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Unfortunately I only have a record from Muskeagh from 1839.

The records were taken in 1827, 1839, 1848, 1850, 1860 and 1868.

In the 1839 record for Muskeagh there is a holding for Richard and John Giddens.  The holding was 34 acres, 1 rood and 20 perches, shared equally between both men.

Richard was 78 years old, his wife was 81 and they had 2 sons and a daughter living with them (although there is a note indicating that these were grandchildren, it is a little difficult to read).  They also had a male and a female servant.

John was 67 years old, his wife was 69 and they had 2 sons, 2 daughters and a son-in-law living with them.

Both Richard and John were farmers.

I had a quick look at the records for Farnees which is a neighbouring townland, but I wasn't able to find any Giddens/variants there.

Hope this helps,

Shane

Hi Nigel,

Thanks for this update.  Certainly seems like we're closer to making the link between my Cookes of Hacketstown and the Griffinstown Cookes.

My ancestors lived in Rathnagrew so this certainly seems to tie in with the marriage settlement information you read.

Have you got the Landed Court Rentals documents for Hacketstown?  These make reference to the lease of 1736 for Rathnagrew:

"Holds under a lease bearing date the 30th day of August, 1736, from Alexander Carroll to John Smith, for three lives renewable for ever, at the yearly rent of £12 8s., late Irish currency, being equivalent to £11 8s. 1d. present currency, and £6 late Irish currency, equivalent to £5 10s 9d., present currency, as a fine for renewal on the fall of each life.  The premises are stated to contain 38 acres, plantation measure.  The last renewal bears date the 4th day of March, 1837, from John Leonard to Robert Cooke, for the lives of Robert Jones, Joseph Jones, and Sheppard Jones."

Incidentally, just above this entry is a listing for land in Rathnafishogue in the name of George Wilson and Hannah Jones with the following details:

"Holds under a lease bearing date the 26th day of March, 1837, from Alexander Carroll to John Cooke, for three lives, renewable for ever, at the yearly rent of £36 16s., late Irish currency, and a renewal fine of £18 18s. like currency, on the fall of each life.  The premises are stated to contain 151 acres plantation measure.  The last renewal bears date the 8th day of May 1838, from John Leonard to Elizabeth Cooke, George Wilson, and William Saul Jones, for the lives of Nicholas Wilson, Thomas Wilson and William Young."

Looking through the documents I also see the name Robert Patton Jones appear for several parcels of land in the Eagle Hill area.

Apologies for not replying to your earlier private message - it was on my list but I wanted to go back over my documents about the Cooke family first (they are not well organised).

I believe I have another document regarding the first Cookes in Hacketstown.  I will go through my files and get back to you on this.

Thanks again,

Shane

Hello,

I am descended from the Cooke family of Hacketstown, Co. Carlow.

I transcribed the Cooke grave you mentioned in Hacketstown.  It is a ledger style grave and the moss made it quite difficult to read:

Erected by William Cooke
In memory of his wife Elizabeth Cooke
Who departed this life the 7th March 1818
Aged 36 Years.
xxxx
xxxx crucified saviour.
Also xxxx of William Cooke here?
xx departed this life January 185x

his son Robert Disney Cooke who
departed this life January 6th 1881 aged 66 years

I also have the Landed Estate Court Rentals document for the sale of the estate of William Cooke of Griffinstown from 1854.  The following lease information is given which gives some details on the family:

"The Lands above-mentioned are held by virtue of a Lease, bearing date the 6th June 1787, from Morely Saunders to William Cooke, from the 1st May, then last, for lives renewable for ever; Rent reserved, £90 late currency, and payment of the sum of £20 late currency, renewal fine.  The last renewal is dated the 30th January, 1840, from Robert Francis Saunders to the Owner, William Cooke, for the lives of William Johnston Cooke, now aged about 20 years, Ruth Barker, now aged about 81 years and John Cooke, since deceased.  The present owner, on the death of said life, paid to Mr. Saunders the fine for the renewal but neglected to take out the renewal...
  These lands will be sold, subject to a contingent jointure or rentcharge of £50, present currency, a-year, created by an Indenture, dated 13th September, 1828, for the life of Anne, the wife of the owner, Wm. Cooke, now aged about 54 years, in the event of the said Anne surviving her husband (the owner is now aged about 49 years) and also to a perpetual rentcharge of £50 a-year, for Michael Cooke, brother of the owner and his issue."

I'd love to find out the connection of William Cooke of Griffinstown to the Hacketstown Cookes.  My own ancestors were named William and Robert so it seems likely that the families were related.

Do you know anything about the Cooke family going further back?

Shane

Hi John,

Thanks for your message.  I've been planning to check out Peggy Doyle's book myself.  Does her book contain the photos from the Evictions that were taken by Mr Mallacy?

These photos can be seen on the NLI website (if you search for 'Coolgreany' in the main catalogue it will bring them up).  I've read reports of my ancestor Mary Darcy who was very elderly and bed-ridden at the time of the evictions.  On the NLI website I can see photos of an old woman in her bed, but she is unidentified.  I was wondering if Peggy Doyle has named the people in the photos?

Here is one of the photos that I mean:

http://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000225678/Image?lookfor=http://www.nli.ie/npa/coolgreany/cool881b.jpg

Thanks for the information on the other books also, I will have to hunt them down!

Shane