Broadway - Wexford Guide and Directory, 1885

About “Wexford County Guide and Directory,” 1885

George Henry Bassett produced 7 Irish county directories in the 1880s: Antrim, Armagh, Down, Kilkenny, Louth, Tipperary and Wexford. Each provides useful history of the respective counties as well as lists of office holders, farmers, traders, and other residents of the individual cities, towns and villages.

The directories are naturally an invaluable resource for those tracing family history. However, there are a few points to bear in mind.

This online version of Bassett’s Wexford County Guide and Directory is designed primarily as a genealogical research tool and therefore the numerous advertisements in the original book, many full page, and quite a few illustrated, have been excluded.
The text has been proofed with due care, but with large bodies of text typographical errors are inevitably bound to occur.
Be aware that there were often inconsistencies in spelling surnames in the 19th century and also that many forenames are abbreviated in Bassett’s directories.

With respect to the last point, surnames which today begin with the “Mc” prefix, for example, were often formerly spelt as “M‘,”. For a list of some of the more common forename abbreviations used in the directory, see Forename Abbreviations.

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IN the southern part of the Barony of Forth is the lake formerly called Lough-Togher, now better known as Lady’s Island Lake, from its holy island, which was once a famous place for penance. The lake is about two miles in length, and one in breadth, the village of Broadway being on a hill at the northern end, eleven miles from Wexford. Carne and Tacumshane are in the immediate vicinity. The principal landowners are Lord Keane, James Howlin, Matilda Segrave, and Richard Nunn. The nearest railway station, on Ballygeary line, is 2½ miles. A fowl market is held on Mondays and Saturdays, and fairs three times a year. The land in the vicinity is good for pasture and tillage. The smaller houses in the village, both thatched and slated, are in good repair. Handsome residences are owned in the neighbourhood by Dr. Whittaker, Broadway Cottage; Mrs. Codd, Ballytory Castle; Mrs. Segrave, Ballytrent; Mr. James Howlin, Ballycronigan. The vicinity is rich in ruins; Lady’s Island Castle, near the village, the Castle of Rathshillan, about a mile distant; Ballytory Castle, originally built by the Frenches, half-a-mile distant; Lady’s Island Church, Church of St. Margaret, and Church of Stonyford.

CATHOLIC CHURCH.

Very Rev. Thomas Roche, P.P.

Rev. Patrick Furlong, C.C.

PROTESTANT CHURCH (I.C.)

Rev. P. Foley, Rector

METHODIST CHURCH.

Circuit Minister

POSTMASTER.

James Purcell

DISPENSARY DOCTOR.

William Whittaker

NATIONAL SCHOOL.

Mary Parle, Mistress

Anne Marley, Assistant

FIFE AND DRUM BAND.

Stephen Row, Master

Andrew Murphy, Secretary

Andrew Mitty, Treasurer

BAKERS.

Doyle, Thomas, Broadway

White, Margaret, Lady’s Island

BOOTMAKERS.

Corish, Patrick

Fahy, John

M‘Hugh, John

Pettit, Patrick

Redmond, Edward

CARPENTERS.

Hopley, John

Marley, Edward

Pettit, Patrick

Potts, Robert

DRAPER.

Bridget Moran

GROCERS, FLOUR DEALERS, &c.

(Those marked thus* are licensed to sell spirits.)

Delaney, John

Devereux, Richard

*Doyle, Thomas

*Hopley, Mary

Murphy, Nicholas

Pettit, Kate

*Scallan, Thomas

*White, Margaret

HARNESS MAKERS.

John Kehoe

MANURE AGENT.

James Doyle

MILLERS.

Furlong, K.

Ryan, Nicholas

Wall, John

MILLINERS.

Codd, Bessy

Sinnott, Ellen

NEWS AGENTS.

Doyle, Thomas

White, Margaret

PAINTER.

John McCracken

POST CAR OWNER.

Mrs. Hanton

SMITHS.

Devereux, John

Doyle, James

TAILORS.

Codd, Peter

Marlow, John

Rossiter, Richard

FARMERS, LAND-OWNERS, &c.

(Postal District.)