piked to death

[Oaks and Acorns]

As follow-up to this thread I sent an e-mail to the archivist at the House of Commons to try and track down the affidavits mentioned in the book above - "Such affidavits were numerically registered in the archives of the house of commons".

Rather than trying to paraphrase the reply I will give it to you verbatim –

“The reference you have found is most interesting. Unfortunately I have not been able to find any information in the Archives about it. The original historic records of the House of Commons were almost all destroyed in 1834 in the fire which burnt down the old Houses of Parliament; the only items to survive were the House of Commons Journals (the minute book of proceedings). I fear the original register of affidavits mentioned here will have simply have been burned in the fire.
 
I have looked in the Journal indexes for around 1798, and also searched House of Commons Parliamentary Papers (printed Commons papers such as reports and accounts) but have been unable to find any mention of them there. I am sorry to give you this disappointing answer.”

It puts our fire in the Four Courts into a different perspective.

Dara.

[nbrome]

Anyway, it's nice to know someone actually took the time to look pretty thoroughly.

[Wexford Man]

Doing some research for my husband's family name:  Gainsforth and all variations.
His American branch came from Wexford and I found a reference on the net to a Thomas Gainsforth who was piked to death along with 96 others on Wexford Bridge in the Rising of 1798.
Does anyone know anything about this? I wonder how reliable this info is. Are the names recorded somewhere?
(I got the info from an Ancestry Freepage).

The book you want is Sir Richard Musgrave's History of the 1798 Rebellion which lists the 'loyalist' victims names of most major incidents and if my memory serves me right his account of the pikings at Wexford Bridge has a list of names. The book originally appeared in 1799/1800 but was reprinted in 1995 and is still available in the USA. Roundtower Books - Indiana. It is a massive tome and well worth having - biased but full of information.


Memoirs of the Different Rebellions in Ireland, from the Arrival of the English; also, A Particular Detail of That Which Broke Out the XXIIId of May, MDCCXCVIII; with the History of the Conspiracy which Preceded It and the Characters of the Principal Actors in It. To this Edition is Added, A Concise History of the Reformation of Ireland; and Considerations on the Means of Extending Its Advantages Therein [2nd edn.] (Dublin: Milliken 1801); Strictures upon an Historical Review of the State of Ireland [by Francis Plowden]; Or, a justification of the conduct of the English Governments in that Country, from the Reign of Henry the Second to the Union of Great Britain and Ireland (1804). Reprint Edition: Steven W. Myers and Delores E. McKnight, eds., Memoirs of the Irish Rebellion of 1798 [first edn. 1801], with a forward by David Dickson (Enniscorthy: Duffy Press; Fort Wayne, Indiana: Round Tower Books 1995). 

[nbrome]

Thanks for that info.
Is your first book mentioned the same as the book for which Oaks and Acorns put in a link (see earlier post)?  The author is the same and there are lots of names there.

[Wexford Man]

Sorry for the delay in coming back to you. I went to the local library today and checked the book by Sir Richard Musgrave that I referred to above. Page 805 (part of the list of those murdered at Wexford Bridge) shows a Thomas Gainfort of Wexford being one of the victims. Musgrave's history of the rebellion was discredited it the time as it was extremely biased but in recent years it has enjoyed a revival in popularity amongst historians as it is full of very detailed information including lists of names etc.etc. A veritable mine of information for anyone researching the period or looking for family members. Two of my relations are also listed as meeting their end at Wexford Bridge - ethnic cleansing at its worst! Anyway I hope that the information is some help to you. 

[Oaks and Acorns]

I came across this CD '1798 Rebellion, Claimants and Surrender' at http://www.ifhs.ie/reviews_cd.html

Thought it might be of use to you.

Dara.

[nbrome]

Thanks for that info.
Er...........has anyone bought this?      (Just thought I'd ask!)

[jimbo09]

I found a list of names from Musgrave under Irish genealogy projects archives at igp-web.com
I’m sorry I cant post the link it was some time ago
See if you can find it

[Andrew Graham]

Re Piked to  death  See '1798 Casualty Database" it's on Facebook