Heads and Hearths: The Hearth Money Rolls and Poll Tax Returns for County Antrim 1660-69by S. T. CarletonNorth Irish Roots, Vol. 3, No. 1 (1992), pp. 21-22Published by: North of Ireland Family History Society (NIFHS)Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27696852 .

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on genealogy and allied subjects, and well over fifty percent of its columns are occupied by accounts of particular families with a bias towards the medieval period... the Ancestor includes articles on heraldry, art and general history, together with review, letters to the editor, and a few extracts from historical records especially wills..." All I can add is that its contents are in the main English, little Irish, though interesting from a general point of view. If you can get hold of the original it's a good read and the bibliography provides a guide to both journals.

The Genealogist: Part 1 Sources was published from 1877 to 1922 in 44 volumes. The

original is available in the Linenhall Library, again handle with care. There is a little material from Ireland, though most of the material is from Great Britain. With a span of some fifty years, it has a lot of data held within its pages. No doubt, as with the previous review, that this sort

of information has been published in the past by others or in the original form but in this format these guides introduce old work horses to a new readership. One last thing, if you are lucky, you may come across handwritten notes, don't ignore them as often they contain additional data.

Bishops Transcripts and Marriage Licences, Bonds and Allegations: A guide to their location and indexes. This book covers England, Wales, Ireland and the Isle of Man. It is a

guide to where they are found, periods of which record were kept and the time scale in which

they cover and what has been published in the past. Ireland has a page to itself, (for further data on marriage see also Civil Registration in Northern Ireland, Vol 2, No 7 North Irish Roots).

The Records of the Royal Air Force: How to find the Few. The RAF is the youngest of the armed forces, it evolved from the Royal Flying Corps. This book contains, a brief history, a description of structure and to where to find records and what type of record found there. The RAF served in many theatres both in peace and in conflict and with a multiplicity of nationals

serving with it. Most records are found at PRO Kew and are only available pre 1958 under the 30 year rule. The author is a founder member and archivist of the 247(F) (China-British) Squadron Association, so knows what she is writing about. It is a good and useful guide which if you know little of the RAF explains a lot in a short space. If you were a member of the force it would be an interesting useful exercise to write in some form of your time served, this would be a

permanent record and of great use to both your family and future genealogists.

Far from Owenreagh: Memories of John Graham (1899-1983). Moyola Books. 1990. Pp 36 + iv; 12 ill and a map. 2.20 ISBN 0 9511836 7 2. This book in a way is a continuation of the last review. John Graham, a native of Owenreagh, the Sixtowns, Draperstown, L'derry, had served with RAF in 1918 as an observer and rear gunner. This is the story of his life told

simply and directly. The story of a man who served in two world wars, the second in the Australian

army as ambulance driver, of his emigration to Australia in the 1920's and life there during despression, war and peace. It is peppered throughout with references to the people of

Owenreagh and the other Sixtowns as well as many others. My only complaint is that more could

have been easily published but it's interesting and enjoyable just the same. This sort of book

might jog a few memories so be prepared to write them down. The book itself could provide a useful model for those writing their own family histories or memoirs.

Heads and Hearths: The Hearth Money Rolls and Poll Tax Returns for County Antrim 1660-69. ST. Carleton. Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. Pp 191 approx. + xvi; 2 figs, 13

plates and 18 tables. 19.50. ISBN 0 905691 27 X. When I first went to the Public Record

Office of Northern Ireland, I was told by a friend that there were three main sources that are

a good point to start off from for a beginner, though you could probably add more. The first was the personal name index, next Griffiths valuation and lastly the Hearth money rolls and Poll tax returns, good advice. This book deals with the latter in respect to Co. Antrim; it has a good introduction describing historical background; what the taxes were; from a genealogist's point of view it is well laid out and easy to follow. Each chapter deals with a barony, divided

by parish and individual townland. The townland references each have an azed list of names

for 1669 and in brackets 1666. It also lists those who only appear in 1666. the notes for each

chapter are extensive and interesting, each chapter finishes with maps of the parishes showing distribution of hearths and townland location. But what of the taxes themselves? The Poll Tax

was resurrected for a short while recently in Great Britain (we in Ireland didn't have it this time), it proved as unpopular, controversal and uncollectable as the original with many disapperaing

off the official records. The Hearth tax proved too unpopular in our cold damp climate. It so

far has not been re-introduced but with environmental issues such as global warming and ozone

depletion, this form of tax could be brought back not simply as a source of revenue to pay for

war as the original but as a possible green tax limiting carbon emissions. You have been warned, tax gatherers can often be quite imaginative when squeezing us. This reviewer for one hopes

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that this book is not a one off but a beginning of a series that will at least cover the material held at PRONI, this material is already standard reference much quoted by genealogists. I remind the reader that PRONI have a number of books for sale at original prices so the price of this book

will come down in real value over time. Mr. ST. Carlton and PRONI must be commended for

publishing such well designed and accessible book.

'Curious in Everything': The Career of Arthur Dobbs of Carickfergus 1689...1765. Edited

by D Helen Rankin & E Charles Nelson 1990 Carrickfergus & District Society in association with Society for the History of Natural History Pp 37 + x 7 ill 3 sterling (+ 1 p + p) ISBN 0 9516943 0 8 In 1989 there was an exhibition held in Carrickfergus to cehbrate the tercentenary of the birth of Arthur Dobbs He was at one time or another, High Shernf of Co Antrim, Mayor of Carrickfergus, Deputy Governor of Carrickfergus, M P for Carrickfergus, one of the founder members of the Royal Dublin Society, Exponent of Empire and Free Trade, Financier of

Exploration of the North West Passage, Colonial Governor of North Carolina and more Divided into a series of four sections which cover the main aspects of his life, each by a different writer

as follows, R Gillespie The Ulster of Arthur Dobbs, E C Nelson Of Bees and Flytraps the natural history of Arthur Dobbs T Parkhill Arthur Dobbs Colonial Undertaker, Governor of North

Carolina and D Helen Rankin Arthur Dobbs, a calendar of his life and family affairs and ending with a Bibliography and Exhibition catalogue It is hard to encapsulate such a man who's interests were so wide and varied, he was a man of his age and his life reflected this age

- the age on

enlightenment The bookm itself gives the reader a good introduction to the man but lacks space to do him full justice From a genealogical point of view it has little to offer but good historical

background to a man who helped settle many hundreds of Ulsterfolk in the Carolinas, a sprinkling of names in text and a family tree of Arthur Dobbs (See also Shipping Adverts of 1753 & 1789)

by T S F Stitt

THE CRAFTSMEN OF CLONMANY PARISH IN THE 19th CENTURY by Godfrey F. Duffy (Member No. A488)

Clonmany Parish, Co. Donegal (Pop. 6,450, 1851 census), like many parishes in Ireland had a basically agrarian economy and according to the 1851 census the majority of its population were employed in this activity. They cultivated enough produce for their own needs and rest was sent to local Fairs of Camdonagh, Malin, Buncrana and Derry. A sizable

part of the community

was classes as Manufacturers, what we call tradesmen. W. Shaw Mason in his parochial survey of 1814 remarks The genius of the people turns on an agricultural axis, although there are some

expert craftsmen in the parish, such as Shoemakers, Weavers, Carpenters, Coopers, Wheelrights, &c.'

Weaving was a flourishing trade from the eightenth century and many families possessed handlooms and spining wheels. The spinning wheel survey of 1796 revealed over 177 persons in the parish had spinning wheels. Apart from spinning and weaving the cloth was dyed and made into clothes. The Carpenters could be relied on to fix the handlooms and turn their skills to making tables, chairs, wooden beds and dressers. Tailors produced a variety of clothes including suits, breeches and frock coats, calling in person to measure up. Shoemakers made good shoes which were well worn with pride especially on the Sabbath, when they would be carried to church and slipped on prior to going in. if a thing could be made in the parish it was, especially household items, homemade baskets, stools, mats, sheets and tablecloths.

Wheelwrights made various wooden dishes called 'cops' while Coopers turned out a host of vessels such as tubs, barrels, pigins, butts and noggins (known locally as gugans). The Cooper's skill could make a water tight barrel sealing the staves with bullrushes or a basic barrel for fruit, fish or bread. Small barrels were a speciality and were taken by emigrants on their votyage to America. The Smiths could make a variety of metal artifracts necessary for a rural community while more intricate metal work, eg locks could be done in Derry.

A family would pride itself on being associated with a particular craft and the occupation would often be tagged to a person's name as in Brogai (shoes) McCann. The Duffys and Tullaghs were Coopers of the parish and the Dohertys were the Smith &c.

What emerges is a picture of a self-sufficient community with interdependent versatile craftsmen. Even the Famine had little effect on a community with a diet of cereal produce, dairy food, fish and small game. As the nineteenth century closed the number of crafts dwindled to one Cooper and Smith serving the whole parish. The 1901 census indicates

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