RASCAL

Research and Special Collections Available Locally (Ireland)

Belmore Papers	Public Record Office of Northern Ireland
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Collection
Identifier	D/3007, D/674
Description	Estate, personal and political papers of the Lowry-Corry family of Castle Coole, Co. Fermanagh, Barons, Viscounts and Earls Belmore (fl. 1665-fl. 1950), 1612-1949. Consisting of 36,400 documents and 278 volumes, the collection relates mainly to the acquisition, management and dispersal of the family's estates in Cos. Fermanagh and Tyrone and also in Cos. Longford, Monaghan, Antrim, Armagh, Dublin and elsewhere. They also document the political careers of Somerset Lowry-Corry, 2nd Earl Belmore, and Somerset Lowry-Corry, 4th Earl Belmore, in Ireland and as Governors of Jamaica (1828-1832) and New South Wales (1868-1872) respectively. Items of particular note include a volume compiled by the 4th Earl recording the progress of debt accumulation on the estate, rent reduction and final Land Purchase for the period, 1789-1893, a minute book of the Enniskillen District Orange Lodge, 1845-1868, and an unusually large volume of correspondence generated by the 5th Earl Belmore from c 1914-1947.
Strengths	The Belmore Papers are particularly strong for subjects relating to, and associated with, estate management and land purchase in Ireland for the period, c 1612-1949, and for charting the activities and interests of a great Irish Political Family of the 18th and 19th centuries. The collection also provides a valuable commentary on the changing fortunes of the Irish Protestant Ascendency, and in particular, demonstrates the political and financial implications of opposition to the Act of Union in 1801. The Belmore Papers are also noteworthy for material on the administrative and political life of 19th century Jamaica and New South Wales during the Governorships of the 2nd and 4th Earls Belmore.
Physical Characteristics	The Belmore Papers consist of approx. 36,400 documents and 278 volumes, c 1612-1949, comprising approx. 465 title deeds (1612-1880), 674 leases (1708-1904), numerous rental accounts and vouchers (c 1740-c 1949), approx 300 documents and volume
Languages	English
Contents Date Range	1612 - 1967
Collection Type	Collection.Archive.Text
Accrual	Policy: Passive Method: Indefinite Loan Periodicity: Irregular Although the collection is largely closed to additions, deposits from the Belmore Family still remains a possibility.
Access	The collection is stored in secure, closed accomodation and can be requested for on-site consultation using an in-house document ordering system. Access is supervised and for research and/or reference purposes only.
Description or Catalogue	See PRONI Calender Reference D/3007 for details. Catalogue available in PRONI search room for consultation. An introduction to the collection can be found on http://www.proni.gov.uk/records/private/belmore.htm" target="new_window"> http://www.proni.gov.uk/records/private/belmore.htm .

Collector
Organisation	Public Record Office of Northern Ireland
Role	Government agency with responsibility for official and private records
History	The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI), is the official place of deposit for all public records in Northern Ireland and was established by Act of Parliament in 1923 following the creation of Northern Ireland in 1921. PRONI is also the main repository in Northern Ireland for private records.

Owner
Name	Belmore Family
History	See http://proni.nics.gov.uk/records/private/belmore.htm" target="new_window"> http://proni.nics.gov.uk/records/private/belmore.htm for details

Location
Name	Public Record Office of Northern Ireland
Address	2 Titanic Boulevard Belfast United Kingdom BT3 9HQ
Website	http://www.proni.gov.uk
Access Control	The Record Office is open to the general public on weekdays between 9.15 am and 4.45 pm, with late night opening until 8.45 pm on Thursday evenings. The Office is closed on the main public holidays and is closed annually for two weeks late November/early December. All readers are required to register their membership on their first visit to the office for which some form of identification will be asked. Registration and admission to the office is free of charge to the public, although certain commercial users (i.e. solicitors, journalists, television reporters and professional genealogists) are subject to a fee. Disabled access facilities, self-service microfilm and a chargeable copying service are provided.
Role	Government agency with responsibility for official and private records
Phone	0442890534800
Email	proni@dcalni.gov.uk