Waithman
Robert William Waithman, a member of a Lancashire family, came to Ireland in the 1860s and purchased estates in the Landed Estates' Court. The Irish Times reports on his acquisition of the Moyne estate for £14,000 in March 1867. He also bought Moyvannon Castle in county Roscommon and Merlin Park in county Galway. His second wife, Arabella, was a sister of Lady Gregory. In the 1870s Robert W. Waithman owned 3,432 acres in county Galway, 1,109 acres in the town of Galway and 4,631 acres in county Roscommon. Merlin Park, which was bought by the Waithmans in 1876, continued in the family's ownership for three generations until it was acquired by the Irish State as a tuberculosis sanatorium. 366 acres and 1,625 acres of Robert W. Waithman's county Roscommon were vested in the Congested Districts' Board in 1912 and 1913 respectively.
Associated Families
Houses
| Name | Townland | Civil Parish | PLU | DED | Barony | County | Map Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moyne | Moyne | Abbeyknockmoy | Tuam | Moyne 192 | Tiaquin | Galway |
OSI Ref: M522 454
OS Sheet: 44 Discovery map: 46 |
|
| Merlin Park | Merlinpark | Oranmore | Galway | Galway Rural 41 | Galway | Galway |
OSI Ref: M339 256
OS Sheet: 94 Discovery map: 46 |
|
| Moyvannan Castle | Moyvannan | Kiltoom | Athlone | Kiltoom 15 | Athlone | Roscommon |
OSI Ref: M978 479
OS Sheet: 48 Discovery map: 47 |
|
Archival sources
- Deeds & related papers, 1883-1920. Private Accessions No. 1095/12; National Archives of Ireland
- Local History File - Moyvannon; Roscommon County Library
- Anstey and Thompson of Exeter Collection, Boyd Estate, papers relating to lands in Roscommon in mortgage to Dean Boyd and belonging to Robert William Waithman, including 1865 sale catalogue with maps, 1865-1884. 1926 B/BO/E/4/1 ; Devon Record Office, Exeter
- Moyvannon Castle cuttings. 133/024; Irish Architectural Archive
- Merlin Park photos & press cuttings. 022/072; Irish Architectural Archive
- Moyne Park cuttings. 131/016; Irish Architectural Archive
- George MacBeth (1932-1993) poet & novelist, papers re his time in Ireland. MSS 10843-10844; Trinity College Dublin
- Moyne House Papers, including reference to the purchase of the house by the Bishops of Ireland, 1908-1910. B3/04-i/01; Tuam Diocesan Archives, Tuam
- Marriage settlement & related documents William S. Waithman & Lady Leicester P. Stanhope, 1883. 1095/12; National Archives of Ireland
Contemporary printed sources
- PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. ''Return of Untenanted Lands in Rural Districts, Distinguishing Demesnes on Which There is a Mansion...'', HC 1906, c, 177: 342
- HUSSEY DE BURGH, U. H. ''The Landowners of Ireland. An alphabetical list of the owners of estates of 500 acres or £500 valuation and upwards in Ireland''. Dublin: Hodges, Foster and Figgis, 1878. [available online at www.askaboutireland.ie] : 461
- PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. ''Return of owners of land of one acre and upwards, in the several counties .... in Ireland''. HC 1876, LXXX: 300, 302 & 319
- PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. ''24th Annual Report of the Congested Districts' Board for Ireland'', [Cd 8356], HC 1916, vi, 564-586. Appendix VIII: 58 & 59
- SLATER, Isaac. ''Royal National Directory of Ireland: List of the principal seats''. (Manchester: 1894) : xxx, 80 (Merlin Park), xxxi, 12 (Moyne Park)
Modern printed sources
- SHEERIN, Norbert. ''Renmore and its environs: An Historical Perspective''. Galway: Renmore Residents Association, 2000: 58-60 & 63-70
- BURKE, Sir Bernard. ''A genealogical and heraldic history of the Landed Gentry of Ireland''. London: Harrison & Sons, 1904: 626
- ''Jnl. of the Galway Family History Society : Galway Roots'': Big Houses of Co Galway, photograph of Merlin Park. I (1993), 42
- ''Irish Times'': Landed Estates Court sale reports,25 March 1867, p.3