SWEETMAN/CONNELL - Skibbereen

[shanew147]

the - means the listing leaves out the first name, maybe more dignified for a women of the gentry!

a few Freke references on Lewis 1837 in case you have not seen them

  Baltimore village - Sir John Evans Freke,
  Rathbarry (Civil Parish) - Castle Freke, Arthur Freke, Esq.


Shane

[shanew147]

an even earlier Freke listing.. from the Nobility, Gentry Clergy section for Skibbereen section in Pigot's directory of 1824 :

  Freke John, esq. magistrate, Baltimore

maybe the husband of the Mrs. Freke listed in 1846 ?

also listed in the same section is a Mrs. Sweetman, Mardyke



Shane

[ajf25]

Somehow I don't think my mob is going to part of the gentry.  I did find some time ago that Freke Payne was a principal landholder in Rath in 1875 (from Cork past & present).  I contacted a family historian at one of the Irish libraries (sorry can't remember where now) and she told me he would have owned rather than tenanted it.  I think that's about as close as we'll get to gentry.  I know by 1884, they were in desperate straits and they and a number of their offspring were brought to Australia by their eldest son, who'd done well for himself in Melbourne.

Alison

[shanew147]

just noticed I didn't make the details clear on the 1824 entry - the surname is first in Pigot listings. Other entries I posted are firstname/surname


S.

[skibbgirl]

If you have the luxury of searching films at the National Archives you'll find C of I records for Abbeystrewry on film # MFCI 32.

The Frekes may have been the Carberies (as in "Lord Carbery").  Has anyone in your family ever mentioned a relationship to Lord Carbery?

The name "Freke Payne" sounds unusual.  There is a T Payne (not F) in the Tithe Applotment of Tullagh in Lower Rathmore, sharing a lot with William Salter and John Sullivan.

[ajf25]

To Shane and Skibbgirl,

Freke (which seems to be spelt a number of ways over the years - Freak in 1853 Griffiths Valuation, also Fricke and even Fredk) is his first name, Payne his last.  His death cert here in Australia is Freke.

I've found Freak (recorded spelling) in the 1853 Griffith's valuation - Townland Rathmore, Parish Tullagh.

It's in the Barony of Carbery - plot 18a - perhaps the family is using the name as a tribute to the Frekes of Carbery.  The land could be Freke Payne's who died in Melbourne in 1893 or his father, also a Freke Payne.

I did find some time ago that Freke Payne was a principal landholder in Rath in 1875 (from Cork past & present). 

He'd obviously moved by 1875 - that entry was in the Street & Trade Directory.

Alison

[Sonas]

The landlord on that Griffith's listing is Reps of Lady Carbery. Freke is a very unusual first name and may indicate a familial relationship between the Payne and Freke (Carbery) families. Surnames were sometimes used as first names in this way. Even if your family isn't titled etc etc, I wouldn't rule it out. It might be worth digging around to see if you can find listings for land records relating to the Carbery estate (eg leases, conveyances etc) to see if you can establish a link.

[ajf25]

Sounds exciting, thanks Sonas

Alison

[lamahorse]

In Febuary 1921, the IRA shot two farmers (Matthew Sweetman and William Connell) for giving evidence against them in the crown court. An IRA volunteer was killed (Patrick O'Driscoll) by accident in the lead up. The farmers were in the townland of Lissenorhig and both families were pressured by the IRA to leave the country following the deaths.

I am guessing that Sweetman and Connell refused to pay the levy that the IRA set on the farmers to fund the struggle. I wonder if your family is related to these men.

My great grandfather's house was burned down as retaliation though he wasn't involved in the IRA.

Source: Irish Military Archives. Witness Paul Sullivan.