Belfast's first bomb, 28 February 1816: class conflict and the origins of Ulster Unionist Hegemony

Eire-Ireland:Journal of Irish Studies, Spring-Summer, 2004 by Kerby A. Miller

Irish immigrant correspondence has great scholarly value. It provides insight, of course, into the processes of Irish migration and adaptation, but occasionally it can also illuminate contemporary events, developments, or concerns that historians have either not noticed or failed to investigate or appreciate fully. Such may be the case with the following letter, written by William Coyne in Belfast on St. Patrick's Day, 1816. (1)

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William Coyne was probably a master cooper, and he may have been in his mid-forties when he wrote this, his only surviving letter, to his brother in Duchess County, New York. Very likely William Coyne was a Protestant and perhaps a member of the legally established Church of Ireland. Early nineteenth-century Belfast was a rapidly growing city of migrants, principally from East Ulster's Lagan Valley, and, given the reference in his letter, it is probable that Coyne had moved to Belfast from the predominantly Anglican parish of Magher

agall, in the barony of Massareene Upper, in Southwest County Antrim. (2)

In the early 1800s transatlantic mail was expensive, and its delivery uncertain. Consequently, Irish immigrant correspondence was filled primarily with information that was, for its authors and recipients, vitally important but which often appears to contemporary scholars as mundanely personal or familial. The principal subjects of William Coyne's letter, however, were very public and quite dramatic, and his missive's exceptional character indicates that he and his neighbors in Belfast considered the developments he described to be extraordinarily significant--and that he assumed his brother in faraway America would consider them equally so. Hopefully, social and political historians of early nineteenth-century Ulster will also find Coyne's letter of interest.

William and E. Coyne, Belfast, to Henry Coyne, Pleasant Valley, Duchess County, New York, 17 March 1816(3)

Belfast 17th March 1816 Dear Brother

I have [rec.sup.d] your Letter of the 24th [Dec.sup.r] which give us great Satisfection to hear that you and your Familey were in good health; my aunt also [rec,.sup.d] one from you and She and Nancy desires to be remembred to you they are both well and would have wrote but as they had nothing particular to mention they thought the one Letter would do us both, I Showed your Letter to all your acquentainces that is here who was all particularly happy to heare from you, but John Mullan and Michal Roney is both in Scotland; and Mr [M'Pharson,.sup.s] Congregation is disolved his wife Died here and he is in England his Church is Converted into a Muslin ware-house and ocupied by an old acquentaince of yours [W.sup.m] [Shaw.sup.4] who is an acting Partner in a Concern that is doeing a good dale of business at present however trade is in genera/but retry flats yet thank God i have had the best of work Since I went to Mr Bell (6) and the two oldest boys Henry and John is doeing pretty well at the Loom. We have now and then a little Stir as usual between the Weavers and Manifecturiers particularly Thomas How and Frank Johnson (7) Several voilant attacts have been made on the praperty of these 2 individuals but the most dareing of all was on the night of the 28th of Feby on the House of Mr Johnson as his place had been twice Set on fire before he was well prepaird for a third attect haveing the out Side of his windows and door Covred with Sheet Iron and well prepaird in the inside to meet his asealants however notwithstanding they made the attact about 3 Oclock on the morning of the 28th by forseing off the iron Shutters while he(8) and his inmates with Small arms from the uper windows of the House attected the Guards that was covring the working party at the windows when a havy fireing Commenced on both Sides to (9) the party that was at work forsd the Shutters and entroudeced either a bomb Shel or Some other extronary Combustable preperation that Soon exploded and rent the House from top to bottom not a wall nor inside partation that was not torn to pices yet despirate as it was and wounderfull to relate not a life was lost on either Sides, large rewards are offerd for aprehending any one Concernd no less than 2000 [pounds sterling] for prosacution and 500 [pounds sterling] for private information, four quiet well disposed men have been taken (10) on Suspecion but it is hoped there is nothing against them that will affect their lives. Jonathan Gardner Stood a trial at our last Assises for murder and is Still Confind on account of Some [parenciable?] evidences not comeing forward, the nature of the Circumstance was thus he haveing kept a public House down Street about 4 Months he Shut the doar in debt for> 700 [pounds sterling] and it was in an atempt of the Creditors to arest his person that the above accident haptned, (11) how Soon one trouble Succeeds an other his Son John who was Clarke in the Bottle House haveing Commited a breach of trust was turnd out and haveing inlisted a few days after onley got the lenth of England when he died (12) laveing a wife and 2 Children Ruth's fortune has been little better She maried a man of the name of aken and after gowing throw a Considerable property in a Short time She and her man is in the Antrim Militia thus the whole Family is reduced to rachedness and distress I have very little particulars to mention only as I am writeing (13) I have no doubt it will be a Saticefection to you to hear any thing interesting to the place, among many valuable institutions that has been established here Since your departure none deserves more general approbation than the Saveing Bank this is instituted for the Saveings of the poor and is Conducted by the foremost of the place a Comettee of 25 is appointed as directors and manager Consisting of the principle Magastrates and Bankers of the town who meets every Friday Evning to receive deposites from evry discription of working people male and female young and old and each Contributer puts in from 10 pence up according as they find it Convenient and as no fines is levied off any member every one makes their payments Convenient to their Silver (14) and when any Subscriber's payments amounts to [10.sup.s] they draw interest at the rate of 5 per [C,.sup.t] this is one of the most valuable institutions ever invented for the benifet of the lower Class of the Community and you may guess the general aprobation it meets with from the Sum alredy Colected in 12 nights onley Since its Commensement amounting to 1256.[pounds sterling] 14-9 I must draw this Letter to an end but I cannot Conclude dear Henry without expressing our Sorrow at your determination in gowing to the Indian teritories if there was any posibelity that you Could get home I think it would be much better than to exile your Self and your Family into Such an uncertain and in all probibility uncomfortable Situation for things are [not] altogether So bad here but working people can live in my openion as Comfortable and Contented as they can do in america(15) for all those that has to earn their Bread by the Sweat of their Brow has to work there as well as here and the rate(16) of our provisions is likely to be very modrate we have not Seen the oat Meal these 2 years more than [15.sup.s] per [c,.sup.wt,17] and the rent of Land and Houses is falling in praportion Land in general is down from 25 to 35 per Cent; the rate of victuling at present is Meal from [9.sup.s]-[6.sup.d] to [10.sup.s] per [C,.sup.wt] Patatoes from [15.sup.d] to [19.sup.d] per [do.sup.18] Beef from [3 1/2.sup.d] to [6.sup.d] per lb fresh Butter from [1.sup.s] to [1.sup.s]-[3.sup.d] per lb Eggs from 3 1/2 to [5.sup.d] per doz Sweet Milk [2.sup.d] per quart and other things in praportion. Ann Coyne was here last week from Magheragell they are all well there and desires to be remembred to you, Wm Witherops Familey is also well and likewise Sends their Love, Jery Lee's Sister lives here and desires to let you know that he is dead he was wounded at the Battle of Waterloo and died Shortly after, the name of the man that tom,s wife bore the Child to is John Johnson, I Can add no mot but remains your affectionate Brother and sister Wm & E Coyne