Household plate of the dukes of Ormonde THOMAS SINSTEDEN Few household inventories survive, and this is particularly true among Irish documents. In recent times considerable work has been done to catalogue the surviving Irish family papers at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland and the Irish Manuscripts Dept, National Library of Ireland, Dublin. Access to this research material has led to several books on life in Irish households and their con- tents.1 In 1895–1912 the Historical Manuscripts Commission pub- lished the Ormonde household inventories, part of the manuscripts of the Marquess of Ormonde held at Kilkenny Castle.2 Sadly, only a handful of household plate inventories appear to have survived, although plate books were not only of legal (estate) importance but also an essential means of keeping track of family silver3 as it was moved between one residence and another, depend- ing on where a family was residing. It is understandable that once the silver had been sold there was little incentive to keep the plate 1 Seal of James, 2nd Duke of Ormonde. books. Silver was treated as household commodity (‘a fashionable (The National Archives, Kew) home bank’), both to elevate a family’s status and to have the free- dom to convert it into cash when needed. The latter was quickly 1 Toby Barnard, Making the Manuscripts of the Marquis achieved by sending it to the local goldsmith, where 75–80% of cost Grand Figure, New Haven of Ormonde, New series, vol price could be realised [fig 5]. 2004; Jane Fenelon, ‘The VII, 1912, pp512–13. Ormonde Picture The most complete Irish household plate inventories to have sur- 3 The plate in many cases Collection’, Duchas, The represented a significant vived are contained in the eleven volumes of Household Inventory Heritage Service, Belfast percentage of the family 2001, (hereafter Fenelon assets. kept by the 1st and 2nd Dukes of Ormonde, of Kilkenny Castle, 2004); Demond Fitzgerald Dublin Castle, St James’s Square, London and Richmond Lodge, & James Pyle, Irish 4 National Library of Ireland, Ormonde Papers 4 Furniture, Dublin 2007. London. The ledgers cover the period between 1674, when the 1st MSS 2521-2525, 2527-2529, 2 Historical Manuscripts 2552-2555. Duke moved from England to Kilkenny, and 1714, when the 2nd Commission report, The Duke went into exile. James, 12th Earl of Ormonde = Elisabeth Preston Richard 1610–88; cr 1st Duke of Ormonde Baroness Dingwall 1661 (Irish), 1682 (Engish) died 1684 Thomas = Amelia Elizabeth = Mary = 4th Earl and Richard Walter Earl of Ossory of Nassau 2nd Earl of Chesterfield 1st Duke (cr 1694) of 1639–85/6 1634–80 Devonshire cr Earl of Arran 1662 Anne Hyde 1 = James = 2 Mary Somerset Charles* Thomas John dau of Earl of 1682 2nd Duke of Ormonde 1685 dau of 1st Duke 1671–1758 Rochester of Beaufort de jure 1665–1745 3rd Duke & 14th Earl John * Walter * cr Earl of Arran 1693 de jure 15th Earl de jure 16th Earl died 1766 1703–83 Elizabeth Mary = died 1750 1st Earl of Ashburnham dsp 1712 John 17th Earl 1740–95 right to peerage acknowledged 1790 Following his impeachment in 1715, the 2nd Duke forfeited his estates and his English honours; he lived thereafter in France. His Irish titles passed to his brother Walter James but neither he, nor the 15th or 16th Earls (*) assumed the honours. 18th Earl 19th Earl and 1st Marquess 2008 SILVER STUDIES 123 2 Queen Mary's christening gift to Lady Mary Butler, younger daughter of the 2nd Duke, of gilt plates, recorded in the Jewel House Book 26 March 1691. See Appendix 3. (The National Archives, Kew) The two dukes appears to have been Ormonde’s clerk in Kilkenny7 and James Butler, 12th Earl of Ormonde, was a staunch roy- also appears to have run a lucrative law practice in alist, in command of the Irish army in 1641 and Lord Dublin and London. He purchased Ormonde House, St Lieutenant in 1644. With his wife and children he James’s Square, for £7,500 and George I purchased accompanied Charles II into exile and was raised to the Richmond Lodge. Although detailed auction records Irish dukedom of Ormonde on 30 March 1661 following survive of the household contents sold, no silver is the Restoration. He returned to Ireland as Lord recorded.8 An appraisal of the contents of Kilkenny Lieutenant from 1662 to 1669. In 1677 he was appointed Castle made on 7 October 1717 came to £2,320. The for a third term as Lord Lieutenant (1677–85). Having entire proceeds from all properties and contents came to been educated at Oxford, he was Chancellor of the £35,566. It is probable that Ormonde sold the plate to the University 1669–88. On his death in 1688 he was suc- goldsmith bankers Vyner or Child before his exile. ceeded by his grandson, James, in the dukedom and in Until an identifiable item from the inventories appears the post of Chancellor (1688–1715). on the market, one must assume the fate of all the plate The 2nd Duke was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland5 was the melting pot. However, several silver items asso- 1703–07 and 1711–13. On his return to Ireland in the ciated with the dukes have survived, including a gift summer of 1703, the city of Dublin held a splendid from the 1st Duke to Lady Stephens of a set of diminu- entertainment for the duke and duchess at the Tholsel tive cups on stands, by the mysterious goldsmith FS/S, (city hall), with corporations marching through the 1686/87,9 and a gift from the 2nd Duke of a monteith to streets. Thomas Bolton, goldsmith, as master of works Richard Cox in 1703/04.10 Neither of these items is iden- for the city, was appointed one of the stewards to over- tifiable in the inventories. see this entertainment.6 Late in Queen Anne’s reign rumours circulated that the duke was a Jacobite sympa- The inventories thiser, leading to his exile on George I’s succession. His Many fascinating insights are gleaned from these wife Mary remained in England and wrote a note on 10 ledgers, which were compiled over a period of about September 1715, ‘Paid the Taylor for clothes my Lord forty years, in particular how silver was used to deco- had made when he went away £16:03:00’. The Forfeited rate the interior. In Kilkenny Castle, most of the silver Estates Commission auctioned the properties and their furniture, with sconces, silver-framed looking glasses, contents, including paintings, tapestries and furniture at silver tables, two stands and a silver frame for a myrtle St James’s Square, Richmond Lodge and Kilkenny tree were displayed ‘in the alcove’, although in what Castle. Some of the contents were bought by relatives of room this was is not specified. The bedrooms were Ormonde and by an agent, a Mr Hackett. Hackett enriched with a silver table, a dressing set, sconces, 124 SILVER STUDIES 2008 warming pans and bedpans. A considerable amount of plate was 5 Appointed by letter of estate sale including a the Great Seal of England printed catalogue of the designated for cooking, serving and dining. These ledgers show the of 19 February 1702/3. A Ormonde House sale with Butler family’s pride in their possessions and the care taken of them. Warrant on 12 February prices realised. For example, the captain of the frigate that transported the duke 1702/3 authorised the 9 Inscribed ‘A Bartlemew Receiver-General of Ireland Fairing sent by His Grace and duchess’s household effects and plate in June 1674 was reward- to pay him £3,000, for the the Duke of Ormonde to ed, in appreciation of safe passage, with a large gilt tankard and cost of his equipage as Fridasweed Lady Lord Lieutenant and of his cover with two handles [Appendix 1]. Several house staff were Stephens, 1686’, Sotheby’s voyage to Ireland. Calendar London, 12 June 1986 lot appointed to take charge of the silver. At Kilkenny Castle in 1674, of Treasury Books 1703, vol 126. A 'Bartlemew Fairing' the panter,11 Daniel Lidford, appears to have been the senior person XVIII p138. is a seventeenth-century 6 J.T. Gilbert, Calendar of the term derived from responsible for the plate. In 1689 Thomas Sturges acted as panter Ancient Records of the City of Bartholomew Fair, held and in 1705 was followed by Stephen Beaumont. Not only did the Dublin, 1894, vol VI, p290 annually for the sale of panters repeatedly make an inventory of seemingly all12 silver and (hereafter CARD). It is pos- trinkets , toys and other sible that a set of ambassa- pleasures. It may be a play gold, but they oversaw the distribution of each item throughout the dorial plate with the royal on words for sexual house. For example, the silver headed porter’s staff was signed over arms of Queen Anne, favours, more bluntly put Thomas Bolton, Dublin in 1641 as a 'fucking to the porter Mr Dupond. The panters noted the items ‘wanting’ or 1703/04 was part of this exchange'. missing and those that were sent for repair or traded for new silver. splendid entertainment. A 10 Art Institute of Chicago, In 1674 the confectioner, Mrs Jones, was responsible for a consider- sideboard dish (Museum Bequest Mary Hooker of Fine Arts, Boston) and Dole; Thomas Bolton, able amount of silver used for cooking, such as preserving spoons ewer (private collection), a Dublin, 1703/04, Sotheby’s and a skillet with an iron frame. The valet de chambre (sur- pair of covered wine jugs London, 8 December 1933 (one in San Antonio geon/hairdresser), Mr Mezandere, of whom a portrait with the lot 131, property of Villiers- Museum of Art, Texas, one Stuart.