Fethard-on-Sea Wexford

I doont see the name of the father'husband - I presume the surname you are looking for is Clarke ?

On RootsIreland there are a small number of Clarke baptisms showing up in Co. Wexford, but nothing that seems to match the family you mentioned.  RootsIreland only have a small number of parishes covered so far for the county, mostly RC. They do include the RC parish of Templetown that would have covered the town of of Fethard at that time.

What denomination were your Clarke/Brown family ?

Sorry - I must have placed their names in the wrong area. Thomas Clarke is my gggrandfather b.abt 1785 in the Wexford County area. He may have resided in Waterdown. His wife Eliza Brown was born in 1800 in Ireland.  As far as I know they were Protestants, perhaps Presbyterian or Methodist. My ggrandfather Edward was a minister and an Orangeman here in Canada.

There are several listings in the Tithe Applotment* records for the surname Clark[e} in Fethard civil parish, including a Thomas with land in Fethard townland within the parish of the same name. Part of the town of Fethard is in this townland . Several of the other properties with the occupier with the surname Clarke appear on the same page and townland. These entries date from abt 1828.

See : here  (National Archives website)

I dont see a townland or town named Watertown in Co. Wexford

Back as far as the 1830s there was a Church of Ireland church in the town and an RC chapel nearby, I dont see places of worship for any other denominations in the immediate vicinity.

*The Tithes were a type of Land Tax payable on certain types of eligible agricultural land, so do not include include all areas or properties.

Thank you for your interest in my problem.

Sorry, I meant to say Waterford rather than Waterdown.

Thomas Clarke Sr did have a son named Thomsd Clarke  b. December 25, 1833 and a son named William Jacob Clarke b.1837. They might be connected to the Thomas Clarke I am seeking.

Could you tell me what the ARP means in the National Archives documents.

Thank you once more!

William Clarke

re Watertown/ford - I thought you might have been referring to somewhere near Fethard your  Clarkes may have lived.

ARP in documents relating to land like the Tithes, refer to Acres, Roods and Perches - units of measure of land, acres being the largest.

The Tithes mainly used English acres, which are 4840 sq yards,  a Rood  is 1210 sq yards (1/4 of an acre), and were 40 Perches in a Rood, so 30 1/4 sq. yards

There's a reference in the column headers to 'Imperial Acres' over the ARP heading, which presumably the way this surveyor highlighted the fact that his measurements were in English rather than Irish acres, which were a good bit larger. The first column though mentions 'Plantation Acres', which I think are different  specification again - will have to check that one..

Thanks Shane. Keep us up to date on your research William!

Best wishes

Clare Doyle

Genealogy Support 

I am decended from a William Clark(e) born about 1721 and who may have come to Ireland from Bristol or Monmouth. He was probably the same William Clarke who was a tenant farmer at the Coarse Farm at Fethard on the Loftus estate of the Hook Peninsula in 1771 and who died in Fethard on the 7th May 1793 (gravestone visible in Fethard churchyard). His wife was Eliza was born about 1729 and is also buried in Fethard. She died 12th August 1787 according to the same gravestone.

William Clarke had a son, also called William, who was born about 1750, possibly in Bristol (from old family notes). He married a Miss Lett in 1790, possibly the same Margaret Clarke for whom there is also a gravestone in Fethard churchyard erected by her husband William Clarke (although he is not buried there as half the stone is blank and the intended inscription was never filled in). Margaret died on the 20th November 1823, and William was still farming in 1828 according to the Tithe Applotment book for Fethard.

William must have had at least one brother, as family records indicate that he had only two sons (1) Richard, born about 1792 and who was married in Waterford's Roman Catholic Trinity Cathedral on the 13th January 1817 where he is described as a gentleman of the parish of Fethard, County Wexford, and (2) Walter Rothe Clarke who was living in Waterford by 1841 before fleeing Ireland due to unpaid debts, and from whom I am decended.

The remaining Clarkes in the Fethard Tithe Applotment Book must therefore be decended from brothers to William Clarke junior. Your Thomas Clarke would sound likely as a brother or nephew to William Clarke junior.

During the 1798 Wexford uprising the brewer's son Philip Clarke 'a boy of about 13 years' and his mother were taken prisoner and sent to Scullabogue. He may have been a brother to your Thomas Clarke who was born about 1785.

I would be interested if you have more information, as it all helps piece together the tiny strands of information that have survived.

Best wishes

Phil Clarke

Helllo gentlemen

I am also a descendent of this Thomas Clarke and am trying to find his roots back to Fethard  

Have you had any further luck?

Thank you 

Hi Carey

See the post called Clarke.

Best wihes from your very distant cousin

Phil Clarke