Posted by Maisie Culbert on Thursday 31 January 2019 at 15:54
During the 17th,18th and 19th centuries the Cox Family was the landlord of Dunmanway and the surrounding area. In the 19th century many of the family emigrated to the U.S.A. when the estate was sold.
In recent years some of the descendants of those who emigrated visited Dunmanway.
In April 2011 three sisters Susan Morse, Kathleen Whipple and Lucenda Maurer, descendants of the Cox Family travelled to Ireland, bringing with them a Silver Tea Service
COX SILVER TEA SERVICE
This magnificent Service contains a teapot. a water jug, a sugar bowl and a milk jug. It was made in London in the 1840s by William Kerr Reid, a renouned silversmith. Each piece has beautifully engraved patterns on it as well as the Cox Crest, similar to the Crest on the stone plaque in St. Mary's Church, which commemorates the wife of Sir Richard Cox, Lady Mary Cox. The teapot has an inscription on it which reads," Presented to the MISSES COX of the Manor House, Dunmanway, by the REV. JAMES DOHENY P.P. on the part of their tenants as a small token of their gratitude for the unsolicited renewal of their leases Feb. 1848."
BRIEF HISTORY OF THE SILVER TEA SERVICE.
During the Famine of 1848 to 1850 Martha and Katherine Cox lived in the Manor House. They were the landlords of a significant area of Dunmanway. They provided the starving people with soup and dramatically reduced the rents of their tenants. To show their gratitude and appreciation to the Cox Sisters, the local community through Father James Doheny P.P. presented them with a Silver Tea Service.
The Tea Service was taken to America by members of the Cox Family when they emigrated. There it remained and was handed down through the generations. Recently they presented it on loan to the Historical Association at a Presentation Ceremony in the Famine Memorial Chapel at St. Anthony's Hospital. The Association is extremely grateful for the return of this beautiful treasure to Dunmanway. It is in safe keeping and displayed at events from time to time.
See Photo Gallery to view the Silver Tea Service.
In January 2018 Susan Swanson from Seattle another descendant of the family mailed the original COX ESTATE BOOK to the Association. This is now on show in the Centre.
In January 2019 she mailed a collection of old photos, a history of her branch of the family which she had just written as well as other interesting documents. These are now also on display in the Centre and everybody is more than welcome to come in and view them. We think you will find them intersting as some of these exhibits date back to the early 19th century. Susan has also promised the Association a very interesting piece of calvary which dates back to the 18th century and the Duke of Wellington.
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