The following is a letter from the Ennis tenantry expressing their gratitude to absentee landlord Colonel Charles Wyndham, later Lord Egremont, in providing lands outside the town for the purpose of growing crops. Thomas Crowe was Wyndham’s agent in Clare. Colonel Wyndham visited his Clare estates in 1838 when he facilitated an emigration scheme to Australia and Canada.

The signatories are sorted alphabetically by surname and appended to the letter, given below. The Letter and signatories are extracted from the Clare Journal. The Letter is dated 25th April 1844.

Transcription by Brian Doyle, Local Studies Centre, Clare County Library.

To Colonel George Wyndham, Petworth, Perthshire

Honourable Sir, – With unfeigned sincerity, and the greatest respect, we beg leave to offer you our best thanks for the kindness you have evinced towards the working classes of the town of Ennis, in giving directions to your Agents here to distribute in small lots some fifty acres of your lands within two miles of our town, for the immediate purpose of tilling potatoes.

And be it to the credit of those agents for the prompt and impartial manner they have discharged that duty. For in the distribution of those lands, it has enabled upwards of one hundred and fifty heads of families to give as much potatoes as will keep the dread of a dear and scarce summer being known in our locality.

Again, Honourable Sir, we beg leave to express our gratitude through the Press, hoping that your praiseworthy act may cause other landed proprietors to have land dealt out in the poorer districts of this populous and extensive country, you have set that example which, if followed, will be the means of the poorer classes having plenty of provisions, and draw a blessing from an industrious and grateful people.

We remain, Honourable Sir, wishing you a length of years in this life, and eternal happiness in the next.

Signed,