Spinning-Wheel Premium Entitlement List 1796

As part of a Government scheme to encourage the linen trade, free spinning wheels and looms were granted to individuals planting a certain area of land with flax. The lists of those entitled to the awards, covering almost 60,000 individuals, were published in 1796, and record only the name of the individual and the civil parish in which they lived. The majority, over 64 per cent of the total, were in Ulster, but some names appear from every county except Dublin and Wicklow. The original publication is held in the Linen Hall Library, Belfast, and each county begins the following explanatory note:

�A List of Persons to whom Premiums for sowing Flax-seed in the Year 1796 have been adjudged by the Trustees of the Linen Manufacture.

Pursuant to the Scheme offered by them for encouraging the Growth of Flax throughout the Kingdom, vis. To the Person who should sow between the 10th Day of March and the 1st Day of June 1796, with a sufficient Quantity of good sound Flax-seed, any Quantity of Land, well prepared and fit for the purpose, not less than 1 Acre - 4 Spinning Wheels, - 3 Roods 3 Ditto - 2 Roods 2 Ditto, - 1 Rood 1 Ditto. And to the Person who should sow in like Manner any Quantity of like Land, not less than 5 Acres, a Loom, or Wheels, Reels, or Hatchells to the Value of 50 shillings, and for every 5 Acres over and above the first five a like Premium.

The Claimants for one Rood, who are entitled to one Wheel each, are requested to apply to the County Inspector, Mr William Boyd for their Wheels, there being a sufficient Number ready to distribute among them. The other Premiums will be discharged in Rotation as the Wheels can be made, of which due Notice shall be given.

Every Person preferring Reels may have two of them in lieu of a Spinning Wheel.

The Scheme of Premiums offered by the Board for the Year 1796 has had so extensive an Effect that it will require 37,135 Wheels to discharge the One Rood Claimants, and not less than 88,719 Wheels, together with 227 Looms, to discharge the whole, which necessarily produces much delay in delivering.

As the highest Price is paid for the Wheels in order to have them of the best Fabric, of seasoned Timbers, and of full Size, no Claimant is to receive any Wheel deficient, in any respect: They are all to be stamped with the Board Seal before delivery, and with the Maker's Name.

And in order to render the national benefit proposed by the Trustees as officious as possible, they request that any neglect of the Inspector in delivering Wheels of the best quality and equal excellence to the Pattern deposited with him, be instantly made known to them by information to any Trustees, or to the Inspector General, or by Letter to their Secretary, at the Linen Office, Dublin.

N.B. Any Inspector, Deputy Inspector, or Surveyor, or other Person acting under him or them who shall directly or indirectly receive any Fee, Gratuity, or Reward for the performance of his duty, becomes by such offence, disqualified by Act of Parliament to hold any Employment under the Linen Board."

COUNTY ANTRIM

NAME
Kelly, John
Kelly, James

COUNTY ARMAGH

NAME
Kelly, Owen
Kelly, Patrick
Kelly, John
Kelly, Terence
Kelly, Richard
Kelly, James
Kelly, James
Kelly, Nicholas
Kelly, Rose

COUNTY DOWN

NAME
Kelly, James
Kelly, Arthur
Kelly, Edward
Kelly, Bernard
Kelly, Patrick
Kelly, William
Kelly, Bryan
Kelly, Matthew
Kelly, Patrick
Kelly, Patrick
Kelly, Daniel
Kelly, Edward
Kelly, William
Kelly, Hugh
Kelly, Michael
Kelly, Thomas
McCrum, George
McCrum, John
McCrunn, Moses
McMaster, David

COUNTY GALWAY

NAME
Kelly, Bartholomew
Kelly, Patrick
Kelly, Patrick
Kelly, Edward
Kelly, Francis
Kelly, Tardy
Kelly, Tardy
Kelly, Sylvester
Kelly, Widow
Kelly, Thomas
Kelly, John
Kelly, Mathias
Kelly, Michael
Kelly, Peter
Kelly, John
Kelly, William
Kelly, John
Kelly, John
Kelly, Thomas
Kelly, Hyacinth

PARISH
Ballintoy
Ballymoney

Armagh
Armagh
Ballymore
Creggan
Killevy
Killevy
Mullaghbrack
Mullaghbrack
Mullaghbrack

Ballee
Drumgooland
Drumgooland
Drumgooland
Drumgath
Kilclief
Kilkeel
Kilkeel
Kilkeel
Kilmegan
Kilmore
Kilmore
Kilmore
Maghera
Maghera
Newtown
Clonallan
Clonallan
Drumballyroney
Comber

Athleague
Aughyart
Ballynakill
Clare-Tuam
Caltra
Caltra
Clonbern
Duniry
Dunmore
Dunmore
Dunmore
Dunmore
Dunmore
Dunmore
Kilkerrin
Kilkerrin
Menlough (Killoscobe)
Moylough
Tynagh
Tynagh

BARONY
Cary
Ballymoney

Armagh
Armagh
Orior Lower
Fews Upper
Orior Upper
Orior Upper
Fews Lower
Fews Lower
Fews Lower

Lower Lecale
Upper Iveagh
Upper Iveagh
Upper Iveagh
Upper Iveagh
Lower Lecale
Mourne
Mourne
Mourne
Upper Iveagh
Kinelarty
Kinelarty
Kinelarty
Upper Iveagh
Upper Iveagh
Lower Castlereagh
Upper Iveagh
Upper Iveagh
Upper Iveagh
Lower Castlereagh

Killian
?
Leitrim
Clare
Tiaquin
Tiaquin
Ballymoe
Leitrim
Dunmore
Dunmore
Dunmore
Dunmore
Dunmore
Dunmore
Tiaquin
Tiaquin
Tiaquin
Tiaquin
Leitrim
Leitrim

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