North Street, Newry, County Down

North Street, Newry, County Down
North Street, Newry, County Down

Sunday 26 January 2020

Daniel Jennings [1765-1830] Mill Street, Newry, County Down

Daniel Jennings [1765-1830] of Mill Street, Newry, was married to Bridget. Her surname is unknown.  Daniel was the brother of Andrew Jennings of North Street.
They had four children.
  1. Patrick [1799-1873] who married Anne Coleman and moved to Dundalk, County Louth.
  2. Anne Jennings who married James Verdon son of Michael Verdon, Newry.
  3. Bridget [1807-1810] who married Daniel McCartan and emigrated to Wisconsin, USA.
  4. Charles, 2 Mill Street, Newry, Spirit Dealer.

In 1793 Daniel, like his brother Andrew, is found in the Convert Rolls.
Throughout the eighteenth century, restrictions enacted by the Penal Laws were relaxed for those Catholics who took the Oath of Allegiance to the King and renounced their religion for that of the established Church of Ireland. In the majority of cases this was not a sincere renunciation of the Catholic religion, as it was the only legal means whereby a Catholic could obtain basic civil rights.
In 1774 an Act was passed to permit the King’s subjects, of any religion, to take an oath at the local assizes (courts) “to testify to their loyalty and allegiance to him, to promote peace and industry in the kingdom.” [1]
In 1799 an advertisement appeared in the Belfast Newsletter regarding a flour miller.
WANTS EMPLOYMENT. A Flour-miller and Mill-wright who perfectly understands his business in all its various branches and whose Discharges amply testify for his Character and Abilities. Any ... who may want a person of the above description, are requested to direct a Line to Mr. Daniel Jennings, Millstreet, Newry 18th December 1799.[2]
Daniel was still living in Mill Street in 1803, and appeared in the Newry Town Agricultural Census.
Daniel Jennings, Mill Street, Newry. [3]

He was a spirit merchant by 1809.


PRIVATE DISTILLING
We the Spirit Merchants and Dealers in Whiskey, in the town of Newry, viewing with the utmost concern, the ruinous state of the spirit trade, occasioned by the great extent to which private Distilling is carried on in this country, do hereby offer a Reward of
TWENTY POUNDS STERLING
for such information as will lead to the Detection and Seizure of each Still; and we also pledge ourselves to the keeping secret the Informers’ Names.
The above Reward to be paid instantly on the Detection being made; and we agree to the sums annexed to our names, remaining as a Fund for the payment of such informations as may be given, which is to be paid rateably.
Any of the Subscribers will receive Informations, and be ready to pay the Reward, as above.
….Daniel Jennings £20. [1]


[1] Belfast Commercial Chronicle 28 January 1809
He is also recorded in 1812.
Daniel Jennings. Abode: Newry. Freehold: Mill St., Newry. Aug 19, 1812.[4]
By 1820 he was recorded as keeper of a tavern:
Name:             Daniel Jennings
Dates: 1801-1825
Location: Town: Newry; County/Colonial: Ireland
Occupation(s): tavern, public house keeper
Gender: Male
Address(es): Mill street; Town: Newry; County/Colonial: Ireland
Source Date:   1820.[5]
By 1824 he had become a grocer:
Grocers and Tea Dealers: Jennings, Daniel, Mill-street. [6]

Daniel appears to have been active in the Catholic Association in Newry, at one meeting acting as Chairman.
In July 1828 three  letters were sent by Robert Atkinson, Newry,[ County Armagh]  to William Gregory, [Under Secretary], believing that there is a plot among Catholics in his area to murder him; making allegations against a number of individuals and public houses in the town including John Russell and [sic] attorney, who is associating with the ‘Council of Liberators’  or ‘Mr O’Connell’s Gang of Assassins’ and who was implicated in the 1798 Rebellion; also mentioning Daniel Jennings, John Trainor, Mr. Barrett, the Collector of Excise, James Tayler; making a number of deranged claims and for example stating that he publically declared in Newry that the newly constructed Catholic church would be converted into a Protestant church.[7]
This was followed by a Letter from Smithson Corry, magistrate, Newry, County Down, on the 10th September, 1828, advising government not to pay any attention to any letters from Robert Atkinson of Newry who is insane. Also annotation from [Francis Leveson Gower, Chief Secretary] noting that no notice has been taken of multiple letters from Atkinson. [8]

Daniel died in 1830. His funeral expenses are recorded. 1830 June 1st. Daniel Jennings Mill St., (£5.00).[9]
Bridget died two years later in 1832.
They are buried together in St Marys Newry Graveyard Plot No. 69 Section Old B, with their son Patrick and his wife Anne. The grave has a slate headstone and a stone edging.
This monument was erected by Daniel Jennings of Newry 1816, who departed this life 21st June 1830 aged 65, also his beloved wife Bridget who departed this life 27th October 1832 aged 64, may the Lord have mercy on their souls, also pray for the soul of his son Patrick Jennings of Dundalk who died 18th November 1873 aged 74 and his wife Anne Jennings who died 18th May 1897 aged 87.[10]
Patrick, Anne, Bridget and Charles are all mentioned as his children in Daniel Jennings will which was probated in1831.



[1][1] www.nationalarchives.ie
[2] Belfast Newsletter 20 Dec 1799.
[3] Newry Town Agricultural Census 1803. (D/654/A2/29). www.bagenalscastle.com.
[4] Newry, Co. Down 1813-21. PRONI: T/761/20.
[5] Listed in The Commercial Directory, of Scotland, Ireland, and the four most Northern Counties of England, for 1820-21 & 22.
[6] Pigot 1824
[7] NAI  CSO/RP/OR/1828/735
[8] NAI CSO/RP/1828/1384
[9] Newry Church Records. Funerals. NLI Pos 5502. Newry 05502/05 nli.ie
[10] www.findagrave.com

Wednesday 22 January 2020

Andrew Jennings [- 1818] of Newry, County Down


Andrew Jennings [- 1817] married Catherine O’Toole [abt 1747- 1840] of Tassagh, County Armagh.[1]
They had seven children.
  1. Charles [abt 1780 – 1855] who married Sophia Corley of Clones, County Monaghan, in 1811.
  2. Daniel [abt 1789 - 1817] who was ordained a priest at Maynooth in 1809.
  3. Andrew [abt 1793-1869] who married Mary Anne Clarke in Loughinisland in 1825.
  4. Peter [- 1828] of Traymount.
  5. Eliza who married John Caraher of 15 Merchant’s Quay, Newry County Down.
  6. Edward, Secretary to the Catholic Committee of Newry in 1824.
  7. John of whom nothing is known.
The family lived at no. 11 North-Street, Newry where Andrew had an Iron Establishment or iron-mongery. He took out a lease on North-Street from 1st May 1790 from James Carlile at the yearly rent of £40.[2]
Andrew dealt in other commodities besides iron as the following advertisement shows.
Timber for sale.
A large quantity of Ash, Oak, Sycamore, Alder, Beech, Walnut and Fir growing on the lands of Tremount, situate on the Northern Road four miles from Newry - application to be made to Andrew Jennings, Newry, Jan 1st, 1810 .[3]
Traymount was where his son Peter appears to have lived.
Andrew Jennings of Newry, and his brother Daniel Jennings, Publn, also of Newry, both appear in the Convert Rolls in 1793.  They weren’t the only members of the Jennings family in Dublin to sign. Teresa, wife of Theobald Jennings, had been listed on the Convert Rolls, in 1778, along with an earlier entry for Andrew Jennings, Grocer, of Newry, County Down. Family lore suggests that Andrew was disinherited by his family when he converted. His children remained Catholic. One of his sons became a priest. Three of his granddaughters were to become nuns.
Andrew died on the 22nd of December 1817. His will was probated in 1818.
His widow Catherine died in 1840. On the burial record her address is given as Mill Street. This was possibly 2 Mill Street where her nephew Charles Jennings lived.
On the 23rd ult. Catherine, relict of Andrew Jennings Esq., formerly of North-Street, Newry, merchant, aged 93 years.[4]


[1] Crossle, NAI.
[2] Encumbered Estates Rentals : Andrew Jennings Down Offaly (King's) 1790 Jan-May 1877 127 064 North-Street.
[3] Dublin Evening Post, 4 Jan 1810.
[4] Belfast Newsletter, 3rd April, 1940.

Tuesday 21 January 2020

Jennings Family, Newry, County Down


I am returning to the Jennings family in Newry, County Down and will be blogging on individual members from now on. They were a Catholic family, and lived mainly on North Street, Mill Street and Monaghan Street. They were active both politically and as members of the Catholic Church.