Pew Sheet – 3rd November 2024

Random Notes CDLXXIV

Illustrated herewith are a small, and otherwise quite unremarkable collection of not very old Prayer and Hymn Books, not unremarkable for their content, but unremarkable to many by the fact that there are no doubt still in existence many thousands of such books, which as a consequence, and with but a minimal interest in such books, they hold more or less no monetary value whatsoever.

This little group of six books has been assembled for this weeks ‘Random Notes’ solely for the interest that each holds by the stamps of ownership impressed in gilt upon the front covers.

Reading top to bottom, and from left to right, the country houses represented by the stamps are.

I      Bantry House, co. Cork, with inside the ownership inscription of  ‘Clodagh E.M. Shelswell-White, Bantry House, May 1942’  for Clodagh Elizabeth Maude Shelswell-White, nee Leigh-White (1905-1978)

II      Clonbrock, nr. Ahascragh, co. Galway, with stamped on the front cover, the initials, A.C.C. beneath a baron’s coronet for the early photographer, Augusta Caroline, Lady Clonbrock (1839-1928), wife of the 4th Baron Clonbrock.  A significant proportion of the approximately five thousand photographs taken by Lady Clonbrock are today preserved in the National Library, Dublin, presented to there by the family in 1976.

III    Bantry House, remarks as for no. I.

IV     Lowther Castle, Westmorland, with stamped on the front cover an L surmounted by an earl’s coronet, and inside the ownership signature of ‘Emily S. Lonsdale,         1874’, and in another hand ‘Askham’, for Emily Susan, Countess of Lonsdale (1832-1917), wife of St. George Henry Lowther, 4th Earl of Lonsdale.   Askham Hall in the village of Askham is another property of the family, now being used as an hotel.

V      Ballygarth Castle, nr, Julianstown, co. Meath, a former seat of the family of Pepper.

VI     Luttrellstown Castle, known for a time as Woodlands, nr, Clonsilla, co. Dublin, owned over the years by various families, White, Luttrell, Guinness, etc. and  presently in use as an event venue.

                                                                                                                                                              K.L.R.