There are innumerable Bunbury references at the brilliant Registry of Deeds Index Project Ireland on page 65 and page 66 – enough there to keep me distracted for a fortnight so, with deadlines a-plenty in my life, I am going to pretend I didn’t see it for now!

 

NB: Be sure to keep an eye out for Bunburye as well as Bumbry and Bumbury spellings!

 

 

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EXAMINATION OF JOHN BUNBURY OF STOKE BISHOP IN COUNTY GLOUCESTERSHIRE, GENTLEMAN, AGED 41, 26 MAY 1642, ff 85r–v.

The examinant knew Nicholas Loftus for ten years and has also known the Mayflower of Waterford, thirty tons, for the last twelve months. Loftus is the sole owner of the vessel. David Cheevers affirmed that Loftus bought the ship with a mortgage for £80 sterling. The examinant lately saw the ship at Bideford in Devon.

(HCA 13/58 Examinations, 1642-1644, from ‘A Calendar of Material relating to Ireland from the High Court Of Admiralty 1641–1660’, edited by Elaine Murphy.)

 

 

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Richard Bunbury was recorded as a Cornet in Captain Edward Scott’s troop in the Kentish horse in 1644. ‘Surnames beginning ‘B”, in The Cromwell Association Online Directory of Parliamentarian Army Officers , ed. Stephen K Roberts (2017), British History Onlinehttps://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/cromwell-army-officers/surnames-b [accessed 20 February 2020].

 

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There are not either reputed Popish Priests or Friars residing in any of the above Parishes. The reputed Popish Priest is Felix Nowlan, and his coadjutor is Nicolas Duggan, both residing within the union of Hacketstown. (Signed.) John Bunbury, Minister of said Parishes. (Analecta Hibernica, Issue 39 (2006), p. 101. This is presumably the Rev Nicholas Doogan (who died 28th January 1767) and the Rev Felix Nowlan (who died 21st November 1774), who are both buried in Clonmore, County Carlow, but who was John Bunbury!!?

 

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Mon. 6. [June, 1766] In the Evening a Dispute arose at New Gardens in Britain-street, between Mr. Butler of the County of Kilkenny, and Cornet Bunbury; they immediately returned with their seconds to a Tavern, where they fought with Pistols in a very confined Room; the former was shot dead, and the other wounded in the Mouth; the Verdict returned by the Inquest was Murder. Mr. Bunbury has since stood his Trial, and was acquitted. (The Gentleman’s and London Magazine: Or Monthly Chronologer, June 1763)

 

Dublin, June 11. On Monday evening a dispute arose at the new gardens, between one Mr Butler of the county of Kilkenny, and Captain Bunbury of the army, which they agreed to decide immediately with pistols; for which purpose they adjourned with their seconds (gentlemen belonging to the army) to a tavern, and, after ordering supper and a bottle of hock, as a blind to the people of the house, they began the combat ; when Mr. Butler received a ball in his side, and instantly expired; Capt. Bunbury was dangerously wounded in the Mouth, by the rebounding of a ball fired by Mr Butler. The Coroner’s inquest have since sat on the body, and brought in their – verdict, murder. It is said that both the Gentlemen were in liquor.
Caledonian Mercury – Wednesday 22 June 1763

 

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Seamus Bunbury, a poet or critic circa 1820, quoted in an extract from ‘Mere Irish & Fíor-ghael: Studies in the Idea of Irish Nationality, Its Development and Literary Expression Prior to the Nineteenth Century‘ by Joseph Theodoor Leerssen (John Benjamins Publishing, 1 Jan 1986) !

 

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John Bunbury was buried in Bunhill Fields in London … or is he muddled with John Bunyan!!?

 

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In August 2019, Alison FitzGerald of the Department of History at Maynooth University informed me she is seeking details of a silversmith called Thomas Bunbury. He was in debt in Ireland in 1765 but by 1770 was in the West Midlands of England where he was employed by Matthew Boulton of Birmingham (the terms of the memorandum of agreement describe him as ‘late of the City of Dublin in the Kingdom of Ireland but now of Handsworth’).

 

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Bunburys registered at Kilkenny College

• William Bunbury, entered 1715 (NB: He was probably of Lisnavagh branch)
• Josiah Bunbury, entered 1748
• Ralph Bunbury, entered 1793
• Thomas Bunbury, son of Benjamin, entered 1797
• George Bunbury, son of Benjamin, entered 1798
• Benjamin Bunbury, entered 1840
• Ralph Bell Bunbury, entered 1845

With thanks to Andrew Whiteside, Archivist, Kilkenny College.

 

 

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According to Burke’s Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry (1847), Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of Philip Shepherd, Esq, was married secondly to a Mr. Bunbury.

 

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1716 DEED (August 4, 16/422/78700): Elizabeth TEAKER of City of Dublin Widow of the one part; John UNDERWOOD of City of Dublin Ironmonger; Hugh BRADY of Kilcooney Co. Galway, Gent & William BARRY of City of Dublin Gent of the other part. Tripartite deed Btw said Elizabeth TEAKER of the first part John BRADY of Raheens Co. Clare Esq of the 2nd pt & John UNDERWOOD, Hugh BRADY and William BARRY of 3rd pt.
Reciting that Lucretia ARUNDELL of City of Dublin widow relict and executor of Robert ARUNDEL of same City Alderman deceased being possest of a considerable estate on lands & several Houses and Tenements in the Suburbs of Dublin and having four daughters viz: Hanna, Deborah, Abigail and Lucretia ARUNDEL unprovided for did on 5 Feb 1670 make her last will bequeathing her estate equally to her four daugters …
Reciting that Thomas TEAKER late of Rathmore Co. Kildare Clke deceased having intermarried with Hannah ARUNDELL he the said Thomas & Hannah his wife and Henry BUNBURY merchant to the said Deborah [ARUNDEL] his wife & Thomas SPRUNGER Gent and the said Abigail [ARUNDEL] his wife & Luke LOWTHER & Elias BEST Alderman who were left executors for nd on behalf of the said Lucretia the Younger … 4 lots … incl the house on Patrick Street and backside adjoining Mill House Barkhouse Tanyard & Garden formerly in possession of Lucretia ARUNDEL deceased and afterwards in the possession of Elias BEST held by leases from the City of Dublin for a term of years … reciting 9 Jan 1681 Thomas THEAKER & Hannah his wife … drew the first lot … Hannah having died before the said Thomas THAKER who then married Elizabeth THEAKER… Thomas THEAKER made his will 7 July 1713 leaving all to wife Elizbeth THEAKER. Also reciting John CARTY of City of Dublin Gent by his lease 30 Aug 1715 in consideration of £500 released to Elizabeth THEAKER lease 18 Apr [1716] made by Anne STANDISH and Mary MIDDLETON Widow to said John CARTY the Dwelling House or houses, Brewhouse & Malthouse then in possession of Ann STANDISH & Mary MIDDLETON & their undertenants … being on the Poddle Water & New Roe in Liberty of Thomas Court & Donore in Co. Dublin with all Outhouses or Tenements, Stables Backsides, Gardens Ways, Passages & Appurts … bounded on the west by the street of Newroe on the south with Mr. SALEs Houses or concerns & on the North with the Kings pavement on the Poddle Water aforesaid and on the east with [Abel?] Robert MASONs and Mrs. GUSTARD’s houses containing in front to the Poddle Water 103’ & in front to Newroe 137’ for lives of James STANDISH & Henry STANDISH sons of Anne STANDISH for and during natural life of Mary CORNIN als MIDDLETON daughter to Mary MIDDLETON … several brick houses erected on the Premises in Room of Old Houses …. Marriage to be solemnized shortly btw Elizabeth THEAKER & John BRADY … WITNESS: John CARTEY & Henry BUCKLEY Gents of City of Dublin. (With thanks to Sharon Browne).

 

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MARY-LA-BONNE. Attempt to Poison. —Yesterday, Christopher Bunbury, a middle-aged man [and grocer] of respectable appearance, was charged with an attempt to poison his wife and son, by mixing a quantity of arsenic in a beverage known by the name of egg-hot. Esther Bunbury, the prisoners wife, deposed that she lived apart from husband, under the protection of her son, who keeps a shop in Devonshire-street, Lisson Grove. Her husband, however, was in the habit of visiting her there, and on the 5th of August last, he came in the evening and proposed that they should have something to drink, which being agreed upon, he procured some beer and eggs, which having boiled up together, he poured into two vessels, glass and pitcher. She and her son drank the contents of the glass between them, the prisoner drinking only from the pitcher. During the night she became exceedingly unwell, and vomited as if she had been poisoned, and on coming down stairs in the morning she learnt that her son had suffered in a similar manner. A medical gentleman having been called in, examined the pan into which part of the beverage had been thrown, as well as the glass from which they had been drinking, when he discovered a white sediment, which he immediately pronounced to be arsenic. This evidence having been corroborated by the son and the medical man already mentioned, the prisoner was fully committed to Newgate to take his trial for the offence. He asserted that he was innocent, and that the whole affair was a plot to ruin him on the part of his wife and son. (The Evening Chronicle – Thursday 03 September 1835).

 

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Mrs Bunbury & The Ridotto Balls

“At the Great Rooms in Fishamble-Street, on Monday, 14th February [1774] will commence the First of six Grand Subscription Ridotto Balls, under the Patronage and Direction of the Rt. Hon. the Countess of Shannon, Mrs. Latouche, Mrs. St. Ledger, Mrs. Bunbury, Mrs King and Mrs Cuff. Six guineas and half, entitle a subscriber to two ladies and one gentleman’s ticket, not transferrable. the number of subscribers to be limited to 150.

A ridotto was a kind of masquerade or fancy dress ball. According to John C. Greene in ‘Theatre in Dublin, 1745–1820: A Calendar of Performances’ (Lehigh University Press, 2011), the Great Rooms on Fishamble Street was the Music Hall where Handel performed The Messiah three decades earlier. They were also known as Gibson’s Great Rooms, after its owner William Gibson in 1773-1774. The 3rd ball took place on 8-10 Mar 1774 and the last of the six on 4 May.

25-27 April 1776 Ridotto Ball in Fishamble St, Patroness Mrs Bunbury. Could be any of the Bunbury wives, but also Sir Charles’s wife?

 

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Peter Bunbury (d. 2017)

Peter James St. Pierre Bunbury of Blackrock, Dublin, died at the Blackrock Hospice, surrounded by his loving family, on Friday 28 July 2017. He had formerly been in the care of the nurses and staff of Belmont House Nursing Home and St. Vincent’s University Hospital. He was married to Lorraine, whose daughter is Nivek Dunne. Peter’s sister is Pamela Forbes. Peter’s funeral took place on Friday Aug. 4th in the Church of St. Philip and St. James, Cross Avenue, Blackrock, after which he was cremated at Mount Jerome, Harolds Cross. He was educated at St Columba’s College, where he became friendly with the Bielenbergs. A keen golfer, associated with Portmarnock, he also installed the water system at the Paknasilla course in County Kery circa 1995.

BUNBURY, (née Begley) Lorraine (Blackrock, Co Dublin and late of Limerick), February 6, 2022 (suddenly) at home. Beloved wife of the late Peter. Adored mother and best friend to Nivek. Predeceased by her parents Brian and Cecil and her brothers Brian and Niall. She will be deeply missed by her daughter, sisters Jackie (Leahy) and Yvonne (O’Riordan), son-in-law Steven (Dunne) her cherished grandchildren Coco, Bear and Brooke, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, extended family and wonderful friends. Rest in Peace. Removal to the Church of St Philip and James’, Cross Avenue, Blackrock on Saturday morning for Funeral Service at 11.00 am, followed by cremation at the Victorian Chapel, Mount Jerome, Harold’s Cross. Please wear an item of red clothing in Lorraine’s memory.

So nuttily small world that we bought our Merc (Hector!) randomly online off Kevin Begley, the ex of Lorraine Bunbury and, father of Nivek (Kevin spelled backwards!!).

 

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War Office Aug 1st; 47th Regt of foot; Volunteer Thomas Bunbury to be Ensign, vice James Poe, having been was appointed ensign on 18 June 1775, according to the army list. He went to fight in the American War. In August 1777, Thomas Bunbury of the 47th Foot was promoted to Lieutenant.

Two Benjamin Bunburys were serving in the Irish cavalry in the early 1770s, one in the 3rd Horse, aged 23 in 1774 with six years’ service; the other in the 17th Dragoons (which went to America), aged 33 in 1774 with 13 years’ service: the first, I assume, is ‘Ben the Cornet’ of the Kill/Lisnavagh branch, and the second the Capt Benjamin B, of Kilfeacle though if the age is correct he would have been born c1741. [With thanks to Nick Perry]

William Bunbury was commissioned into the 17th Foot on 23 Aug . He later transferred to the 49th Foot, so he and Joseph were serving in the regiment at the same time, presumably not a coincidence. He was discharged from the army in 1780 and was still seeking to justify himself in 1787. One of the more absurd charges against him was that he had been ‘drinking tea with the Quartermaster and Serjeant’s wife and eating with the Serjeant Major’ (this information comes from Mark Odintz’s 1988 Michigan PhD thesis on the British officer corps from 1754-83) … I have further details of this somewhere on this beats of a website!

 

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Bob Fitzsimon’s useful notes from FREEMAN’S JOURNAL.

 

• 6-9 JUNE 1772. DIED At Stephens Green Mrs Bunbery. Haven’t a clue. Note spelling Bunbery?.
• William Bunbury, commissioned into the 17th Foot on 23 Aug 1775; and Thomas Bunbury, commissioned into the 8th Dragoons on 14 May 1785.
• 29/7-1/8/1775 Dublin. Corporation Instituted for relieving the Poor in the House of Industry, subscriptions and benedictions: Bunbury by Mr Houghton 11s 4d Similar to item of 4-7 May 1776.
• 4-7 May 1776: From the Minister and church wardens of the parish of St. Mary’s, in part of the general collection of said parish, for the year 1776. From Captain Bunbury, by Mr Benjamin Haughton, 11s 4d. [Is the Mrs Bunbury above the wife of Capt Bunbury perhaps] Don’t know which Capt: Bunbury this may have been.
• Fr J 28-31 Aug 1779 Fatal duel involving G——- B—— and H——– W——-, Clonegal Carlow. Could GB beGeorge Bunbury? He was shot in the breast.
• Fr J 2-4 Sept 1779Capt Bunbury of the troop of light dragoons of the Tipperary Volunteers escorted 640 French prisoners enroute from Kinsale to Dublin.
• Fr J 11-14 Nov 1780 In Cashel, Donough McCraith of Loughloher, Esq. to MissElizabeth Bunbury.

 

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• Joseph Bunberry, Dublin City barrister, 1755 https://irishdeedsindex.net/mem.php?memorial=116452
• Mary Bunberry – https://irishdeedsindex.net/mem.php?memorial=368613
• 1801 deed relating to Mary Bunbury and Elizabeth McBride of Dublin and their trustee David Babington regarding in land in Jervis St, Dublin city – see https://irishdeedsindex.net/mem.php?memorial=356670
• Blanche Bunbury, widow, of Stoneybatter, referenced in Memorial No: 18912, dated 27 Jul 1721, by which William Grady of Stonybatter was raising £16 on leases from her with consent of Samuel Carleton.
• Memorial No: 352 (here), dated 7 March 1708, concerned an earlier mortgage dated 29 July 1700 by which John Allen let the Brickhouse, New Row, by Ormond Gate in the suburbs of Dublin City. The lessee was Walter Price (Brice?), merchant, of Dublin City, who raised £100 to commence a 31 year lease, paying £50 pa for 7 years, then £56 pa. Among those named in the deed were Brigadier Henton (Newton?) and William Bunbury / Bumbury, a captain in Henton / Newton’s regiment. There appear to have been three witnesses, all from Dublin City – Jarvis Hellveys, gent; Edward Dalton, gent; and the bookseller John Ware.

 

 

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Niall Sheridan niall.sheridan@hotmail.com wrote in 2013 to say: ‘I thought I would mention, seeing your ancestry listed on your website, that I had come across some Bunbury’s in the Yukon when I lived there, native Indians! John Bunbury, a street fighter there, Lisa Bunbury, his sister, and partner in robberies!! I wonder how many of your ancestors were there in the Gold Rush times!!!??’

 

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Kelsey Grammar plays bumbling banker Charles Bunbury in the film ‘Breaking the Bank,’ a harmless throwback to the 80s style ‘Trading Places’ light vengeance flicks in which Cheers meets Fawlty Towers when Andrew Sachs (Manuel) plays Bunbury’s trusty chauffeur. At one stage, after his bank has failed, Charles Bunbury tries to get a job at the employment office. Asked to describe himself in three words, he replies: ‘Hard-working, numerate and upper class.’

 

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‘Veteran Trainer of Race Horses Dead at 77 In New Orleans.

NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 13 (P). Captain Bernard C. Bunbury, one of the oldest and best known trainers of race horses on the American turf, died of heart disease here today at the age of 77. Captain Bunbury was born in Dublin, Ireland, where he handled horses before going to Texas to raise cattle. In his early manhood he saw military service both in English and Irish companies. Admiral Beatty, British naval officer, was a cousin.
The body will be sent to Louisville, Ky., on Sunday for burial,
The New York Times, February 14, 1932 here.

 

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SHOT HIS COMPANION.
The Sorry End of a Shooting Match Among the Boys at Jackson. Jackson [Michigan], June s. (.Special. This afternoon some boys were shooting at a mark in the park and after they had stopped one of the boys, a lad aged about [11?] years, Willie Bunbury, while looking it a companion’s revolver and not knowing it was loaded, accidentally discharged it, the ball striking Clayloa Cole, aged 10 years, in the right side of the neck. The boy was taken to his home and a doctor probed for the bull, but failed to find it. The boys, though not well nciiuaiuled, were good friends, and imtli say the affair was entirely an accident. The doctors cannot tell as yet what the result will be. [Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan, Tuesday, June 9, 1885, p. 4]

 

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On 5 October 1932, a Handley Page HP42 arrived into Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates from Gwadar in modern-day Pakistan, flying the colours of Imperial Airways as part of the new multiple-stop route between Britain and India that hugged the Arabian Gulf coast.  As John Dennehy wrote in an article for The National (U.A.E.) published on 9 October 1922, entitled ‘The day the first aircraft landed in Sharjah,’ a ‘Mr Bunbury,’ who was a passenger on the same plane two years ago, penned an article for the Royal Aero Club Gazette describing his experiences on board. See here for details. ‘He even found time to pet one of the baby gazelles that then roamed around the airfield.’

 

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SURNAME	TOWNLAND	BOOK	PAGE	MEMORIAL	OTHER SURNAMES MENTIONED IN MEMORIAL AS A LIFE, AJOINING, WITNESS OR OTHER.	IMAGE #
Bunbury	Fryarestown, Fryerstown	63	302	43654	Faggan, Hollington	179
Bunbury	Fryarestown, Fryerstown	70	32	47232	Roe, Damer, McCarthy, Lockwood, Grove, Connor	329
Ryan	Fryarestown, Fryerstown	79	183	55229	Lodge, Minchin, Perkins, Eustace	101
Ryan	Fryerstown	79	183	55229	Lodge, Minchin, Perkins, Eustace	101
Bunbury	Fryarestown, Fryerstown	95	95	65819	Bernard, Simons, Hammon	355

I am unsure who owned Friarstown by the time Bridget Connolly was born to Peter Connolly and his wife Elizabeth (née Gaynor) in 1890. Local tradition maintains that were evicted at about the time of her birth and relocated to Artane. A field on Larry Byrne’s farm is known locally as Conolly’s garden. Bridget, a schoolteacher, joined Cumann na mBan and is thought to have been the only person from Carlow actively involved in the action at the GPO. She had previously stored Mauser rifles after the Howth gun run of 1914. She sided with the anti-Treaty side in the Civil War wand was imprisoned. She died in 1981 and was interred in the family plot at Grange cemetery near Killerrig, County Carlow.