Journal Volume 1 1992

My Townland:- Its History and Archaeology (continued/5)

In 1901 Dr. Robert Norman Thompson, physician and surgeon, lived in Kindlestown House with his wife Helen, 2 children, William and Cicely and 5 servants. He was the registered landowner for most of the remainder of the townland. He was not there in 1911.

There were 3 one-roomed houses, and 10 two-roomed houses. In some of these lived 8, 9 and 10 people. The occupations given were: engineer, farmer (one only), fish dealer, pig dealer, coachman, farm servant, labourer, gardener, boot maker, blacksmith, solicitor's clerk, stone mason.

Catherine Foley, a 59 year old widow from Co. Longford had a grocery shop. This may have been where Roche's pharmacy is today. The lease of this premises states that it must not be used for any Roman Catholic religious purpose.

John Thompson, whose occupation was coachman in 1901, was a boot maker in 1911. He may have lived in the house presently owned by Miss Lucy Sealy. She has heard the story that a small back window which she had filled in, was used by a previous owner, a shoe maker to hand out shoes to customers on the laneway which used to run from the back of her house down through what is now Applewood Heights, to the main road (O.S. maps, 1838,1901).

George Ludlow was a stonemason aged 76. Under his category ‘ability to read and write’ was the entry ‘used to but can't now because of his eyes’.

Ambrose Byrne, aged 50, was a ‘horse shoer’ in 1901 and a blacksmith in 1911. The Smithy is shown in the 1901 O.S. map, near St. Kilian's church.

The oldest inhabitant of the townland was Sarah Kelly aged 80. Only 4 people were over 70. 7 were in their 60's. The youngest householder was 18 year old John Richardson.

In 1911 Kindlestown Upper had 12 houses and 60 inhabitants. The religious difference was not quite so marked, but only one head of household was R.C. Only 4 were unchanged since 1901: Cuthbert Eccles, Fred Kelly, James Law and Wm. Madden.

Miss Mary La Touche, aged 48, sister of Major Peter La Touche, who died in 1904 from a wound received two years previously in the Boer War, was living in Fair View, at La Touche Dower House. She had ‘no occupation’ and three servants.

In 1911 Kindlestown Lower had 25 inhabited houses, a school, and Catholic Church. It now had 3 1st class houses and only 6 3rd class houses. 18 of the 1901 heads of households were still there. How many of these names are still in the area? Byrne, Gunning, Whiston, Healy, Connor, Doyle, Thompson, Murphy, Bowen, Carroll, Lynch, Hempenstall, Hackman, German, Grady, Geoghan, Webster, Harrison, Ludlow, Evans, Smith, Connolly, Downey, Thomas, Mc Guinness, Guiney, Quinn, Kelly, Pearte. In Kindlestown Upper: Cunningham, Rogers, Smyth, Connolly, Keddy, Cairns, Hamilton, Jobey, Murphy, Wynne, Fauldney, Barcroft, Bennett, Pearte, Parnell and Knox.