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

B609/

July electric light from the Shannon Scheme was laid on to Charleston. On 29 July Bennett attended an inspection of Dr Beavan’s field cage experiments at Warminster, England. On 7 October he was invited to lunch at the Brewers’ Room, AGS, for the first time in nearly fourteen years. In December Bennett purchased Mr Forde’s farm at Ramhill. B609/9/A/51 Diary, 1931. On 12 March the Cork County Club decided not to display the Union Jack on special occasions, ‘i.e. not at all in future’. On 7 April he notes the terms under which GV Philcox will become manager, including his proposal to have an option to purchase a majority holding, in effect to take over the business. Bennett reflects ‘most difficult situation to visualise & Dorothy is averse to place herself under his control’. On 11 August the grand inspection of the Cereal Station and plots occurred. The Grand Tour of barley growing areas commenced next day. In late September a reduction in malting is anticipated owing to the large decline in Guinness sales resulting from increased duty on beer in Britain. Bennett began to reduce his personal expenditure. At a special general meeting of the company on 2 December, Dorothy McNeill was elected a director. delivered at Leinster House, noting of various taxes ‘the evident intention being to make the well to do pay for various contributions to the ordinary individual’. On 21 May an agreement on salary and profit share was signed with GV Philcox. On 1 June Bennett accepted an offer for his yacht ‘Verve’, ‘that unique almost perfect little ship’. On 2 July, Bennett celebrated his seventieth birthday. Later in the month he notes the effect of the economic war between the British and Irish governments on prices. In early August he went to Norway and Denmark on a cruise. In the year’s later months, the company again found it difficult to compete on the local barley market, Dorothy McNeill answering in the negative when asked by AGS whether there was any prospect of barley acreage in Co Cork being increased to its former extent (19 September). B609/9/A/52 Diary 1932. On 6 February Bennett discussed with Lady Midleton the lack of canvassing on behalf of the Irish Free State Government Party for the forthcoming election. On 11 May he heard Mr MacEntee’s first budget B609/9/A/53 Diary, 1933. In January Bennett made arrangements to cover his sister Jane’s treatment in a nursing home. On 20 February he begins to make enquiries regarding a successor to GV Philcox. On 24 March he receives a good report of his health, and writes ‘I may be spared to see the present depression in all trades begin to improve’. On 11 June he records being impressed by ‘the quiet and good behaviour’ of crowds at hurling contests in Castlemartyr and Youghal. On 4 November he bought the yacht ‘Myth’ at Southampton. On the 23 rd he agreed a new lease for land held from A Rowland at Ballinacurra.

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