THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: Carrickmore estate is setting for evictions

Considerable excitement prevailed in the neighbourhood of Carrickmore in Co Tyrone this week in 1886, reported the News Letter, when the sub-sheriff and force of more than one hundred police officers arrived in the area to carry out a number of evictions.

The paper observed that in December 1885 that Mr Samuel Drummond, a bailiff, had been badly beaten in when he served a number of “ejectments” and that his son had to be protected by police when posting notices afterwards in Carrickmore.

The first tenant to be evicted was Mr Neil Gorley, “who paid the amount due and costs”. The next tenant to be evicted was Mr Patrick Gormley.

The paper’s correspondent told how two carts were placed across the door of the house to obstruct the authorities but that after some delay the rent and costs were paid. Next was the house of Mr Daniel McCartin.

It was found that nobody was home and a member of the crowd shouted to the authorities that Mr McCartin was willing to pay but that he had “gone away”.

A respite of two or three days was agreed to on the understanding that the full payment would be made.

The road to the home of Mr Patrick Hughes was found to be barricaded in several places and when the eviction squad had made their way through the occupants refused to give them admittance to the house.

In the end the sub-sheriff took the decision to get his constabulary to knock the door down.

The News Letter noted that once this had been done that an old man on crutches came up and paid the rent and costs.