Cooel & Dooish Farm Auction, 1908
I came across this fascinating advert from the Ulster Herald, dated 11 January 1908, and find myself at something of a loss to explain it. The only John Buchanan in Cooel at that time was my great-great-grandfather, whose eldest son was Alexander Buchanan. So far, so good, I hear you say. The problem is, while Alexander moved on, John and the rest of his considerable family (he and Sarah Jane had eleven children all up) were still in Cooel, and still farming, when the 1911 Census was taken, and well beyond. As ever, I'm left with more questions than answers: did they somehow come up with the money they would appear to have owed W. & C. Scott, a large local milling company? How did they come to owe that money in the first place? Did someone buy these not inconsiderable sized farms (the average size of an Irish farm in 1911 was said to have been between 15 and 35 acres, so Alexander's Dooish property was not to be sneezed at, and John's 37 acre holding in Cooel was noteworthy), and did John then sub-lease all or some of the land back? If anyone has any ideas, I would love to hear them. I would also love to lay my hands on the original court papers as background, but initial searches via PRONI have failed to turn up anything.
VALUABLE FARMS
in
COOEL & DOOISH
FOR SALE BY PUBLIC AUCTION
County of Tyrone - Division of Omagh - Record Nos 1998 and 1999.
W & C Scott Ltd v John Buchanan and Alexander Buchanan
To be Sold by
PUBLIC AUCTION
On the Premises
AT COOEL
On Monday, 20th January, 1908,
At the hour of Two o'clock, p.m.
(Pursuant to an Order made by His Honour the County Court Judge in above suit).
LOT 1. - All that Farm of Land and Premises in the Townland of Cooel, otherwise Coolavanagh, in the Barony of West Omagh and County of Tyrone, containing 37a, 3r, 10p, Statute Measure, or thereabouts, held as a Statutory Tenancy from year to year at the yearly judicial second term rent of £7 10s 0d., in the occupation of John Buchanan.
LOT 2. - All that Farm of Land and Premises in the Townland of Dooish, Barony of East Omagh and County of Tyrone, containing 15a 0r 0p, Statute Measure, or thereabouts, held as a Tenancy from year to year at the yearly rent of £2 3s. 0d., in the occupation of Alexander Buchanan.
TERMS: - £25 per cent. deposit and £2 1/2 per cent. Auction Fees to be paid at the time of Sale, and balance of the Purchase Money on Sale being confirmed by the Court.
By Order,
L. M. BUCHANAN, Clerk of the Peace for said County.
For further particulars as to title, conditions of sale, etc., apply to
DICKIE & CARSON, Solicitors for Plaintiffs, having carriage of the Sale, Omagh.
JOHN CAMPBELL, Auctioneer, &c., Dromore, Co. Tyrone.
