Coppingers of Barryscourt Descriptive List (Ref. U405)

U405

great many people murmur & tear the poor gentleman’s character’. He thinks he will have ‘to pay every one’ and remarks ‘the times here were bad enough before this disastre, but are now at so low an ebb that there’s no money nor credit to be found, & such a diffidence reigns in manki nd that there’s almost an intire stagnation in trade, & that on account of the frequent bankrupts in this citty, its remarked that there’s hardly a week passes without the shutting up of some shop of note & a great many of them compounds for 8s or 10s in t he pound & thats paid in two or three years’. He expresses some surprise that William has not seen his brother, but had heard that he was detained in London ‘for the proper passports from the Earl of Holdernesse’. [The paper is fragile] [See also U405/77]

3pp

52.

20 June 1754

Letter to William Coppinger, Barry’s Court, from John Galwey, Carrigg, expressing joy at hearing that his sister ‘produced you a fine lusty girl’. He adds ‘my Dear Will we must not be choosers but take all as blessings which he is so gracious & good to bestow, he will provide for them in a way at present quite unknown to us’. He explains that he and his wife are back in Carrigg having left Kilcash, where they left their son Billy as it is vacation time in Kilkenny. He expresses conc ern over the ‘vast deal of idle time’ Billy has had. He adds that on their return ‘we found our little ones not very well th e poor little girl especially’.

2pp

53.

23 July 1754

Letter to William Coppinger, Barry’s Court ‘near Midletown’, from John Galw ey, Carrigg, 23 July 1754, thanking him for his and expressing gladness that his family are well, while noting the report that his (Galwey’s) sister is ‘a little feeble’. He accepts that William is too busy to visit at this time of year. He remarks that he is well ‘only that I fear I am grown somewhat fatter than I was when I saw you last & how could I avoid it the fine high sauces where Ive lately been made me indulge too much’. He reports that ‘our poor Billy’ in Kilkenny is indisposed and is being treate d. He notes the poor weather will affect hay, corn, and turf, adding ‘but what does the latter part trouble us for? Youl say, too besure we have a house in Town’. He points out that the poor weather will affect movement of goods. [The letter is frayed along bottom edge]

3pp

54.

8 August 1754