School: Christian Brothers, Athlone

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   “The manufacture of felt hats was formerly carried on in Athlone to a great extent...”

   

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   (From Lev[?] dictionary of Ireland; continued from last week).

   "The manufacture of felt hats was formerly carried on in Athlone to a great extent, but only a few are now (in 1837) made for the supply of the immediate neighborhood.
   "There are two extensive distilleries, each producing from 40 thousand to 50 thousand gallons of whiskey annually; two tanneries, two soap and candle manufactories, two public breweries on a large scale, and several corn mills. A communication by steam-boat between this place and Limerick has been lately established, and passage boats meet the steamers at Shannon Habour and proceed to Dublin by the Grand Canal.
   "The market is held on Tuesday and Saturday, of which the latter is the principal, when sheep, swine and great quantities of grain are exposed for sale. It is held in an open space under the wall supporting the Castle mound, but the principal meat market is at the shambles near the river, and is abundantly supplied with provisions of all kinds. Fish is procured in the lace and the River Shannon, and salt-water fish is brought from Galway. The fairs are on the Monday after Epiphany, March 10th, Holy Thursday and August 24th, each by charters ordained to the last three days.
   "A branch of the Provincial Bank of Ireland has been established here for the last eight years, and there is a constabulary police station.
   "The town was incorporated by charter dated Decr. 16, (4th James I.), 1606, which was seized by James II on a judgment of [?] obtained in the Court of [E?]chequer, and a new charter was granted in the 3rd of that monarch's reign; but the judgment being subsequently declared void, the former has since been, and still is, the governing charter, and the latter has not been acted upon since the accession of William III.

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

2. Corporation Charters

   

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   "Other charters confirming and extending the privileges of the Corporation were granted on the 16th of James I. and 17th of Charles II., and the 'New Rules' made by the Lord Lieutenant and Privy Council in the 25th of Charles II., provided that the appointment of the sovereign (chairman), recorder and town clerk should be subject to their approval. "The officers (of the Corporation of Athlone are as follows);-The sovereign, two bailiffs (sheriffs), thirteen burgesses (including the constable of the Castle, Viscount Castlemaine), a recorder, town clerk, sergeant-at-mace and billet-master, and there is a select body called the common council. "The sovereign (chairman) is elected by the common council from among the burgesses, annually on the 29th of June, and has the privilege of appointing a vice-sovereign with the approbation of the bailiffs and a majority of the burgesses. The bailiffs are elected from the freemen by the common council on the same day as the sovereign, and are ex-officio members of the council. The burgesses are elected for life from among the freemen, and the freemen also for life by the common council, of which body, according to the practice of the corporation, twelve must be present to constitute an election. "The recorder and town clerk (who is also a deputy-recorder) are appointed by the common council; and the sergeant-at-mace and billet-master, of whom the former acts as constable in the borough, are appointed by the sovereign. "The common council are unlimited in number, but usually consist of not more than twenty persons, including the sovereign and vice-sovereign and two bailiffs; they held their office for life and vacancies are filled up by themselves from among the burgesses and freemen. The borough sent two representatives to the Irish Parliament prior to the Union, since which period it has sent one to the imperial parliament. "The right of election was formerly vested in the burgesses and freemen, amountin in April, 1831, to 71, but by the act of the second of William IV. the privilege of exercising the parliamentary franchise has been extended to the £10 householders." (The parliamentary and municipal franchises, so long denied to Catholics (owing to the Penal Laws) were restored by the Act of 1793. England was then in trouble with France and wished to diminish Irish discontent. At the present day (1927) every man or woman who has reached 21 years may vote; but Athlone, of course, no longer sends a member to parliament.)

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