Lewis Topographical Dictionary - OSi Online Shop

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paper-mills are numerous and extensive, and their pro-
duce is in great demand: the number of persons em-
ployed exceeds 400. In the city are two large glass-
houses for the manufacture of flint glass for the home
and foreign markets, with extensive premises for cutting,
engraving, &c, attached to each, affording employment
to 246 persons. The manufacture of woollen, cloth was
introduced prior to 1732, and flourished for many years:
the principal manufacturers were Messrs. Lane, who for
more than twenty years after the union furnished the
entire clothing for the Irish army; their mills were
situated at Riverstown, but are now applied to other
purposes. At Glanmire are the extensive mills of
Messrs. Lyons and Hanly, for the manufacture of fine
cloth; and at Blarney are mills for spinning yarn for
the supply of Mr. Mahony’s stuff and camlet manufac-
tory in Cork. There are still a few wool-combing and
dyeing establishments, besides mills at Douglas and
Glanmire, where linens and cottons are bleached and
finished, and several rope-walks established for the ma-
nufacture of patent cordage. Many of the poor are
employed in weaving coarse cotton checks, which are sold at a
very low price by Messrs. Todd and Co., who
have a very large establishment on the plan of those in
London, furnished with goods of every kind. Cutlery
of superior quality is extensively manufactured, and
bears a higher price than that brought from England.
The trade in gloves is very flourishing, and employs a
great number of people; those made here are always
sold as Limerick gloves. Acids, mineral waters, and
vinegar of superior quality are also extensively made.
The manufacture of canvas was formerly extensive, but
is now declining, the article being imported cheaper
from Liverpool, Glasgow, Greenock, and East Cocker.
The soap manufacture has been much diminished by
the increase of tillage and the decrease in the slaughter-
ing of cattle; and the manufacture of candles, with which
this place once almost exclusively supplied the West In
dian market, in which it still enjoys a preference, has been
affected by the same cause. The Bank of Ireland and
the Provincial Bank, about the year 1825, opened branch
establishments here, which have afforded liberal accom-
modation to trade; and two new joint stock companies,
the National, and the Agricultural and Commercial,
have since established branch banks in the city. The
savings’ bank is a large and handsome edifice; the de-
posits, at the close of 1836, exceeded £240,000: it
was established in 1817, from which period to the end
of 1836, the number of depositors was 24,000, of
whom 7066 are now on the books. The principal
market days are Wednesday and Saturday but all the
markets are open daily. Fairs under the charter are
held on Trinity-Monday and Oct. 1st, in an open area
called Fair-field, half a mile to the north-west of the
town. The city market, for meat, fish, poultry, fresh
butter, vegetables,. and fruit, was opened in 1788:
it is conveniently situated near the centre of the city,
with spacious entrances from Patrick-street, Prince’s-
street, and the Grand Parade, and comprises several
detached buildings suitably arranged; it is divided into
separate departments, and is abundantly supplied daily
with every kind of provisions. The cattle market is
held near the Shandon markets: the number of horned
cattle annually sold here for the provision merchants
formerly exceeded 50,000, but the average of three
VOL.’ I.—417
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years ending Dec. 25th, 1835, was less than 6000 an
-nually: the number of pigs sold alive in this market
to the provision merchants is on an average 90,000 an-
nually, exclusively of the carcases sold in the new corn
market.
The corporation is very ancient, and exists pro-
bably by prescription. A charter was granted by John,
Earl of Morton, while viceroy of Ireland, in the reign
of his father Hen. II., in the preamble of which it
is stated—“I have granted and given, and by this my
charter confirm, to the citizens of Cork all the fields
held of my city of Cork and the ground on which the
city is, now for my benefit to increase the strength
of the citizens. This is to them and their heirs to
hold of me and my heirs, and to remain in frank
burgage, by such custom and rent as the burgesses of
Bristol, in England pay yearly for their burgages; and
to secure my city of Cork I grant this to the same my
citizens of Cork all the laws, franchises, and customs or
freight which are in Bristol on whatsoever sails. And
firmly commanding that the aforesaid my citizens of
Cork and their heirs and their successors have the
aforesaid city of Cork of me and my successors as is
aforesaid, and have all the laws and franchises and
frank customs of Bristol; and as those were wont to
be used and written in my court and in my hundred of
Cork, and in all business. And I forbid that any wrong
or hindrance be given to the aforesaid laws and fran-
chises, which gift from us are given and granted, &c.”
A copy of this charter is preserved amongst the Harleian
MSS. in the British Museum, but the original is lost.
The earliest charter extant is one of the 26th of Hen. III.,
which granted the city and its appurtenances in fee
farm at an annual rent of 80 marks, with prisage of
wine, custom, and cocket within the jurisdiction of the
port, and certain personal privileges to the citizens,
among which was an exemption from toll and all other
customs throughout his dominions: under this charter
the chief officer of the corporation was called “provost.”
Edw. I. granted two charters, in the 19th and 31st of
his reign, the latter of which authorised the bailiffs and
men of Cork to have murage, as in other towns in Ire-
land, for six years. The charter of the 11th of Edw.
II. is the first in which the office of mayor is named:
the same monarch, in the following year, confirmed the
charter of the 19th of Edw. I., and gave to the mayor
elect the privilege of being sworn before his predecessor
in office, instead of going to Dublin to take the oaths
before the barons of the exchequer; charters were
also granted in the 4th and 5th of Edw. III., 5th of
Rich. II., and 2nd of Edw. IV., the last of which, after
reciting that the mayor and commonalty had eleven
parish churches within the city, with suburbs extending
one mile in every direction, that had been for 50 years
preceding destroyed by Irish enemies and English rebels,
on which account they were unable to pay the fee farm
rent, remitted all arrears, and granted them the cocket
of the city for the construction of the walls, to be held
until they should be able to travel peaceably one mile
beyond them. In the 15th of Edw. IV. all former
charters were confirmed, and the mayor and citizens
were allowed to enjoy all their franchises both within
the city and suburbs and through the entire port, “as
far as the shore, point, or strand called Rewvawne, on
the western part of the said port, and as far as to the
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