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| thomas_murray_prior [2022/01/17 15:17] – [Thomas and Catherine Murray Prior] judith | thomas_murray_prior [2022/01/17 17:13] – [Thomas and Catherine Murray Prior] judith |
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| This Thomas Murray Prior was the last to be able to describe himself as 'Esq. of Rathdowney'. Rosa Praed stated that the estates were 'bankrupt'((Rosa Praed, //My Australian Girlhood//, p.ADD )). If the estate was taken over by creditors, it was not a straight-forward process. Thomas's son entered into a legal agreement in 1827, 1845 and 1846 that appears - to my non-legal eye and without further context - to indicate that he put down a bond of £1,000 which he would pay if the other party (Richard Newcomen) could prove his title to Rathdowney. The document states: //The true intent and meaning of the Bond you this day executed to me for the sum of one thousand pounds Sterling is that in case you shall not succeed in establishing your title to the Lands of Rathdowney in the Queens County that then & in such case s[ai]d. Bond shall be null and void and of no effect but in the event of your Establishing your title to said Lands that there and in such case same shall remain in full force as virtue in law//.((NLA, M-P papers, Mss7801,Box 4, folder 20/1, special set 14)) \\ | This Thomas Murray Prior was the last to be able to describe himself as 'Esq. of Rathdowney'. Rosa Praed stated that the estates were 'bankrupt'((Rosa Praed, //My Australian Girlhood//, p.ADD )). If the estate was taken over by creditors, it was not a straight-forward process. Thomas's son entered into a legal agreement in 1827, 1845 and 1846 that appears - to my non-legal eye and without further context - to indicate that he put down a bond of £1,000 which he would pay if the other party (Richard Newcomen) could prove his title to Rathdowney. The document states: //The true intent and meaning of the Bond you this day executed to me for the sum of one thousand pounds Sterling is that in case you shall not succeed in establishing your title to the Lands of Rathdowney in the Queens County that then & in such case s[ai]d. Bond shall be null and void and of no effect but in the event of your Establishing your title to said Lands that there and in such case same shall remain in full force as virtue in law//.((NLA, M-P papers, Mss7801,Box 4, folder 20/1, special set 14)) \\ |
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| More light is shed on this by an article on Laois houses. It claims that "Leet’s directory lists Water Castle as the seat of Thomas Prior esq in 1814, who had been living at Attavilla in Borris in Ossory in 176[?], when he was letting a mill in Rathdowney, and was sheriff of the Queen’s County for 1799, and Captain of the Rathdowney Infantry. Sadly in 1824 he was up in the Insolvent Debtors Court in Maryborough."(([[https://laoishouses.wordpress.com/2021/11/13/coolfin-rathdowney/]])) Presumably the estate was forfeited to pay for his debts.\\ | More light is shed on this by an article on Laois houses. It claims that "Leet’s directory lists Water Castle as the seat of Thomas Prior esq in 1814, who had been living at Attavilla in Borris in Ossory in 176[?], when he was letting a mill in Rathdowney, and was sheriff of the Queen’s County for 1799, and Captain of the Rathdowney Infantry. Sadly in 1824 he was up in the Insolvent Debtors Court in Maryborough [later named Portlaoise]." |
| | (([[https://laoishouses.wordpress.com/2021/11/13/coolfin-rathdowney/]])) Presumably the estate was forfeited to pay for his debts.\\ |
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| {{:watercastle.jpg?300|}} This image of Water Castle in Durrow, Country Laois, illustrates the above article by laoishouses.wordpress.com. A recent photograph available on Google images suggests that the building is now derelict. | {{:watercastle.jpg?300|}} This image of Water Castle in Durrow, Country Laois, illustrates the above article by laoishouses.wordpress.com. A recent photograph available on Google images suggests that the building is now derelict. |