Category Archives: Sources

EPPIc fail

Posted on Friday 3 June 2016 | 2 comments

One of the most useful resources for amateur historians, and especially for those without ready access to large libraries, has been the online collection of parliamentary papers on Ireland, the collection known as EPPI: Enhanced British Parliamentary Papers on Ireland.

The collection covers the period from 1801 to 1922 and includes over 14000 documents. It was first made available online by the University of Southampton; I seem to recall that, at first, pages had to be saved or printed on foolscap (13 inches by 8 inches) rather than A4, but that changed at some point and the searchability improved; it was possible to read documents online or to save PDFs. And it was all free: users were not even required to register.

At some point stewardship passed from the University of Southampton to a consortium of Northern Ireland institutions and EPPI became one of three resources within DIPPAM:

DIPPAM is an online virtual archive of documents and sources relating to the history of Ireland, and its migration experience from the 18th to the late 20th centuries.

The institutions with their logos on the DIPPAM home page are Queen’s University Belfast, the Mellon Centre for Migration Studies, Arts and Humanities Research Council, University of Ulster and Libraries NI. According to DIPPAM

The DIPPAM project has taken over the maintenance of the EPPI materials from Southampton, enhanced their usability and filled any gaps in the document run, made them cross-searchable with the IED and VMR records, and restored free global access to users.

Well, yes, up to a point, Lord Copper.

I should say that there is still much to be gained from the EPPI archive and that, as I pay nothing for its use, it is very good value. I would be willing to pay an annual subscription — if that helped to maintain the collection properly. At present, though, it seems to me that the wheels are coming off and the archive is decaying. I have tried to communicate both with EPPI and with Queen’s University Belfast about this; I received replies from neither of them.

I should say too that I have no way of assessing how widespread these problems are. It may be that I am unlucky and that all the documents that don’t interest me are working perfectly. Or it may be that software problems are affecting a small number of users including me, but I find problems using two different browsers on two different computers, both of them relatively powerful and using Windows 10.

Search

I entered …

kilrush garryowen

… for the date range 1820 to 1922. EPPI returned no documents.

I then asked Google to find …

eppi kilrush garryowen

… and it found the Second Report of the Railway Commissioners Appendix B No 7, listing the steamer Garryowen serving Kilrush.

Why is it that Google can find things within EPPI that EPPI’s own search engine can’t find?

Reading scans

Parts I and II of the Fourth Report of the second set of Shannon Commissioners are available here and here. Or rather that’s where you’ll find the metadata for the documents. Clicking Open Document should provide the scans here and here.

In both cases, I get a blank with a small icon at top left; clicking that does nothing. Clicking Scan does nothing. The documents may be there, but they are inaccessible.

Reading transcripts

In both cases I can access the transcripts. That requires me to click Next and then to click Transcript, because the system seems to default to showing the Scan page, even though it is invisible.

From Shannon Commissioners fourth report Part II page 4 [(c) EPPI]

From Shannon Commissioners fourth report Part II page 4 [(c) EPPI]

However, I am reluctant to spend too much of my life reading such poor transcripts.

Downloading PDFs

For those and other reasons, I would prefer to download the PDFs.

When I try to download Part I of the report, I get A Bill [as amended by the Committee, and on re-commitment] for the better Regulation of Hospitals, Dispensaries, and other Medical Charities in Ireland dated 23 May 1838.

When I try to download Part II, I am told

Sorry, could not find the download file. Please contact support quoting EPPI document reference 11379.

Minor annoyances

Those are serious problems. I would like them to be fixed.

I would also like to see

  • better navigation through documents: the first page of a scan does not show forward/back or next/previous or equivalent buttons: I have to enter a page number [eg 2]
  • the Enter key accepted to go to a specified page: as it is, I have to click the Go to Page button
  • a full-screen option (as on the excellent British Newspaper Archive) to reduce the amount of scrolling required.

Action

But those are minor matters. The main problem is that EPPI is no longer reliably making documents available as scans or as PDFs. Something has gone wrong within the archive and, as far as I can see, it’s getting worse rather than better. I accept, though, that I can’t properly assess the state of the entire archive, as my interests are limited to certain topics and periods.

I would therefore be glad to hear from others who have recent experience of using EPPI or who have information about what is happening. That includes those running EPPI or DIPPAM and the institutions whose logos appear on the site. This invaluable resource should not be allowed to decay any further.

 

 

 

2 Comments

Posted in Historical matters, Ireland, Sources, Uncategorized

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The purity of the ladies of Limerick

Posted on Friday 13 May 2016 | Leave a comment

The City of Dublin Steam Packet Company have kindly given the use of the Dover Castle, steamer, to the Ladies of Limerick, for Friday next, when the ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the New Docks will be performed. A band will be on board the steamer.

Limerick and Clare Examiner 4 July 1849

Immediately alongside the spot where the stone was to be placed floated the Dover Castle steamer, filled principally with ladies. The excellent Band of the 74th Highlanders was also on board, and contributed much to the delight that animated many a countenance. Several boats and barges were also provided for the accommodation of ladies. Most of the spectators were invited by Cards issued from the Office of Public Works.

Limerick Reporter 6 July 1849

Loud cheering attested the joy that pervaded every bosom at the prospect of employment, which the ceremony held out. The Dover Castle, moored within a few yards of the large platform, was, as a matter of course, the most attractive appendage. It was occupied by the ladies of Limerick. They, too, evidenced by waving their white handkerchiefs (the symbol of their purity, their virtues and sympathy for the suffering poor) how sincerely they felt the importance of the occasion. A stream of music was then poured forth by the beautiful brass band of the 74th, which was quite in keeping with the general harmony.

The proceedings of the day were then brought to a pleasing and chearful close. The military filed off; the Artillery withdrew; the masts and pinnacles became deserted; the groups, about the ground, dissolved; the Corporate functionaries retired; the mace-bearer beat a modest retreat; the ladies were led off by their attendant squires; the people wended their way homewards, the boats disappeared, and the Dock works and ground were left to the sole possession of their ordinary occupants.

May we not hope — at all events, let us pray, that yesterday was an auspicious day for Limerick.

Limerick and Clare Examiner 7 July 1849

From the British Newspaper Archive run by Findmypast Newspaper Archive Limited, in partnership with the British Library.

Leave a comment

Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Charles Wye Williams, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Historical matters, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Operations, Passenger traffic, Sea, Shannon, shannon estuary, Sources, Steamers, Waterways management

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Drowning at Doonass

Posted on Thursday 5 May 2016 | Leave a comment

Melancholy and distressing accident

By a Letter received at our Office, from Doonas, County Limerick, we regret to announce a melancholy accident having happened on Sunday the 9th inst in that neighbourhood. Mrs Massey, the wife of the Hon William Massy accompanied by her butler and two boatmen were attempting to cross the Shannon to Sir Hugh Masseys, where Mrs Massey was to dine. The evening was dark, accompanied by a dense fog, the boatmen lost their way, the boat was carried down by the current, and precipitated over the Leap, and melancholy to relate the entire party in the boat were drowned. During the entire of yesterday, the boatmen at Castleconnell were dragging for the bodies, but without success.

So dense was the fog that on the road between Kilmastulla, and Sallymount, the guard of the Coach was obliged to walk for upwards of 3 miles of the road, at the heads of the leading horses, and the coach agent was obliged to send a man on horseback with a lantern in his hand before the coach as far as Newcastle.

Dublin Mercantile Advertiser, and Weekly Price Current 17 January 1831

From the British Newspaper Archive run by Findmypast Newspaper Archive Limited, in partnership with the British Library.

Leave a comment

Posted in Extant waterways, Historical matters, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Operations, Passenger traffic, People, Scenery, Shannon, Sources, waterways, Weather

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Cardboard and paper

Posted on Tuesday 3 May 2016 | 1 comment

Some folk have been sailing on the Thames in a boat made of cardboard.

Over two hundred years ago, Isaac Weld navigated the lakes of Killarney in a boat made of brown paper:

Whilst engaged in illustrating the scenery of that beautiful locality, Mr Weld derived additional pleasure from the occupation, in introducing a young and amiable wife to scenes so familiar to himself. To facilitate their rambles, and profiting by his Canadian adventures and his skill as a “voyageur“, he constructed with his own hands the model of an Indian canoe. In the absence, however, of birch bark, he had recourse to successive layers of stout brown paper, creating a sort of papier-maché boat, sufficiently roomy for two. In this paper skiff he actually had the hardihood to intrust himself and fair companion in sundry adventurous voyages on the Lakes.

That is from “Mr Foot’s Memoir of the late Isaac Weld, Esq” in The Journal of the Royal Dublin Society Volume I 1856–57 Hodges, Smith & Co, Dublin 1858. Wikipedia offers a shorter account of the life of the remarkable Mr Weld. His Statistical Survey of the County of Roscommon, Royal Dublin Society 1832, is an invaluable source of information about the Shannon and the Royal Canal, but Mr Weld is also notable for his voyage, along with his equally adventurous wife, on the steamer Thames [originally Argyle] from Dublin to London in 1815. There are brief accounts of the journey here and here; the captain, George Dodd, wrote a book An Historical and Explanatory Dissertation on Steam-Engines and Steam-Packets; with the evidence in full given by the most eminent engineers, mechanists, and manufacturers, to the Select Committees of the House of Commons; togerther with the Committees’ reports, distinguishing and defining safe and unsafe steam-engines, and their proper management: comprising particulars of the fatal explosions of boilers at Norwich, Northumberland, Wells-street, and in America: concluding with a narrative, by Isaac Weld Esq, of the interesting voyage of the Thames steam-yacht, from Glasgow, in Scotland, to Dublin and London [published for the author, London 1818] available here, and Isaac Weld’s account is available here. Mrs Weld may have been the first woman to take an extended sea voyage in a steam vessel.

 

1 Comment

Posted in Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Foreign parts, Historical matters, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Passenger traffic, People, Sea, Sources, Steamers, Tourism

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Horses for towing? Bullocks!

Posted on Monday 25 April 2016 | Leave a comment

The Colthurst canals.

Leave a comment

Posted in Built heritage, Canals, Drainage, Economic activities, Engineering and construction, Forgotten navigations, Historical matters, Industrial heritage, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Operations, People, Sources, The cattle trade, The grain trade, The turf trade, waterways, Waterways management

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Kilkee Bathing

Posted on Monday 4 April 2016 | 1 comment

The Fashionable Lounge and Temple of Fancy

Mr J Ely has now open for inspection at Russell’s Lodge (next the Post-office) a splendid Fancy Bazaar, consisting of Parisian, Geneva, Vienna, and Berlin

fancy goods,

which for taste and fashion may safely challenge comparison with the assortment of Paris and London. The splendid Stock of elegant Articles is such as cannot fail to gratify the taste of the most curious; but puffing not being the custom of the Proprietor, he will feel obliged by an early visit — occular demonstration being the best proof.

This elegant Stock comprises Musical Clocks, with Fountains; Alabaster Clocks, Musical Boxes, playing from two to twelve tunes each; Accordians of all sizes; a magnificent collection of Dresden China, with Flemish Paintings; a large assortment of newly invented Dresden Mat Glass; American Glasses; a fashionable assortment of Bracelets, Snaps, and Crosslets; a truly splendid assortment of the very best manufactured London Jewellery, best Sheffield Plate, finest Persian Perfumery, and a great number of other Articles too numerous to mention; also a large quantity of German Silver Plate, which the Proprietor pledges himself are of the very best description, imported by him from the Continent.

NB — The Proprietor begs to state the terms on which he disposes of his Goods will be found to be most inducing and advantageous to the public.

(2p)                                                                                  Kilkee, August 15

The Clare Journal, and Ennis Advertiser
20 August 1838

From the British Newspaper Archive run by Findmypast Newspaper Archive Limited, in partnership with the British Library.

1 Comment

Posted in Ashore, Charles Wye Williams, Economic activities, Historical matters, Ireland, Passenger traffic, People, Shannon, shannon estuary, Sources, Steamers, Tourism, waterways

Tagged , , , , ,

Fares

Posted on Thursday 31 March 2016 | Leave a comment

We hear that the Committee of the Navigation Board, have settled the rates for passengers from Dublin to Monastereven and the intermediate places, as follows: to Hazel-hatch, eight miles, one shilling and a penny; to Sallins, fourteen miles, two shillings and two pence; to Monastereven, 31 miles, three shillings and nine pence halfpenny; steerage passengers half price.

Saunders’s News-Letter 19 August 1786

From the British Newspaper Archive run by Findmypast Newspaper Archive Limited, in partnership with the British Library.

Leave a comment

Posted in Canals, Economic activities, Extant waterways, Historical matters, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Operations, Passenger traffic, Sources

Tagged , , , , , , ,

Barrow Passage Boat

Posted on Thursday 31 March 2016 | Leave a comment

Will, from the 1st of October, depart every morning from Athy at eight o’clock, and arrive at Carlow at or before eleven o’clock, and again on each day leave Carlow at two o’clock, and arrive at Athy by five o’clock in the evening. To continue at these hours until further notice – and it is intended very shortly to run a boat to Leighlin bridge.

27th Sept 1799

Saunders’s News-Letter, and Daily Advertiser 23 December 1799

From the British Newspaper Archive run by Findmypast Newspaper Archive Limited, in partnership with the British Library.

The passage boats were not a success, nor were the hotels at Carlow and Graiguenamanagh, and the last passage boats from Carlow to Athy ceased to operate in 1809.

V T H & D R Delany The Canals of the South of Ireland David & Charles, Newton Abbot 1966

Leave a comment

Posted in Ashore, Built heritage, Canals, Extant waterways, Historical matters, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Operations, Passenger traffic, Sources, waterways, Waterways management

Tagged , , , , ,

Mr Paterson, General Lake and Napoleon Bonaparte

Posted on Tuesday 16 February 2016 | 1 comment

Dublin

On Tuesday sennight sailed his Majesty’s gun-boat, the General Lake, commanded by Mr James Patterson; and on Wednesday the Bishop, Lieut S Dunn, an experienced officer, who had served in the Royal Navy during the whole of the American war — these, with two others now fitting out, are to join the Kingsmill and Gen Duff gun boats at Carrigahoult bay, where they are to be stationed for the purpose of defending the entrance of the Shannon, the whole under the command of Lieut Augustus Margett, senior officer of division.

The Hon Capt Pakenham, who arrived at Limerick some time back to survey the works on the river, had the boats constructed upon his own plan, and they are found to be in every respect both capable of standing the shock of cannonading, and of annoying an enemy. There is a signal post, with a proper person to conduct it, stationed on Ray Hill, a commanding eminence near Loophead, from whence there is an extensive prospect of the offing. The gun-boats are furnished with private signals, so as to communicate with the person who conducts the signals on shore, by which means friends or enemies at sea are easily ascertained, long before they can come near the shore, and regular and certain intelligence conveyed to the commanding officer of the district.

The following is a list of the gun-boats stationed in the River Shannon, with the names of their commanders, forces, and complement of men:

Vessels                 Guns  Pounders    Men    Commanders

Pakenham              1           24           19      A Markett
Kingsmill                1           18            19     J Alexander
Gen Duff                  1           18            18     — Wing
Bishop                      1           18            18     S Dunn
Gen Lake                 1           18            18     J Patterson
The Shannon         1           18            18     Geo Perry

The whole completely equipped, with every description of small arms, ordnance stores, &c.

Dublin Evening Post 6 May 1797. From the British Newspaper Archive run by Findmypast Newspaper Archive Limited, in partnership with the British Library.

 

Yesterday dispatches were received at the Admiralty from Vice Admiral Kingsmill at Cork, brought over in the Waterford mail. Intelligence is received by this conveyance that the River Shannon is now rendered perfectly secure from any designs of an enemy, by the judicious stationing of several gun-boats, which wholly command the entrance and port of Limerick in every direction. The Naval Agents in Ireland, it also appears, continue, by order of Government, to purchase stout ships, which are converted into floating batteries for the defence of other harbours of the kingdom in like manner.

Hereford Journal 9 August 1797. From the British Newspaper Archive run by Findmypast Newspaper Archive Limited, in partnership with the British Library.

The Hon Capt T Pakenham, who shortly after went to Limerick, converted some turf-boats into gun-vessels, each of which carried a twenty-four pounder, constructed to traverse on a platform, and to fire in every direction with the same facility. We are gratified to learn that the system is to be generally adopted.

The Monthly Mirror: reflecting men and manners. With strictures on their epitome, the stage May 1798 in Vol V, Thomas Bellamy, London

 

 

 

1 Comment

Posted in Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Historical matters, Ireland, Irish inland waterways vessels, Non-waterway, Operations, People, Sea, shannon estuary, Sources, The grain trade

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Limerick floods 1814

Posted on Monday 15 February 2016 | Leave a comment

Limerick, Dec 1

On Thursday night, or at a very early hour on Friday morning, the most awful and terrific tempest from the south and west, that ever was remembered arose, and continued without intermission until between 11 and 12 o’clock yesterday — the river Shannon swelled to an unprecedented height, with a surf which caused it to overflow the country to an extent never before witnessed; there was no trace of the highest banks upon the river, and they are broken and prostrate every where we have as yet heard of — at the quays in this harbour, the several vessels drove from their moorings, and a large Norway ship, the Pax, a brig, the Caroline, and a sloop, the Elizabeth, were forced beyond Curragour Mills, near Thomond bridge, and with much exertion were saved from injury, by Mess Mallock and Graham, ship builders, with their men — the Messery, of Liverpool, at O’Neil’s quay, laden with rock salt, is thrown on her beam ends.

The falling of chimnies has caused several houses to be unroofed; Mr Bodkin’s family, in Bridge Street, were providentially saved, as the next chimney fell on the roof, which was blown in, destroyed the different rooms, and though a child slept in the attic story, and went through the two under floors, it was unhurt. Several trees have been torn up, garden walls blown down, and the whole of the parapet, from the House of Industry to the Revenue Building overturned. A new house in Glentworth Street was completely levelled with the ground. Thomond-bridge miraculously withstood the flood; the whole bridge was covered at one time, and the parapet presented the appearance of a wall built across the river.

We really fear that the accounts from the coast will be dreadful. Yesterday morning, between eight and nine o’clock, two sail boats were lost between Foynes Island and Ahanish, one was loaded with butter, and had nine passengers, all of whom were drowned; the other a turf-boat, the property of Mr O’Keefe, with three men on board, one of whom (Hurley) perished, and the other two were driven on shore by the violence of the waves, and were saved.

On Tuesday evening a large boat belonging to Denis Malcahy of this town, was driven on the rocks, off the shore of Kilkeran battery, the tide at the same time setting in with such rapidity that the boat filled with water, and one of the crew threw himself overboard and swam ashore, leaving two men and a boy on the wreck; when in this awful moment, one of the workmen belonging to Messrs Mackey and Ryan, plunged into the water and swam to the boat — made a raft of her oars and spars, to which he fastened a rope, and swam off to the length of it — the remaining crew clung round the raft, and in the presence of a number off shore, were towed in, and thus saved from a watery grave. Thomas Gleeson, a mason, was the person who so humanely ventured his life to save that of others, which Providence enabled him to effect.

Caledonian Mercury 24 December 1814. From the British Newspaper Archive run by Findmypast Newspaper Archive Limited, in partnership with the British Library.

Leave a comment

Posted in Engineering and construction, Extant waterways, Historical matters, Irish inland waterways vessels, Operations, Passenger traffic, Safety, Sea, shannon estuary, Sources, The turf trade, waterways, Weather

Tagged , , , , , , ,