Richard Dowden Papers Descriptive List

From the collections of Cork City and County Archives Service.

Cork City and County Archives

Ref. IE 627/U140

Compiled by Brian McGee, Archivist

U140 Richard Dowden Papers Descriptive List

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................................... iv

IDENTITY STATEMENT............................................................................................................................ iv

CONTEXT ................................................................................................................................................ iv

Creator ............................................................................................................................................... iv

Biographical/Administrative History.................................................................................................. iv

Archival History ................................................................................................................................... v

CONTENT AND STRUCTURE .................................................................................................................... v

Scope and Content.............................................................................................................................. v

System of Arrangement ..................................................................................................................... ix

CONDITIONS OF ACCESS AND USE.......................................................................................................... x

ALLIED MATERIALS.................................................................................................................................. x

Related Units of Description ............................................................................................................... x

RULES /CONVENTIONS USED .................................................................................................................. x

PUBLICATION NOTE ............................................................................................................................... xi

ARCHIVIST’S NOTE ................................................................................................................................. xi

APPENDIX: ALPHABETICAL LIST OF CORRESPONDENTS (U140/L) ....................................................... xii

DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................ 1

A: MS. Notebooks/Journals of Richard Dowden c1820 – c1850 (11 Items/ c700pp) ......................... 1

B: Essays, loose notes or lectures by Richard Dowden c1830-1861 (10 items/series) ..................... 5

C: ‘Botany in the Bohereens’ Publication ?1847 -1858 (7 items) ...................................................... 8

D: Personal Accounts and Receipts ?1820s-1849 (6 items) ............................................................ 10

E: Literature and Poetry 1816 – 1853 (11 items) ............................................................................. 10

F: Family material, Richard Dowden 1820-1856 (2 items) .............................................................. 14

G: Memorabilia 1829-1850s (14 items)............................................................................................ 15

H: Drawings ?1823-1840s (2 items)................................................................................................... 16

I: File of Newsclippings 1817-1856 (12 items) ................................................................................. 17

J: Printed ephemera and some MSS., relating to various organisations and causes 1820-1856 (10 series and 158 sub series) ..................................................................................................................... 19

J/01: Societies 1821-1856 (59 files/series) .................................................................................... 19

J/02: Political and Local Government Material 1827-1848 (31 sub series) ................................... 36

U140 Richard Dowden Papers Descriptive List

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J/03 Educational bodies and activities 1820-1856 (9 sub series) ................................................. 60

J/04: Religious Organisations 1820-1855 (10 files/series)............................................................ 72

J/05: Charities 1824-1860s (11 files/series)................................................................................... 76

J/06: Commercial Entities 1832-1858 (12 files/series) .................................................................. 80

J/07: Medical Institutions 1808-1853 (6 files/series) .................................................................... 87

J/08: Theatre and Concerts 1830s-1860s (8 series)....................................................................... 89

J/09: Published Booklets and Pamphlets 1830s-1860s (6 items) .................................................. 92

J/10: Exhibition Catalogues 1841-1845 (6 items) .......................................................................... 92

K: Scrapbooks (1822) 1844-1864 (4 vols./c1600pp) ................................................................... 93

L: Correspondence ?1818 – 1860 (144 items/series) ................................................................. 175

Outgoing Correspondence (c350pp)............................................................................................... 175

Incoming Correspondence: A - B .................................................................................................... 176

Incoming Correspondence: C - H .................................................................................................... 182

Incoming Correspondence: K - M ................................................................................................... 192

Incoming Correspondence: N - T .................................................................................................... 202

Incoming Correspondence: U - W................................................................................................... 212

Incoming Correspondence: From Unidentified Persons................................................................ 221

Postal Envelopes ............................................................................................................................. 222

M: MS. volume of weather observations by William Cunningham, 1845-1848 (21pp)............... 222

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INTRODUCTION

IDENTITY STATEMENT

Reference:

IE 627/U140

Title:

Richard Dowden Papers

Level of description:

fonds

Date:

(1806) c1815-c1860

Extent:

11 boxes, 1 large scrapbook, 21 oversized posters.

CONTEXT

Creator Dowden, Richard (b1794 – d1861).

Biographical/Administrative History Born in Bandon County Cork, in 1794. He used the name ‘Richard Dowden Richard’ often signed ‘Richard Dowden (Rd.)’, to distinguish himself from others of the same name. (He is referred throughout this list simply as ‘Richard Dowden’ ). Businessman, botanist, philanthropist and Mayor, Richard Dowden was, in his day, one of the most respected and prominent citizens of Cork. While still a young man he moved to Cork City with this family. Dowden was a close friend of the Jennings family, the leading soda water and magnesia manufacturers in the city. On the death of Mr. Jennings senior, Dowden was asked by his family to run the company which he did successfully for the best part of his life. He was also involved in vinegar manufacture. A Unitarian Presbyterian, Dowden was, for many years, the Honorary Treasurer and one of the Trustees of the Unitarian Presbyterian Church in Prince’s Street. His religious background seems to have strongly influenced his attitude to business, his curiosity for learning and his concern for his fellow citizens. A Liberal and pro-repealer, Dowden was an associ ate of Daniel O’Connell and “ laboured with him from the time of the movement for Catholic Emancipation and during the Repeal agitation to the close of the Liberator’s career”. He was a frequent speaker at the Cork People’s Hall on the subject of repeal. A member of Cork Corporation, Dowden was elected Mayor of Cork City for 1845 and Alderman for the Lee Ward in 1847. A strong advocate of temperance, Dowden was closely associated with the work of Father Theobald Matthew. He was particularly active in fun draising for the ‘Apostle of Temperance’ who was, due to his generosity, constantly in financial difficulty. Apart from his temperance work, Dowden’s other philanthropic activities included service as a Poor Law Guardian, an officer of the Blind Asylum and a

U140 Richard Dowden Papers Descriptive List

Governor of the Lunatic Asylum. He also served on the Cork Poor Relief Committee, which was established to provide relief during the famine, and on the Cork Anti-Slavery Committee. Dowden and his wife Mary (nee Clear) had one child, a daughter Susan, who inherited her father’s zeal for philanthropy and greatly assisted him in his efforts. Richard Dowden was an active member of the Royal Cork Institution, where he held the position of Librarian, and of the Cork Literary and Scientific Society, and he was involved in setting up the Mechanics Institute, the School of Design, and other institutions. A plaque erected in his memory by the latter in the Cork School of Art (now the Crawford Art Gallery ) reads: “ In memory of Richard Dowden (Rd.) sometime Mayor and Alderman of this City and for 26 years Censor of the Cork Literary and Scientific Society, the members of which desire to place on record their appreciation of his life-long zeal for the advancement of learning in this their own and in o ther kindred institutions.” Among the many other societies of which Dowden was a member were the Cork Cuvierian Society, the Celtic Society, the Zoological Society of Dublin and the Cork City and County Horticultural Society. A competent botanist, he lect ured extensively on the subject and his book “ Walks after Wild Flowers” or “The Botany of the Bohereens” was published in 1852. He died on 5 August 1861. Dowden’s daughter, Susan Allman , received a letter after his death describing hi m as a man whose ‘... heart embra ced the larger family of the whole human race’ (PR42/1/1). Archival History Donated to Archives via Cork County Library in 1973 by Mr. Alec Day. The Richard Dowden fonds was donated together with material, including essays and minute books, from the Cork Scientific and Literary Society of which Dowden was the Censor for many years, and a small number of records of the Royal Cork Institution probably held by Dowden in his position as Librarian, as well as a later artificial collection of material mainly relating to Dowden’s family following his death. The whole of the material donated by Mr. Day was originally identified as the ‘Day Papers’, however, this refers to the overall accession, and the Cork Literary and Scientific Society and the records of the Royal Cork Institution, and the later artificial collection, are each separate fonds and have been separately catalogued, although they share an association with Dowden, and form part of the original ‘Day Papers’ accession by Mr. Day.

CONTENT AND STRUCTURE

Scope and Content Personal papers of Richard Dowden.

Notebooks and journals relating to his activities, positions, and interests, including; education, religion, education, science, literature, language, philosophy, geology, evolution, biology, Cork Corporation/Borough of Cork, botany, politics. (Section A)

Small number of essays, loose notes or lectures by Richard Dowden, such as religious constitutions of America, the death penalty and punishment, land ownership, botanical matters, biology, zoology,

U140 Richard Dowden Papers Descriptive List

taxonomy of mammals, cash land trade, evils of (political) patronage, horse racing. Probably related to papers given to the Cork Literary and Scientific Society. (Section B)

Extracts, in newscutting and scrapbook form, from Dowden's publication 'Botany in the Bohereens or Walks after Wild Flowers', in the Weekly Agricultural Review, Irish Country Gentleman's newspaper etc. (c1847-c1858). (Section C)

Personal financial accounts and receipts (?1820s-1840s) including fragment of account book of Richard Dowden as Mayor of Cork in 1845 (U140/D/2). (Section D)

Various extracts from poetry, songs, and literature; topics include: the burial of Sir John Moore, female philosophers, friendship, Thomas Hincks, religion, poem 'The Rose of Gurranabraher', science. (Section E) 2 items of family material including note re. marriage of Susan/Susanna, only child of Richard Dowden, to Francis William Allman, at Presbyterian Meeting House, by Rev. William Whitelegge, 23 Oct 1856, and a Coat of Arms of Richard Dowden Richard, with his motto, 'Fide et Fervore'. (Section F) Personal memorabilia, including a note from Edmond Keane, noted actor, 1829; an Arms Licence from 1837, and a series of tickets and calling cards from the 1840s - 50s, as well as a music score. (Section G) 2 drawings, including a printed sketch portrait of Richard Alfred Milliken, drawn by H. Millington (b1767 - d1815), from a sketch by J. Corbett, engraved by H. Meyer. Possibly from book about him by his sister Anne, in 1823. (Milliken was author of 'The Groves of Blarney' poem, about the estate of Lady Jeffereys of Blarney Castle); and a sketch of emblem or flag design of a water wheel. (Section H)

File of 12 newsclippings on miscellaneous topics including a biography of Frederick Douglass. (Section I)

The bulk of the Dowden collection comprises a large number of mainly printed manuscripts, both loose (Section J) and inserted into scrapbooks (Section K), kept or collected by Dowden relating to various organisations, interests, causes, and institutions, including circular letters, handbills, newscuttings, posters, reports, programmes, and prospectuses, relating to societies, politics and local government, educational issues, religious movements, charities, commercial entities, medical institutions, theatre and concerts; and also including some publications and exhibition catalogues. Organisations and causes include, for example; Temperance, Borough of Cork/Cork Corporation, Repeal of Act of Union campaign, Christian Brothers schools, Liberal Party, reform, the Presbyterian Congregation at Princes Street, the Blind Asylum, railways, and the North Infirmary hospital. The scrapbooks (Section K) contain an estimated 1600 pages with from 1 to 12 items on each page. Outgoing correspondence includes 3 copy letter books (c350pp) containing mainly letters sent in Dowden’s capacity as member or official of any of the organisations with which he served or to which he subscribed. (L/001)

Incoming correspondence to Dowden survives from over 143 individuals, including family members, friends, fellow campaigners, political associates, politicians, nobility and gentry, scholars and

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academics, and acquaintances. The correspondence is extensive, but only 1 or 2 items exist for each person in many cases. Correspondents include Thomas Osborne Davis, Daniel O’Connell MP, Father Theobald Mathew, sculptor John Hogan, artist Daniel Maclise, John Francis Maguire MP, William Wilde (father of writer Oscar Wilde), antiquarian John Windele, surgeon John Woodroffe, journalist Joseph O’Leary, Andrew O’Dwyer MP, Spring Rice (Lord Monteagle), William Maginn , the Duke of Wellington, Lord Morpeth, Sir Robert Peel and Charles Trevelyan, Lord and Lady Bandon and other Irish Peers (L/002 – L/144). MS. volume containing a report by William Cunningham of weather observations for each month from Jan 1845 to Dec 1848 (during the Great Famine), including mean temperature, rain in inches, wind, etc. Also, tables of figures giving mean temperatures, rain and prevailing winds, for each year from 1845 to 1848, plus an abstract of register of rain 1825 - 1844 and totals for each year, averages over 20 years, etc. The Richard Dowden collection is of major interest to the study of 19 th century Ireland, particularly government, politics, religion, social history, charitable activities and organisations, education, scholarship, science, literature and the arts, theatre, and women’s history . The collection documents the world of a liberal pro-Repeal Protestant of the merchant class in an era of huge political, social, economic, as well as intellectual and scientific, development. In politics we see Dowden, the Liberal club member, a supporter of Catholic emancipation and of Daniel O’Conne ll MP and the Repeal of the Act of Union campaign (U140/J/02/09). Other political material in the collection relates for example to public distress, suffrage, the tenant league, capital punishment, the Friends of Liberty, and the Friends of Thomas Davis, and we also find a number petitions to parliament from the citizens of Cork, such as, requesting a public health act for Ireland (U140/J/02/27). Dowden was unwavering in his support for repeal and reform, as evidenced by his refusal to sign a petition of loyalty during the turbulent year of 1848, stating in a letter that he '....could not sign the address to the Queen nor advocate its being signed...we have furnished a continual supply of mercenaries to the army and navy, because we has for centuries no more lucrative occupation for our people...'. He goes on to refer to barbarous penal laws, and absurd restrictions, misery and poverty in Ireland. (U140/J/02/28) In common with many of his co-religionists, and many Cork citizens, he was a strong supporter of the anti-slavery movement, and he used his position as Mayor of Cork in 1845 to welcome Frederick Douglass to the City (U140/L/029; U140/J/01/011); and he corresponded with a number of reformers such as Joseph Sturge (U140/L/113) and Richard Allen (U140/L/002). Of Dowden’s service as Mayor and Alderman with Cork Corporation, there is only a limited amount of detailed material, including; a rough notebook recording some Corporation activities (U140/A/008); a fragment of an account book in his position as Mayor recording amounts disbursed (U140/D/2); dozens of meeting notices and calling cards for elections; a summons issued as ‘ Mayor and Chief Magist rate’ to an eating house keeper and a circular letter to families left destitute following shootings by police at the ‘Battle of Ballinhassig ’ in 1845 (U140/J/02/02 and U140/K/3). Dowden used his position as Mayor to further the cause of social reform and temperance, which he and many of his educated contemporaries saw as a panacea for infectious diseases and many social ills (U140/K/3/139).

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viii

Dowden ’ s other local government service with the Grand Jury (U140/J/02/07), the Wide Streets Commission (U140/J/02/11) ; and as a Poor Law Guardian with the Cork Poor Law Union (U140/J/02/06 and U140/K) are also quite well documented. Dowden was a major supporter and leader of the temperance movement in Cork, and there are over 70 items within the collection relating to this subject. His support was not only vocal, but material, as we see from his efforts to raise funds for Father Mathew (U140/J/07/01, U140/K, U140/L) and also efforts to erect the Father Mathew testimonial statue by John Hogan (U140/L/048). He used his position as Mayor to gain funds for temperance activities, as seen from a poster for the Theatre Royal, Cook Street, for a performance of the comedy ‘ School For Scandal ’, under the patronage of Dowden as Mayor, and Aldermen Thomas Lyons and William Fagan, for the benefit of St. Patrick's Temperance Hall (U140/K/3/141). Education was of particular interest to Dowden, as evidenced by material in the collection relating to over 30 educational bodies, lectures, and events, such as the Munster Agricultural School, the Christian Brothers, the Mechanics Institutes, and Munster Provincial College. (U140/J/03). Also found are a number of posters and handbills for lectures and demonstrations of scientific knowledge and technology such as a poster for lectures in Cork on the science of galvanic electricity, the electric light and the telegraph by Charles Glassford of Glasgow Philosophical Society, in 1835 (U140/K/3/148); and an 1845 printed syllabus of a course of lectures on botany and natural history at the Imperial Clarence Rooms, by G.J. Allman, Professor of Botany, Trinity College Dublin (U140/J/03/22); and a handbill from 1835 for a course of lectures on Phrenology by Mr. Wilson, of Dublin, at the Royal Cork Institution (U140/K/3/021). Developments in science and technology provided education and entertainment to Cork citizens of the era, as seen in a handbill from 1834, for a scientific exhibition by Holland and Co. of microscopes and a lime light, at the Royal Cork Institution, Nelson Place. 'A DROP OF WATER, Magnified 900,000 times!.....In Which are seen Thousands of Living Creatures....THE REFULGENT RAYS OF LIGHT, emanating from a ball of lime.... ILLUMINATING THE WHOLE CITY OF CORK!...' (U140/K/3/001) Material relating to religious organisations forms a small part of the collection but it is apparent that Dowden was dedicated to his Christian faith and that he devotedly carried out his work as treasurer of the Unitarian Presbyterian Congregation, while also maintaining close relationships and alliances with those of other faiths, indeed forming a close friendship with Father Mathew in the temperance campaign , and Daniel O’Connell MP in the campaign for Catholic Emancipation and Repeal. (U140/J/04, U140/K, U140/L). Theatre, music and art were interests of Dowden and the collection contains a series of posters and handbills for performances, mainly in the Theatre Royal in Cork, including a poster from 1834 for the ‘ African Roscius, Three Fingered Jack, Karfa the Slave, and Aladdin and The Wonderful Lamp ’ (U140/08). There are also a variety of theatre and concert posters and programmes within the scrapbooks for performances in Cork and in Dublin (U140/K/3). Art related material includes catalogues for exhibitions such as, by the Cork Art Union on the South Mall (U140/J/01/06); and a Royal Irish Art Union list of prize works of art, on exhibition at Cook Street in 1844 (U140/K/01/40); as well as his membership card for the National Art Union (U140/J/01/10/3).

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Cork, in Dowden’s lifetime , saw the growth of a variety of charitable and medical organisations committed to relieving the poor, the destitute, the sick, and the disabled, and there is a some amount of material relating to many of these in the collection, such as the Cork Charitable Loan Society, the House of Industry, the Sick Poor Society, the Magdalen Asylum, the Blind Asylum, the House of Recovery, the North Infirmary, and the Cork District Lunatic Asylum. (U140/J/05, U140/J/07 and U140/K). References to the Great Famine (1845-49) are present in a number of documents, including an address in 1847 by the Cork Repeal Association at the People's Hall referring to the 'desperate condition' of the country due to Famine, seeking 'unanimity of action among the True Friends of our Noble, though now Ruined and Unhappy Country' (U140/J/02/09/01); and a handbill on 'The Use of Indian Meal as an Article of Food', instructions for use as a porridge/suppawn, mush, bread without yeast, and ‘ hasty pudding ’ (U140/K/1/28). Dowden also received a letter from Thomas Laurent, Mexico, formerly of Kilworth, in 1846, referring to the failure of the potato crop in Ireland, relating that he sent on by steamer a basket of fine potatoes for seed and a box of 'nature/aboriginal' potato to the Chamber of Commerce (U140/J/059). The subject of emigration features in a number of items, including a material relating to John Besnard Junior's emigration depot in Cork, with lists of ships despatched in 1843 and 1844 to Sydney and Port Philip, Australia (U140/K/1/33, K/3/50, K/3/68), and a set of letters regarding the organisation of emigration to the U.S.A. in 1848, in association with the Poor Law Guardians (U140/L/34). Dowden was also a businessman and an investor, dedicated to promoting commercial and industrial development, to the benefit of society, and the relief of poverty. Commercial concerns mentioned include railways, and a proposed transatlantic packet station, and the proposed Irish Sugar Beet Company (U140/J /06, /10, /11, /12; U140/K, U140/L). There is little material in the collection concerning his work at Jennings apart from the occasional letter in a scrapbook (U140/K/3/035 etc.) An address to the Lord Lieutenant by the Cork Trades Association and People ’ s Hall, of which he was a leading member, dating from the 1835-1839 period, provides a neat summary of Richard Dowden’s world view at that time. It states that their object is to ‘ ...improve the physical and moral conditions of the destitute mass abounding in Cork city and county by extending the elective franchise, encouraging manufactures and industry, making legal provision for the poor, neutralising the effects of absentee landowners, and [providing for] the cheap diffusion of knowledge... ’ . (U140/J/02/21)

System of Arrangement A:

MS. Notebooks/Journals of Richard Dowden c1820 – c1850 (11 Items/ c700pp) B: Essays, loose notes or lectures by Richard Dowden c1830-1861 (10 items/series) C: ‘Botany in the Bohereens’ Publi cation ?1847-1858 (7 items) D: Personal Accounts and Receipts ?1820s-1849 (6 items) E: Literature and Poetry 1816 – 1853 (11 items) F: Family material, Richard Dowden 1820-1856 (2 items) G: Memorabilia 1829-1850s (14 items)

U140 Richard Dowden Papers Descriptive List

Drawings ?1823-1840s (2 items)

File of Newsclippings 1817-1856 (12 items)

J: Loose MSS., mainly printed, relating to various organisations and causes 1820-1856 (10 series and 158 sub series) K: Scrapbooks (1822) 1844-1864 (4 vols. /c1600pp) L: Correspondence ?1818 – 1860 (c350pp plus 143 items/series) M: MS. volume of weather observations by William Cunningham, 1845-1848 (21pp)

The incoming Correspondence (L/002 – L/144) is in alphabetical order by sender name.

(See also: table of contents)

CONDITIONS OF ACCESS AND USE Conditions Governing Access: The records are in hard copy. Open by appointment to registered Readers

Language: English

Finding Aids: Descriptive List

ALLIED MATERIALS

Related Units of Description Reference

Description

Cork City Council/ Cork Corporation

RCI

Royal Cork Institution

U25 and U87

Presbyterian Congregation, Princes St. Cork

CLS

Cork Literary and Scientific Society Cork Wide Streets Commissioners

WSC

BG/69

Cork Board of Guardians

Elsewhere:

Windele MSS. Royal Irish Academy

RULES /CONVENTIONS USED ISADG.

U140 Richard Dowden Papers Descriptive List

PUBLICATION NOTE ‘Inside Their World’, exhibition pamphlet, Cork Archives Institute, 1985 Crawford Municipal Art Gallery, Illustrated Summary Catalogue (1991) Article by James Coleman re. Richard Dowden, Cork Historical and Archaeological Society Journal Ser. 2, Vol. XXII, pp. 20-24 (1916). ARCHIVIST ’ S NOTE Although Dowden emplo yed the name ‘Richard Dowden (Richard) ’ for much of his life, he is referred throughout this descriptive list simply as ‘Richard Dowden’.

Brian McGee, Archivist, CCCA April 2013

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APPENDIX: ALPHABETICAL LIST OF CORRESPONDENTS (U140/L)

Name

Reference

Richard Dowden

U140/L/001

Richard Allen

U140/L/002 U140/L/003 U140/L/004 U140/L/005 U140/L/006 U140/L/007 U140/L/008 U140/L/009 U140/L/010 U140/L/011 U140/L/012 U140/L/013 U140/L/014 U140/L/015 U140/L/016 U140/L/017 U140/L/018 U140/L/019 U140/L/020 U140/L/021 U140/L/021A U140/L/022 U140/L/023 U140/L/024 U140/L/025 U140/L/026 U140/L/027 U140/L/028 U140/L/029 U140/L/030 U140/L/031 U140/L/032 U140/L/033 U140/L/034 U140/L/035 U140/L/036 U140/L/037 U140/L/038 U140/L/039 U140/L/040 U140/L/041 U140/L/042

[Prof George Allman]

Edward Ambrose

Archbishop of Dublin

John Arnott

[Lord Ashburton]

Lord Bandon

Dowager Lady Bandon

Robert Ball Lord Bantry

Dr. and Mrs. Barter Francis Beamish Lady Beecher Lord Berehaven Charles Bianconi John Bowring MP

Mazier Brady John Bright Lord Brogham John Browning

Elihu Burritt Miss Burditt

Edmond Burke

John, Bishop of Charleston

[?Crawford]

T. Crofton Croker John Dillon Croker

Thomas Davis

Frederick Douglas

[? Eden] [? Ellit]

[Lord Ennismore] Earl of Fitzwilliam

Flour - Rathbone Letters

W. Forde W.J. Fox

Colonel [Garten] E. Tighe Gregory

[Dowager Countess] Grey

Charles Y. Haines

Maria Hall

Samuel Hayman

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xiii

Christopher Hely-Hutchinson

U140/L/043 U140/L/044 U140/L/045 U140/L/046 U140/L/047 U140/L/048a U140/L/048 U140/L/049 U140/L/050 U140/L/051 U140/L/052 U140/L/053 U140/L/054 U140/L/055 U140/L/056 U140/L/057 U140/L/058 U140/L/059 U140/L/060 U140/L/061 U140/L/062 U140/L/063 U140/L/064 U140/L/065 U140/L/066 U140/L/067 U140/L/068 U140/L/069 U140/L/070 U140/L/071 U140/L/072 U140/L/073 U140/L/074 U140/L/075 U140/L/076 U140/L/077 U140/L/078 U140/L/079 U140/L/080 U140/L/081 U140/L/082 U140/L/083 U140/L/084 U140/L/085 U140/L/086 U140/L/087 U140/L/088 U140/L/089 U140/L/090 U140/L/091

[Louis G. Henderson]

H. Henessy

Sydney Herbert Thomas Dix Hincks

Cornelia Hogan

John Hogan W.J. Hooker

Fred Howard [Joseph Hume]

John Hurley

Henry Dix Hutton

John [?Hyland/ Leyand], Dublin Castle

Robert Kane William L.Keys

G. Lamb

Lord Landsdowne Thomas Laurent William Le Fanu Denis Shine Lalor

Lord Listowel C. MacDonald

Daniel McDonald

Letters etc. from James McDonald

James MacKay Daniel Maclise

James Weeks Maginn

William Maginn

John Frances Maguire

[Rev.] Francis Mahony (Father Prout)

[J.M. Martin or ?FM Martin]

James Martineau

Fr. Theobald Mathew

Lord Midleton Robert Milliken

Lord Milton

J. [Montaigue] Lord Monteagle

Sir Moses Montefiore

A. Moore, Poor Law Commission

Thomas Moore Lord Morpeth

Lord Mount Cashell

'Nan'

Lord Norbury

Daniel O'Connell Maurice O'Connell [Andrew] O'Dwyer

Joseph O'Leary

Silver Charles Oliver

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xiv

Joseph Orr

U140/L/092 U140/L/093 U140/L/094 U140/L/095 U140/L/096 U140/L/097 U140/L/098 U140/L/099 U140/L/100 U140/L/101 U140/L/102 U140/L/103 U140/L/104 U140/L/105 U140/L/106 U140/L/107 U140/L/108 U140/L/109 U140/L/110 U140/L/111 U140/L/112 U140/L/113 U140/L/114 U140/L/115 U140/L/116 U140/L/117 U140/L/118 U140/L/119 U140/L/120 U140/L/121 U140/L/122 U140/L/123 U140/L/124 U140/L/125 U140/L/126 U140/L/127 U140/L/128 U140/L/129 U140/L/130 U140/L/131 U140/L/132 U140/L/133 U140/L/134 U140/L/135 U140/L/136 U140/L/137 U140/L/138 U140/L/139 U140/L/140 U140/L/141

Annie E. Osbourne George Osborne

John Osborne

Susan D. Osborne Walter R. Osborne

'O'Sullivan'

Sir Charles Paget Sir Robert Peel Colonel Phipps

[CT] Ripon Lord Rosse

Lord [Rossmore] Arthur Russell

John Shea

Thomas Sheehan

JH Singer

The Marquis of Sligo

Mrs. Smyth

[Lord Stanhope] Thomas Steele Joseph Sturge

[W] Tinny

Charles Trevelyan

H. Upington Isaac Varian

J. Varian

Ralph Varian

CP Villiers

Edward Wakefield

Helena Wales Dr. Watkins

Richard Davis Webb The Duke of Wellington

William West

Mr. Whally

Sir Charles Wheatstone

Richard Whelan

[H.I.] White

W. Whitelegge James Whiteside Emma Whyatt [William] Wilde

JT Willes

William Willes John Windele

[Howard] Wiseman Henry Witham George D. Wood Dr. J. Woodroffe

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JP Wright

U140/L/142

Unidentified Persons

U140/L/143 U140/L/144

Postal Envelopes

U140 Richard Dowden Papers Descriptive List

DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF CONTENTS

A: MS. Notebooks/Journals of Richard Dowden c1820 – c1850 (11 Items/ c700pp)

Ref.

U140/A

Date:

c1820 - c. 1850

Level : series Title:

MS. Notebooks/Journals of Richard Dowden

Extent: 11 items (c700pp) Scope and Content:

MS. notebooks/Journals of Richard Dowden, relating to his interests including; scholarship, religion, education, science, literature, language, philosophy, geology, evolution, biology, business of Cork Corporation/Borough of Cork, botany, politics.

Ref.

U140/A/001

Date:

(1805) May 1825 - ?1830s

Level : item Title:

MS. Notebook/Journal of Richard Dowden

Extent: c150pp Scope and Content:

MS. notebook/Journal of Richard Dowden including 'letters to a friend', putting together a collection of books touching on Ireland, extracts from title deeds of Burnett's Chapel, Cork, that 'fell into the hands of the Committee of the Mechanics Institute' (1805); diary of Dr. Baldwin's election contest (1830).

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U140/A/002

Date:

c1827 - c1850

Level : item Title:

MS. Notebook/Journal of Richard Dowden

Extent: 143pp Scope and Content:

MS. notebooks/Journal of Richard Dowden containing notes and musings on miscellaneous topics, including; population of Leinster (p.52); swimming (p69); botanical species and specimens (pp26, 71 etc); the taking of a whale in Glengariff Harbour in 1811 (p95); 'Architectural Rules' (p119); 'Intolerance and its effects (p119); ingredients of 'Pomade de Nicholas', including white soap. potash, alum, water, oil of petroleum and camphor (p24); extract from Hardy's Life of Charlemont re. potatoes (p22); selection of words in the Irish language, with translations (p14).

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U140/A/003

Date:

? 1830s

Level : item

U140 Richard Dowden Papers Descriptive List

©Cork City and County Archives 2019

Title:

MS. Notebook of Richard Dowden

Extent: c60pp Scope and Content: MS. notebook of Richard Dowden containing notes on various matters, scientific, philosophical and literary.

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U140/A/004

Date:

1831

Level : item Title:

MS. Notebook/Journal of Richard Dowden

Extent: c70pp Scope and Content: MS. notebook/journal of Richard Dowden containing notes of Sunday School readings.

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U140/A/005

Date:

? c1830

Level : item Title:

MS. Notebook of Richard Dowden

Extent: c60pp Scope and Content: MS. notebook of Richard Dowden with various notes concerning a paper or essay related to anatomy and physiology, the brain, beauty, etc.

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U140/A/006

Date:

? c1840s

Level : item Title:

MS. Notes, Richard Dowden

Extent: 4pp Scope and Content: MS. list of c40 names of various (probably Roman Catholic) clergy around Clare, Offaly, Kerry, Cavan, Donegal, Cork etc.

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U140/A/007

Date:

? 1840s

Level : item Title:

MS. Notebook of Richard Dowden

Extent: 18pp Scope and Content: MS. notebook of Richard Dowden containing scientific and biological notes on species development, evolution, geological observations.

U140 Richard Dowden Papers Descriptive List

©Cork City and County Archives 2019

Ref.

U140/A/008

Date:

c.? 1845

Level : item Title:

MS. Notebook of Richard Dowden relating to Cork Corporation Business

Extent: c20pp Scope and Content:

MS. Notebook of Richard Dowden relating to Cork Corporation/ City Council business, including pipe water committee, Bettridge's Charity, gambling house, fire brigade, church pews, wide streets commission, bridge committee etc. Possibly around the time Dowden was Mayor of Cork in 1845.

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U140/A/009

Date:

12 May 1847

Level : item Title:

MS. Notebook by Richard Dowden relating to Botany.

Extent: c90pp Scope and Content: MS. Notebook of Richard Dowden, 'Book 3 Native Botany', containing notes on various species of plants.

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U140/A/010

Date:

Jan 1855

Level : item Title:

MS. Rough Notebook by Richard Dowden

Extent: 43pp Scope and Content:

MS. rough notebook or aide-memoir of [Richard Dowden], relating to various matters, including political economy, events in Cork, extension of Cork Borough boundary, Christmas, meanings of various words and phrases, quotations, railways, roads, observations etc.

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U140/A/011

Date:

?1820 - ?1840

Level : item Title:

MS. Notebook

Extent: c50pp Scope and Content:

MS. notebook, unknown author, possibly given to Richard Dowden. Contains comments on a book, essay or publication relating to philosophy and phrenology. Possibly papers for Cork Literary and Scientific Society.

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U140/A/012

Date:

nd [?1820s - 1840s]

Level : item Title:

MS. Notebook

Extent: 11pp Scope and Content:

U140 Richard Dowden Papers Descriptive List

©Cork City and County Archives 2019

Portion of MS. notebook 'Proposal to the [Bandon] Library Society' concerning the establishment of a library, with suggested subjects, rules, etc.

U140 Richard Dowden Papers Descriptive List

©Cork City and County Archives 2019

B: Essays, loose notes or lectures by Richard Dowdenc1830-1861 (10 items/series)

Ref.

U140/B

Date:

c1830 - 1861

Level : series Title:

Essays, loose notes or lectures by Richard Dowden

Extent: 10 items/series (14 individual items) Scope and Content:

Various essays, loose notes or lectures by Richard Dowden, such as religious constitutions of America, the death penalty and punishment, land ownership, botanical matters, biology, zoology, taxonomy of mammals, cash land trade, evils of (political) patronage, horse racing. Probably related to papers given to the Cork Literary and Scientific Society.

Ref.

U140/B/001

Date:

?1830 - ?1860

Level : item Title:

MS. notes by [Richard Dowden]

Extent: 47pp Scope and Content: MS. notes by [Richard Dowden], on the religious constitutions of America.

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U140/B/002

Date:

?1830s

Level : item Title:

MS. Essay or article by Richard Dowden

Extent: 29pp Scope and Content: MS. Essay, article or lecture by Richard Dowden on the death penalty and punishment. Possibly for the Cork Literary and Scientific Society.

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U140/B/003

Date:

?1830s - 1840s

Level : item Title:

MS. Essay or article by Richard Dowden

Extent: 20pp Scope and Content:

MS. essay or notes by Richard Dowden. Appears to concern issues of land ownership. Refers to absentee landlords, etc. [First pages missing, may have been a notebook originally. May be partial copy of U140/B/008.

Ref.

U140/B/004

Date:

?1830s - 1840s

Level : item

U140 Richard Dowden Papers Descriptive List

©Cork City and County Archives 2019

Title:

Fragment of MS. letter or note

Extent: 2pp Scope and Content: Fragment of MS. letter or note, possibly by Richard Dowden.

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U140/B/005

Date:

?1830s - 1840s

Level : item Title:

Fragment of MS. essay or note

Extent: 1p Scope and Content: Fragment of MS. essay or letter by [Richard Dowden], page '36' marked. Concerns land.

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U140/B/006

Date:

?1830s - 1840s

Level : item Title:

MS. Notes by Richard Dowden

Extent: 2pp Scope and Content: MS. notes by Richard Dowden, with botanical references, possibly part of the 'Botany of the Bohereens' articles.

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U140/B/007

Date:

?1830s - 1850s

Level : item Title:

Ms. Notes by [Richard Dowden]

Extent: 8pp Scope and Content: MS. notes by [Richard Dowden], with biological/zoological classification/taxonomy of various species of mammals.

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U140/B/008

Date:

1857

Level : series Title:

Essay by Richard Dowden on a 'Cash Land Trade'

Extent: 4 items Scope and Content:

1. 20 June 1857 MS. Volume with essay by Richard Dowden, 'Wanted a Cash Land Trade, Retail and Wholesale in Ireland', Part 1. Argues for a safe system if land-dealing and of land-possessing, " 'The Land we live in could it be made securely and easily teh land we live by?' ". Refers to legislation, land laws, trade, sales, absenteeism, emigration, United States. (62pp)

2. 1857 MS. volume, on the 'Cash Land Trade', Part 2. (31pp)

U140 Richard Dowden Papers Descriptive List

3. 1857 MS. volume with 'Notes on a Cash Land Trade' for Ireland with notes from a report of the Encumbered Estates Commission of Enquiry, constrained emigration. (30pp)

4. 1857 MS. volume with essay 'A Cash Land Trade...in Ireland', marked 'British Association Copy'. (30pp)

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U140/B/009

Date:

Oct 1860

Level : item Title:

MS. volume, essay by Richard Dowden

Extent: 20pp Scope and Content:

MS. Volume with essay by Richard Dowden on 'Absolute Qualification better than Competitive Superiority, mere patronage, Evil of'. Regards the evils of competitive exams and patronage. Also newsclippings re. agricultural education in Ireland.

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U140/B/010

Date:

?[1861]

Level : sub-series Title:

MS. Essay or Lecture by Richard Dowden on Horse Racing

Extent: 2 items Scope and Content: 1. MS. essay, lecture or speech by Richard Dowden concerning horse racing, 'Horse Racing Morally and Economically Examined'. Some in draft form. (May be a draft of 2.) (c100pp)

2. MS. essay 'Horse Racing Its Morals and its Usefulness Examined', mentions gambling 'the chief inducement', and 'Intense Excitement without good purpose'. Overall a negative assessment of the sport, but also general observations on various aspects such as 'The Greek Method of Training horses for the Course', economic considerations etc. (c100pp)

U140 Richard Dowden Papers Descriptive List

C: ‘Botany in the Bohereens’ Publication ?1847-1858 (7 items)

Ref.

U140/C

Date:

?1847 - 1858

Level : series Title:

'Botany in the Bohereens' Publication

Extent: 7 items Scope and Content: Scrapbooks and newscuttings of Richard Dowden's newspaper publication 'Botany in the Bohereens or Walks after Wild Flowers', in the Weekly Agricultural Review, Irish Country Gentleman's newspaper etc.

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U140/C/001

Date:

?1847 - 1858

Level : item Title:

'Botany in the Bohereens' Publication

Extent: 7 pp Scope and Content: MS. 'Botany in the Bohereens, or Walks after Wild Flowers', by Richard Dowden. 'Continuing our Irish Leguminous plant...'.

Ref.

U140/C/002

Date:

?1847 - 1852

Level : item Title:

'Botany in the Bohereens' MS.

Extent: 7pp Scope and Content: MS. 'Botany in the Bohereens, or Walks after Wild Flowers', by Richard Dowden. Part 3 Chapter 9.

Ref.

U140/C/003

Date:

?1847 - 1852

Level : item Title:

'Botany in the Bohereens' MS.

Extent: 25pp Scope and Content: Portion [pp13 - 19] of MS. relating to Botany, possibly a draft of a part of 'Botany in the Bohereens, or Walks after Wild Flowers', by Richard Dowden.

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U140/C/004

Date:

?1847 - 1852

Level : item Title:

'Botany in the Bohereens' MS. Scrapbook

Extent: c30pp Scope and Content:

U140 Richard Dowden Papers Descriptive List

MS. scrapbook of Richard Dowden, contains 'Botany in the Bohereens' newsclips, in the Weekly Agricultural Review/ Irish Country Gentleman's newspaper.

Ref.

U140/C/005

Date:

?1847 - 1852

Level : item Title:

'Botany in the Bohereens' Newsclipping

Extent: 1 item Scope and Content: 'Botany in the Bohereens' by Richard Dowden, newsclipping.

Ref.

U140/C/006

Date:

c1852

Level : sub-series Title:

'Botany in the Bohereens' Newsclippings

Extent: 6 items Scope and Content: Series of newsclippings of 'Botany in the Bohereens' by Richard Dowden, from the Weekly Agricultural Review/Irish Country Gentleman's Newspaper.

Ref.

U140/C/007

Date:

Feb 1851 - 1858

Level : item Title:

MS. scrapbook 'Botany in the Bohereens' vol.2

Extent: c100pp Scope and Content: MS. scrapbook, 'Botany of Bohereens Vol. 2', with newscuttings of printed versions of the work. Divided into chapters with MS. lists of contents by Richard Dowden.

U140 Richard Dowden Papers Descriptive List

Personal Accounts and Receipts ?1820s-1849 (6 items)

Ref.

U140/D

Date:

?1820s - 1849

Level : file Title:

Personal Accounts and Receipts of Richard Dowden

Extent: 6 items Scope and Content: 1. [?1820s] MS. fragment of [personal] financial account of Richard Dowden. (20pp) 2. March 1845 Fragment of account book of Richard Dowden as Mayor of Cork. Amounts include; car hire, poor relief, discharging a poacher, newspapers, sending an orphan boy from Sundays Well to sea, etc. (4pp)

3. [?1840s] MS. receipt from a [hotel], to Richard Dowden, for dinner, bed, breakfast, tea etc. Total £2.2.1 (1 item)

4. [?1840s] MS receipt to Richard Dowden from Radley's Hotel, College Green, Dublin for breakfast, dinner, tea, washing. (2pp)

5. [?1840s] MS note / receipt re. bill of Richard Dowden for hotel in Mallow and car to Charleville. (1p)

6. 5 Sep 1849 MS. receipt from hotel to Richard Dowden for breakfast, dinner, washing, bed, etc. (2pp)

Literature and Poetry 1816 – 1853

(11 items)

Ref.

U140/E

Date:

1816 - 1853

Level : series Title:

Literature and Poetry

Extent: 11 items Scope and Content:

MS material containing various extracts from poetry, songs, and literature; topics include: the burial of Sir John Moore, female philosophers, Windle, friendship, Thomas Hincks, religion, poem 'The Rose of Gurranabraher', science.

Ref.

U140/E/001

Date:

6 Sep [1816]

Level : item Title: Extent: 2pp

Copy of letter and poem

U140 Richard Dowden Papers Descriptive List

Scope and Content: Facsimile copy of MS. letter from [Erle] Young and Charles Wolfe to John Taylor Esq., at the Rev. Mr. Anthony's, Clonoulty, Cashel, Co. Tipperary, with text of poem 'Burial of Sir John Moore', in 8 stanzas of 4 lines.

'Not a damn was heard, not a funeral note,

As his course to the rampart we hurried...' (V.1) etc.

Ref.

U140/E/002

Date:

1832

Level : item Title:

MS. volume of poetry and verse

Extent: c100pp Scope and Content:

MS. volume [by Richard Dowden, or his wife] with essays, copies of texts and verse 'Female Philosophers', poetry or songs and writings; including 'The Defence of Female Genius', 'Characters Not Drawn from Life', 'A Tory's dream of the Cork Election 1812-13'; 'To the Tenth Muse and Fourth Grace', possibly about or written by women.

Ref.

U140/E/003

Date:

?1830s

Level : item Title:

MS. Poem

Extent: 70pp Scope and Content: MS. poem ' Murder A Poem', by [?Richard Dowden], 'Addressed to all Christians and to the wiser sort of heathen in these realms'.

"Oh for a strain whose deep and mournful swell

Of tragic deeds, in tragic times may tell..." (v.1)

With footnotes.

Ref.

U140/E/004

Date:

?1840s

Level : item Title:

MS. Note/Extract from essay or letter

Extent: 2pp Scope and Content:

MS. Note/Extract from essay or letter, in 2 hands, marked 'Windle', possibly by John Windle/Windele. Refers to post in agricultural magazine, agricultural potential of Ireland.

U140 Richard Dowden Papers Descriptive List

Page i Page ii Page iii Page iv Page v Page vi Page vii Page viii Page ix Page x Page xi Page xii Page xiii Page xiv Page xv Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84 Page 85 Page 86 Page 87 Page 88 Page 89 Page 90 Page 91 Page 92 Page 93 Page 94 Page 95 Page 96 Page 97 Page 98 Page 99 Page 100 Page 101 Page 102 Page 103 Page 104 Page 105 Page 106 Page 107 Page 108 Page 109 Page 110 Page 111 Page 112 Page 113 Page 114 Page 115 Page 116 Page 117 Page 118 Page 119 Page 120 Page 121 Page 122 Page 123 Page 124 Page 125 Page 126 Page 127 Page 128 Page 129 Page 130 Page 131 Page 132 Page 133 Page 134 Page 135 Page 136 Page 137 Page 138 Page 139 Page 140 Page 141 Page 142 Page 143 Page 144 Page 145 Page 146 Page 147 Page 148 Page 149 Page 150 Page 151 Page 152 Page 153 Page 154 Page 155 Page 156 Page 157 Page 158 Page 159 Page 160 Page 161 Page 162 Page 163 Page 164 Page 165 Page 166 Page 167 Page 168 Page 169 Page 170 Page 171 Page 172 Page 173 Page 174 Page 175 Page 176 Page 177 Page 178 Page 179 Page 180 Page 181 Page 182 Page 183 Page 184 Page 185