Bennett's of Ballinacurra Descriptive List (Ref. B609)

B609/

B609/9/A/5 Diary, 1885. In early January, John H Bennett began reading medical text books, and acquired a skeleton. On 24 January, his father William Bennett died, John recording ‘at 7 minutes to 6 our dear Father breathed his last in my arms’. On 27 January it was discovered his father’s will was invalid, and Bennett spent much of the succeeding months sorting out his affairs, including management of the business. From the entry for 7 February, it appears his engagement to Brida is ‘all over’. On 4 July he had his first meeting with William Geoghegan of AGS, noting ‘found him very kind and left with some hopes’ [of a new malting commission; see also 29 July]. On 13 July he agreed the sale of his yacht ‘Tampa’. A piece of card among September entries contains a note comparing weather for the first nine days of the month in 1885 and 1886. Entries are brief for October and there are hardly any at all for November and December. B609/9/A/6 Diary, 1886. Brida Williams returned to Charleston on 8 January. On 8 September Bennett met his tenants in Fermoy to discuss purchase [by them of their holdings, under the Land Acts]. Mr Geoghegan of AGS visited Charleston on 16 October. On 31 December Bennett was notified that the bank accepted his title to the estate at Corbally, near Fermoy [see B609/1/B/4]. He writes ‘Thank God for all his gracious goodness to me during this eventful year in my life now past’.] B609/9/A/7 Diary, 1887. Bennett and Brida Williams became engaged on 20 January in London. They were subsequently married on 21 July, at the British embassy in Brussels. Bennett’s sister Janie married his friend Harry Humphreys on 28 September. B609/9/A/8 Diary, 1888. Bennett spent much of July cycling in France. He notes that on 15 September he ‘received a most discouraging letter from A.G. & Co crying down barley’. Bennett sat on a Coroner’s court jury in November and in his entry for 23 November notes ‘weakly and culpably consented to a verdict of murder against Constable Swindel – for which I deserve universal censure. Had myself determined on manslaughter against Swindel & McLean’. In the entry for the 26 th he records ‘felt very low about the inquest – some acquaintances decidedly cold’. At the back of the diary are notes concerning Bennett’s inquiries into a theft involving two members of staff [see entry for 13 March; see also B609/1/B/5]. B609/9/A/9 Diary, 1889. On 18 March Bennett got possession of Rosehill. On 6 May it is recorded that Rosehill house and garden have been let to Mr Connell for twenty-two pounds per annum. In the winter months Bennett spent many days shooting with his neighbour, Mr Welland of Brookdale.

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