Surveyor General's Office, Record Tower, Dublin Castle - where are the records?

[Katharine75]

Hi all. Hoping someone might be able to give me a point in the right direction. Whilst searching for an ancestor on Google books last night I came across a great reference in an old book. It contained a letter from the Surveyor General's Office and was dated 1812. It seems that there were documents pertaining to claims to land in Ireland that were housed in the Court of Claims and had escaped the Fire of 1711. The documents seemed to have needed sorting through and cataloging. There is a further page that indicates the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th reports from the commissioners respecting the Public Records of Ireland dated 1816-1820. My ancestors's reference was in the supplement to the 8th report dated 1819.

I had a quick look at the National Archives website and searched in their catalog but could not see anything of relevance. Where could these documents now be? Would they have perished in the 20thC fires in Dublin?

I should also mention that the claims in this report pertain to land given to adventurers and soldiers from Cromwell's era.

Look forward to some guidance on this issue. Thanks, Katharine.

[Sinann]

I'd check the UK National Archives.
The Down Survey may also prove usefull
http://downsurvey.tcd.ie/

[Katharine75]

Hi. Thanks for reply. 

I will check the UK archives. I already have the information from the Down Survey. I know my ancestor attained land post Cromwell in Ireland. What I did not know was if he was an adventurer or a soldier (both were given land as payment).
The reference I found actually confirmed that he was a soldier and the list seems to indicate that the individuals that were on it had written letters to the Court of Chancery in regard to their land claim.
So, I would love to know if the records still exist as I am now looking for information on where he might have originally come from!

[Katharine75]

I have had a look at the UK archives site and cannot find anything that I think could be it. I am now doubtful to its survival past 1922 

[John Falvey]

Have you tried the State Papers at https://archive.org/details/cu31924091770861/page/n575/mode/2up/? It might show the original land grant.

If it was queried under the Act of Settlement or Act of Explanation it might appear in the later versions:
•1660-1662 - https://archive.org/details/calendarstatepa00mahagoog/page/n7
•1663-1665 - https://archive.org/details/calendarstatepa12offigoog/page/n4
•1669-1670 - https://archive.org/details/cu31924091769590/page/n4

..and if was still unresolved in 1699 when Annesley and co. got to work then the Chichester House claims would be the next thing to look at especially if you can get into a Family History Center and look at the Tenison Groves collection. Next in line after would be the Register of Deeds Land Index for the relevant county, though that only started in 1708.

Many apologies if you've already tried these.

[Katharine75]

Hi John. Thanks for the references. I have searched them all but no hits for my man or his townland. Not sure what those documents are exactly as I have never seen them before (I am researching from Australia) and familiar with a fraction of the available records in Ireland!
I know he had the land in the late 1600s having displaced the previous occupier. Not sure what the documents he wrote might have been for.
Happy to hear of any other leads you might suggest 

[John Falvey]

Looking at what I think was the original document you googled, these look like claims under Act of Settlement and Act of Explanation. The document at https://www.jstor.org/stable/29742632 lists some of the cases in the north of Ireland. Which county did your ancestor have property in?

BTW have you look at Pender's "census"?

PS joining JSTOR is free and their COVID-special terms allow you to look at 100 documents per month.