

File of photographs of friends, acquaintances and unidentified portraits.
The file contains a wide variety of photographs. One notable example includes a photo of 'little Henry' baring the inscription 'for Sheelah with love and best wishes'.
Another notable photograph is that of Edward Aurelian Ridsdale. Attached to the back of the photograph is a copy of a letter of condolence from Sir Frederick Treves to Lady Ridsdale. The letter dated 8 Sept 1925 expresses Fredrick's admiration for Edward Aurelian Ridsdale. He writes 'During the war, he bore upon his shoulders the heaviest burden of the Red Cross work. He sought no prominent position no applause and indeed not even thanks. He thought never of himself but undertook whatever duty- agreeable or disagreeable came in his way. His absolute integrity, his unselfishness, his devotion is the cause and his great administrative ability did more than did the work of any other man to make the Red Cross organisation the success it was in the great war.' 2 framed photographs of an unidentified soldier.

Typescript diary entry of William Bury Homan Mulock, reflecting on the surroundings of the Bellair Estate; his childhood on the estate; estate improvements; sale of the estate to tenants under the Land Acts; effects on Irish agriculture and corn production during the first World War.

"The Townland of Bellair or Bally-ard (High Town) stands almost in the centre of Ireland and its hill crowned with a thick grove of beech and fir is a conspicuous object from most of the Counties in Ireland...

I dearly loved and revered the old place with all the tradition it stood for, and for my first day in India I determined to save money and pull it through as my father had always impressed on me the severe strain his large family had been on the estate...

I have now held it for close on 30 years and in the natural course of things must soon relinquish it. I can however fairly claim to have done more than any predecessor for its benefit. I have sold to the tenants, under the Land Acts, and have paid of all charges. I have renovated the house and wing, rebuilt all the farm buildings, and a good part of the stabling...

I have now (1918) had close on ten years experience as an Irish Landlord without tenants, having sold under the Land Acts 1908-9. I can't say that I regret their loss. I live more like an English squire, without anxiety or fear of malicious injuries, cattle drives, or burnings, and I have more leisure to look after my Bellair farm which is now paying me well for all my improvements".

File of diaries belonging to Theodora Trench.

From 1917 until 1919 Theodora volunteered as Chauffeuse with the Red Cross's Voluntary Aid Detachment. Throughout the early diaries she writes about her experiences resulting from this volunteer work and the responsibilities she was required to carry out. Examples of such entries include one she wrote on 18 January 1918 she writes 'Evacuation 4.45 am breakfast 4.15. Cleaned engine a little. 1.30 went to Richmond football match & Austin lunchtime.' Another example includes an entry from 12 January 1919 'On duty all day (night duty) inspection 11.30'.
Theodora also uses the diaries to record her her daily life. On 5 February 1921 she records attending a concert, 'Concert Albert Hall (Samson & Delilah)' and on 23 may 1922 she writes about going to the Chelsea Flower show 'S & I went to Chelsea Flower Show. Very hot & [humid] but beautiful flowers...'.