Robbery on the mountains near Belfast, 1810
The following is an extract from the Belfast Newsletter dated Tuesday 2nd January 1810 and is reproduced here by permission of the Belfast News Letter
ROBBERY & REWARD
Whereas a daring and outrageous robbery was committed on the Mountains near Belfast, on the road to Antrim, on the night betwixt Friday and Saturday last, by three persons as yet unknown, who stopped JAMES FINNEY, of Aughnamillan, of the Parish of Killead, in the County of Antrim, and did then and there beat and abuse him to the great effus on of his blood, and left him as dead; and did rob him of Sixty-nine Pounds in Bank Notes, and fired a shot at him.
Now, we whose names are subscribed, do each of us promise to pay in proportion to the sums respectively to our Names annexed, the sum of ONE HUNDRED POUNDS STERLING, To the person or persons who will, within Six Calendar months from this date, discover upon and prosecute to conviction the Person or Persons concerned in said Robbery; or the sum of FIFTY POUNDS sterling, to any of the Persons concerned in said Robbery, who will turn Approver, and prosecute to conviction any of his accomplices in said Robbery; and application will be made to obtain his Majesty’s most gracious Pardon; and a further sum of TWENTY POUNDS, to any person who will give such private information as will lead to a discovery, and their names will be kept secret.
Dated at Aughnamillan, this 26th day of December, 1809.
The sum subscribed amounts to about Three Hundred Guineas, and the Names of the Subscribers are left at the News-Letter Office, and printed in hand-bills with this Advertisement.
Freehold Registration
The following extract is from the Belfast Newsletter dated Tuesday 29th September, 1829 and is reproduced with permission of the Belfast News Letter.
County of Antrim
List of persons applying to Register their Freeholds at the next General Quarter Session of the Peace, to be held at Antrim, for the Division of Ballymena, pursuant to the Act of 10th George the Fourth, Cap.8, entered by the Clerk of the Peace.
No: 47
Name and Residence of Applicant: Thomas Adgey, Aughnamillan
Description of Freehold: Houses and lands, Aughnamillan
Yearly Value to be registered: £10No: 48
Name and Residence of Applicant: John Donaldson, Lisnataylor
Description of Freehold: Houses and lands, Aughnamillan
Yearly Value to be registered: £10No: 49
Name and Residence of Applicant: Thomas Herdman, Aughnamillan
Description of Freehold: Houses and lands, Aughnamillan
Yearly Value to be registered: £20No: 50
Name and Residence of Applicant: William Lowry, Aughnamillan
Description of Freehold: Houses and lands, Aughnamillan
Yearly Value to be registered: £10No: 51
Name and Residence of Applicant: William Lowry, Aughnamillan
Description of Freehold: Houses and lands, Aughnamillan
Yearly Value to be registered: £10No:72
Name and Residence of Applicant: Wm. John White, Ballysculty
Description of Freehold: Houses and lands, Aughnamillan
Yearly Value to be registered: £10
Ordnance Survey Memoirs
The following are extracts from “Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland – Parishes of County Antrim XIII 1833, 1835,1838”. Thanks to The Institute of Irish Studies, The Queen’s University of Belfast for permission to use this extract.
Corn mills.
The corn mill in the townland of Aughnamullan is propelled by a breast water wheel 14 feet in diameter by 2 feet 3 inches in diameter, having a fall of water of 8 feet. The machinery of this mill is in very bad repair.
Flax Mills
The flax mill in the townland of Aughnamullan is propelled by a breast water wheel 14 feet in diameter by 2 feet broad, having a fall of water of 8 feet. The machinery of this mill is in bad order.
Longevity
Mrs. Armstrong of Aughnamullan is in her 89th year.
Urns
A great many urns have from time to time within memory been found in the parish, but none of those discovered are now to be had, having either been broken or given away.
Within the last year a man named Suffern, in the townland of Aughnamullan, discovered nearly a dozen of them a little below the surface of a gravelly swell in that townland. They contained some ashes and small bones. Having been broken, he reunited the fragments.
Game Prosecution – Arthur Dunlop
The following extract is from The Lisburn Standard Saturday 3rd December 1910.
Crumlin Petty Session
Game ProsecutionArthur Dunlop, Altnakey, was prosecuted at the suit of Lieutenant-Colonel Pakenham, for trespassing in the pursuit of game at Aghnamullan.
Mr. Holmes appeared for the prosecution and Mr W G Maginess represented his defendant.
John Adams, gamekeeper, stated that he saw the defendant on the lands of James Irvine at Aghnamullan, on the 8th October, with two dogs and a gun. Witness heard shots from his direction. He asked him if he had been looking for a shot and he replied that he had a gun. When asked for his authority to be there, he gave the name of John Gilmore, Mulnaglass, Stoneyford. There are pheasants, hares and partridges on the land.
James Henry Reid also gave evidence and said he first saw the defendant on Lowry and Graham’s land and then on his own land. He showed him a hare that he had in his pocket and said he was shooting. Witness warned him not to go into Colonel Pakenham’s land, but he said he did not give a d— about him, he would go if he liked. Witness then ordered him to get to the road.
Mr Maginess – is it not a fact that there is not a man in the country who poaches more than you do yourself? – I never poach except where I have liberty.
That is your idea of poaching!
Mr Maginess explained that the defendant had been invited that day by Mr. John Boyd to shoot rabbits on his lands.
Thomas Boyd, Ballydonaghy, stated, Dunlop came as the result of an invitation from him. He directed him to Herdman’s land and the direct way there lay through Irvine’s land.Mr Maginess said that their worships would see that the defendant was crossing Irvine’s land honestly and with no evil intent; he was proceeding legitimately to Herdman’s land under the direction of Mr. Boyd himself. Mr. Holmes contended that it had been proved that the defendant was beating about the country, and he had not his dogs and gun with him for nothing.
The magistrates decided to convict, and fined the defendant £1 and costs.