Dear List,
In the next week or so I will gradually send to the list, info I have from
the voter registration lists from 1839--40, which were printed in the
Fermanagh newspapers. I have copies of some of these lists, and will extract
info on CASSIDYs. But first, let me explain a bit about them.
(I am still learning about voting priveleges in Ireland, but thanks to Dr.
Jim Ryan, I now understand it a little better. However, if anyone knows more
than I do on the subjexct, please feel free to jump in and correct me.)
The idea of univeral suffrage is relatively new. In the 18th and 19th
centuries, voting was for the privileged few. This meant "respectable men",
not the peasant class.
Voting was for men--women did not vote.
The right to vote was tied to property, but the amount of property a man
had to own or occupy in order to vote varied through the years. The general
idea was to keep the common rabble from voting, and reserve the privilege for
the "respectable."
In 1692, the Penal laws forbid Catholics from owning property, but in the
1780s, these restrictions were lifted for those Catholics who took an oath of
allegiance to the Crown.) However, whether one could vote (for both
Catholics and Protestants) still depended on how much property was owned, or
leased.
In 1839, the right to vote was extended to 10s land occupiers. (Land worth
10s or more.) This opened up voting to many more individuals. While a man
did not have to own land to vote, he had to occupy land of a certain value
(established by the value of the lease).
A freeholder was a person who held land for the duration of his life or that
of a specified individual(s), in contrast to short-term leaseholders or
annual rent payers.
In order to vote, a man had to register in the County town (possibly in
nearest large town). Lists of people who registered were published in local
papers, such as the Impartial Reporter and the Fermanagh Farmer's Journal, in
1839 and 1840.
What does it mean if your ancestor is not found on the 1839 list that I
will post?
It could mean:
he registered later (or earlier?) and his name appears in a different list.
he registered somewhere other than Enniskillen.
he never registered because he did not occupy land worth at least10s, or
because he had a short-term lease, or paid an annual rent.
he was too young.
he was not in Fermanagh at the time, because he had already emigrated.
he was living with his parent or other relative who was the freeholder or
leaseholder.
Janet C-S