Directory 1888
The Birches
THE BIRCHES
is a rural post-office and Petty Sessions district, 6
miles north-west of Portadown. Colonel Stanley, Mr. Edward S.
Obré, Mr. Charles Stanley, Lord Charlemont, Capt. William Brown, and
Mr. A.T. Wakefield are the landlords. A clump of birches
growing near the road, a short distance below the post office,
suggest the appropriateness of the name given to the neighbourhood,
the greater part of which is a partly cultivated bog. Birches
grow naturally in this region. Mr. Thomas Palmer informs
me that the entire bog was a birch forest 70 years ago. The
roots are now found in cutting peat. Good crops of potatoes
and oats are produced in the boggy land by means of a process known
as "heating." Turf fires are lighted around the parts about to
be planted, and kept up until sufficient warmth is generated to
force vegetation. Hot ashes are also spread upon the surface.
By treatment of this kind a better crop of oats is secured than is
yielded by the richest loam lands. Without "heating," oats
will not average eighteen inches in height. Some of the
landlords have objected to the heating process on the ground that it
is using up the surface of the bog. A proposal was made to
induce the tenants to pay 5s. an acre extra for the privilege, but
they did not seem to relish the idea. |
Research Notes: The 1888 directory entries were transcribed by Pat Connors from the printed pages of the book, The Book of County Armagh, by George Henry Bassett. It was first published in 1888 in Dublin. |
Surname | First | Area | Occupation |
Bell | David | Derrykeevan | Farmers & Residents |
Boyce | Christr. | The Birches | School, Nat. |
Boyce | William | Drumaliss | Farmers & Residents |
Campbell | Joseph | Derrylard | Farmers & Residents |
Carrick | David | Foymore | Farmers & Residents |
Carrick | James | Foymore | Farmers & Residents |
Carrick | Thomas | Derrykeevan | Farmers & Residents |
Cassells | Mrs. M | Cloncore | Farmers & Residents |
Connolly | Patrick | Derrinraw | Farmers & Residents |
Cullen | Daniel | Derrinraw | Farmers & Residents |
Donnelly | James | Derrylard | Farmers & Residents |
Farquhar | Robert | Derryaugh | Farmers & Residents |
Fawcett | A. | Derrinraw | Farmers & Residents |
Fearon | Bd., jun. | Derrinraw | Farmers & Residents |
Feeney | Chas | The Birches | R.I.C., Sergeant |
Ferrin | Bd., sen. | Derrinraw | Farmers & Residents |
Fox | William | Derrinraw | Farmers & Residents |
Fulton | James | Derrylileagh | Farmers & Residents |
Gardener | Henry | Foymore | Farmers & Residents |
Gilmore | James | Derrykeevan | Farmers & Residents |
Hendron | Joseph | Derrykeevan | Farmers & Residents |
Hume | Robert | Derrylard | Farmers & Residents |
Hyde | George | Breagh | Farmers & Residents |
Jackson | Jos. | Clonmacate | Grocer |
Jackson | Moses | Ballinary | Farmers & Residents |
Jackson | Richard | Clonmacate | Grocer |
Jackson | Richard | Clonmacate | Farmers & Residents |
Jackson | Thomas | Ballinary | Farmers & Residents |
Kilpatrick | Mrs. M | Ballinary | Farmers & Residents |
Kingsborough | Henry | Breagh | Farmers & Residents |
Leeman | John | Derrykeevan | Farmers & Residents |
Mackall | Edward | Derrykeeran | Farmers & Residents |
Mackall | Henry | Derrykeeran | Farmers & Residents |
Mackall | Mrs. | Derrinraw | Farmers & Residents |
M'Adam | Thomas | Derraugh | Farmers & Residents |
M'Adam | Wilson | Cloncore | Farmers & Residents |
M'Adam | Wm. H. | Cloncore | Farmers & Residents |
Magee | Henry | Clonmacate | Farmers & Residents |
M'Anally | John | Derrykeeran | Farmers & Residents |
Martin | John | Ballinary | Farmers & Residents |
Matchett | John | Ballinary | Farmers & Residents |
Matchett | John | Ballynarry | Retail spirits |
Matchett | Joseph | Derrycaw | Farmers & Residents |
Matchett | Joseph | Gallrock | Farmers & Residents |
Matchett | Richard | Clonmacate | Farmers & Residents |
Matchett | Richard | Derryall | Farmers & Residents |
Mathers | John H | Derrykeeran | Farmers & Residents |
Mathers | Joseph | Derryneskin | Farmers & Residents |
Matthew | Samuel | Ballinary | Farmers & Residents |
May | James | Drumlellum | Farmers & Residents |
May | Richard | Drumlellum | Farmers & Residents |
M'Causland | John | Derrykeevan | Farmers & Residents |
McClure | John | Derryaugh | Retail spirits |
M'Clelland | John | Derryadd | Farmers & Residents |
M'Clelland | John | Derrylard | Farmers & Residents |
M'Clure | James | Derryaugh | Farmers & Residents |
M'Conville | William | Cloncore | Farmers & Residents |
M'Cullagh | Aaron | Drumlellum | Farmers & Residents |
M'Cullagh | Seth | Drumlellum | Farmers & Residents |
Moore | John | Ballynary | Farmers & Residents |
O'Hanlon | Mrs. C | Ballinary | Farmers & Residents |
Palmer | Thomas | The Birches | Grocer |
Palmer | Thomas | The Birches | Hardward and Seed |
Palmer | Thomas | The Birches | Post M. |
Palmer | Thos | The Birches | Draper |
Robinson | J. | Druminallyduff | Farmers & Residents |
Sinnamon | Henry | Clonamola | Farmers & Residents |
Smyth | Joseph | Ballinary | Farmers & Residents |
Smyth | Thomas | Derryileagh | Farmers & Residents |
Stevenson | Mrs. L. | Cloncore | Farmers & Residents |
Sullivan | James | Derrylard | Farmers & Residents |
Sullivan | Thomas | Derrylard | Farmers & Residents |
Sullivan | Wm. F. | Cloncore | Farmers & Residents |
Todd | Joseph | Clonmacate | Farmers & Residents |
Todd | Robert | Foymore | Farmers & Residents |
Todd | William | Foymore | Farmers & Residents |
Todd | Wm. | Druminallyduff | Farmers & Residents |
Trotter | Richard | Foybeg | Farmers & Residents |
Troughton | Richard | Derrycaw | Farmers & Residents |
Troughton | Robert | Derrycaw | Farmers & Residents |
Turkington | Samuel | Ballynary | Farmers & Residents |
Uprichard | Charles | Clonmacate | Farmers & Residents |
Wakefield | C.S. | Cloncore ho. | Farmers & Residents |
Wakefield | Edw. T. | Cloncore ho. | Farmers & Residents |
Walsh | Mrs. A. | Derrinraw | Farmers & Residents |
Weatherall | Jno. | Derrykeeran | Farmers & Residents |
Weatherall | Richard | Derrykeeran | Farmers & Residents |
Weatherhead | Jno. | Derrylard | Farmers & Residents |
Wethered | Jno. | Milltown | Grocer |
Wilson | Wm. D. | Cloncore | Farmers & Residents |
Woodhouse | T.A. | Derrinraw | Farmers & Residents |
Woods | Loftus | Ballynary | Farmers & Residents |
Wright | George | Derrykeevan | Farmers & Residents |
Wright | Wm. | Derrykeevan | Farmers & Residents |