School: Coill an tSrotha (roll number 5352)

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1. The Local Landlord

   

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   Arthur Loftus Tottenham was the name of the local landlord. People who were not able to pay the rent were evicted by this landlord and they had to build wooden houses on the land of the tenants who were able to pay the rent.

   If they were one half-penny short it would be shoved back saying "no broken, rent received here." To force the people to pay the rent Tottenham sent emergency men to live in the evicted houses guarded by police.

   This refusal to pay rent was done according to Davitts and Parnell's orders. The landlord had "pounds" built in which were put the cattle of those who refused to pay tithes until such times as they did pay them.

   The land over which Tottenham ruled was divided into farms which were sub-divided among members of families on marriage. In later years sub-divisions did not take place as the farms were too small. The local landlord had power to punish his tenants for trivial acts.

   During his time in Glenfarne a land of robbers who stole money from the landlord, went through this district. He had the country searched for them but only one was found who only possessed a stolen three-penny piece. This man was captured and hanged in Enniskillen according to the orders of the landlord.

   In another case forty men were put to jail for cutting turf on their own land. It is thirty two years since this landlord gave up his estate to the government which made the tenants owners.

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. place-space-environment
      1. land management (~4,110)

   Language

   English

   Informant

   John Kelly

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   80

   Address

   Sranagross, Co. Leitrim