Reeves (Besborough)
A family originally from Sussex who settled in Ireland in the mid 17th century. Their connection with county Clare began with the marriage of Robert Reeves and Grace Spaight daughter of Thomas Spaight of Bunratty Lodge and Burrane, county Clare. Although following generations of Reeves owned Burrane they do not appear to have lived there but leased it to the Hodges. By the beginning of the 19th century members of the Reeves family were prominent lawyers, including William Maunsell Reeves, who was legal adviser and agent to the Smyth Barry estates.The legal firm of S.S. Reeves and E. Reeves of Merrion Square, Dublin, was founded in the early 19th century by members of this family. Griffith's Valuation records them holding land mainly in the parish of Killimer but also in the parishes of Killaloe, barony of Tulla Lower and Feenagh, barony of Bunratty Lower. In the 1870s Robert William Cary Reeves owned 2,628 acres in county Clare. In 1866 he married Grace Vandeleur of Kilrush and they had one son and five daughters. In May 1912 over 1,000 acres of the Reeves estate was vested in the Congested Districts' Board. In the 1870s Robert Edward Reeves of Capard, Rosenallis, Queen's County (Laois), a member of this family owned 593 acres in county Limerick and 168 acres in county Kilkenny.
Associated Families
Houses
| Name | Townland | Civil Parish | PLU | DED | Barony | County | Map Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burrane | Burrane Lower | Killimer | Kilrush | Killimer 101 | Clonderalaw | Clare |
OSI Ref: R081 527
OS Sheet: 68 Discovery map: 64 |
|
| Besborough | Poulnadarree | Killimer | Kilrush | Killimer 101 | Clonderalaw | Clare |
OSI Ref: R060 522
OS Sheet: 68 Discovery map: 64 |
Archival sources
- Reeves, Attornies, Merrion Sq, Dublin, Letter Books, 1807-1905, Collection List No 2 ; National Library of Ireland
- Pedigrees of Reeves of cities of Dublin & Cork, Platten, Co Meath, Burrane, Co Clare & Vosterberg & Besborough, Co Cork, c 1695-1880. GO MS 180: 104-105 & 392-397; National Library of Ireland
- Letters from tenants & agent to William Maunsell Reeves of Cork & Robert Reeves of Dublin re lands at Burrane, 1815, 1832-1837. MS 8788 ; National Library of Ireland
- William M. Reeves of Cork in account with Messrs. Hoare, (Bankers?), 1849-56. Ms. 9359 ; National Library of Ireland
- Documents relating to the affairs of the Reeves family, solicitors, especially W. M. Reeves, including correspondence with clients and between members of the family, estate papers relating, mainly to Co. Louth, papers in respect of the tithes of the parish of Clonpet, Co. Tipperary, as well as papers relating to various legal cases, 1825-1895. MS 8835; National Library of Ireland
- Bank books of William M. Reeves, of Vosterberg, Cork in account with the Bank of Ireland for the years 1845-7, 1847-8 and 1850-1853. Mss. 9356-9358 ; National Library of Ireland
Contemporary printed sources
- ''GRIFFITH'S VALUATION OF IRELAND'[Primary Valuation of Tenements]', 1850-1858. : Kilrush Union, 3 (Burrane Lower) & 8 (Poulnadarree)
- LEWIS, Samuel. ''A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland''. London: S. Lewis & Co., 1837: II, 146 (Burrane & Besborough)
- PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. ''Return of owners of land of one acre and upwards, in the several counties .... in Ireland''. HC 1876, LXXX: 113, 153
- 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] : 384
- PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. ''24th Annual Report of the Congested Districts' Board for Ireland'', [Cd 8356], HC 1916, vi, 564-586. Appendix VIII: 40
- PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS. ''Return of Untenanted Lands in Rural Districts, Distinguishing Demesnes on Which There is a Mansion...'', HC 1906, c, 177: 221 (Poulnadarrel)
- TAYLOR, George & SKINNER, Andrew. ''Maps of the Roads of Ireland, surveyed in 1777 and corrected down to 1783''. Facsimile of 2nd edition. Shannon: Irish University Press, 1969: 204 (Burrane - Maynod)
Modern printed sources
- HOWARD, Joseph Jackson and CRISP, Frederick Arthur (eds). ''Visitation of Ireland''. Baltimore: reprint by Genealogical Publishing Co. Inc., 1973: IV, 99-104
- PINE, L.G. (ed). ''Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Ireland''. 4th ed. London: Burke's Peerage, 1958.: 503-504
- WEIR, Hugh W. L. ''Historical, Genealogical and Architectural notes on some Houses of Clare''. Whitegate, county Clare: Ballinakella Press, 1999. : 41-42, 50
- ''Jnl. of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society''.: The Somervilles and their connexions in Cork. XLVII, 2nd Series (1942), 30-33