Author Topic: Cattle Dealers of Londonderry/Derry late 1800's early 1900's  (Read 7623 times)

Offline Debra Bouwer

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Re: Cattle Dealers of Londonderry/Derry late 1800's early 1900's
« Reply #18 on: Friday 25 May 18 10:30 BST (UK) »
Hello,  I just stumbled upon your post and found it interesting to note of your Cassidy family cattle dealers. Our Thomas Cassidy was a cattle dealer we suspect either Londonderry or Armagh. I too have found very little online except an article which speaks of the importance of cattle dealers. Ou Thomas was born about 1827 and married Margaret Somerville.

"The key figure in the success of the beef industry was the cattle dealer. He usually had some land of his own on which he could hold a stock of cattle. Like most other agricultural products cattle become ready for the market at the same time, namely at the end of summer, so a cattle dealer could hold over cattle to smooth out the supply to the English markets. As the cattle were bought and sold at the autumn fairs, sending them all directly to the English markets would cause a glut. The dealers had contacts with farmers, with the banks, with the railway and steamship companies and with the buyers at English fairs who were buying for the slaughterhouses. It was their organisation which made the beef industry profitable. The cattle from the less rich grasslands could not be sent directly to the butchers. The animals often had to finished off by fatteners who either had very good land or else stall-fed the cattle. Most of the cattle were shorthorns, except as noted above, Herefords in the Midlands. By the year 1900 many small farmers were using an Aberdeen Angus bull on small local cattle which produced a small animal which was popular with butchers. As with sheep and pigs, smaller and leaner animals were now being sought by the butchers. The whole tendency was away from enormous fat animals towards smaller animals with less fat. The drawback of this cross was that the cows were poor milkers (Farmers’ Gazette 9 June 1900)."

Offline aghadowey

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Re: Cattle Dealers of Londonderry/Derry late 1800's early 1900's
« Reply #19 on: Friday 25 May 18 12:38 BST (UK) »
I'm a bit puzzled by your post, Debra  ???

Our Thomas Cassidy was a cattle dealer we suspect either Londonderry or Armagh. I too have found very little online except an article which speaks of the importance of cattle dealers. Ou Thomas was born about 1827 and married Margaret Somerville.
If he's you ancestor then presumably you've been able to find where the children are from, checked Thomas' death certificate, etc?

Is this your Thomas Cassidy or a diffiernt cattle dealer with the same name?
The Will of Thomas Cassidy late of Armagh County Armagh Cattle Dealer deceased who died 24 August 1874 at same place was proved at Armagh by the oaths of George Sherry (junior) and John Sherry both of Armagh Cattle Dealers the Executors.
His death certificate is not yet online on Irish Genealogy site but index shows he was 45 years old so born c1829. The above Will mentions family (some by name) and you can read the wording of the Will (2 pages) on PRONI's site-
https://apps.proni.gov.uk/WillsCalendar_IE/WillsSearch.aspx
This Thomas Cassidy's Will had a daughter named Bridget and this looks like a good match for her- father Thomas Cassidy (dead) cattle dealer-
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1899/10394/5784672.pdf
If this is the correct Thomas then lots more information is online to trace him and his family.
Away sorting out DNA matches... I may be gone for some time many years!

Offline aghadowey

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Re: Cattle Dealers of Londonderry/Derry late 1800's early 1900's
« Reply #20 on: Friday 25 May 18 12:41 BST (UK) »
Also keep in mind that cattle dealers could be based in more than one area. A distant sort of connection of mine was a dealer in Co. Derry but travelled back and forth between here and England eventually with his family living in England so that I found numerous articles in both Irish and English newspapers.
Away sorting out DNA matches... I may be gone for some time many years!

Offline Debra Bouwer

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Re: Cattle Dealers of Londonderry/Derry late 1800's early 1900's
« Reply #21 on: Wednesday 30 May 18 18:59 BST (UK) »
Hi Argyle - wow a big thank you. I have the section of the will and having been considering it may be our Thomas but I did not realise I could access the will. Lots of info there so thank you. I am going to keep digging. Unless there were several Cattle Dealers called Thomas Cassidy - which could also be the case...


Offline aghadowey

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Re: Cattle Dealers of Londonderry/Derry late 1800's early 1900's
« Reply #22 on: Wednesday 30 May 18 19:02 BST (UK) »
I was the one who posted the information- lots more to be found online.
Away sorting out DNA matches... I may be gone for some time many years!

Offline Debra Bouwer

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Re: Cattle Dealers of Londonderry/Derry late 1800's early 1900's
« Reply #23 on: Monday 04 June 18 07:09 BST (UK) »
Oh so sorry - and a big thank you Aghadowey - much appreciated