Fonds P21 - The De Laval and Willis Papers

Identity area

Reference code

IE 2135 P21

Title

The De Laval and Willis Papers

Date(s)

  • c. 2000-2007 (copies of items dating from 1689-1931) (Creation)

Level of description

Fonds

Extent and medium

14 items

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

The De Lavals were a notable Huguenot family who claimed descent from King Henry IV of France and held title to extensive seigneuries in Picardy. Like other Huguenot families, they had greatly benefited from the Edict of Nantes issued by Henry IV in 1598, which granted substantial rights to Calvinist Protestants in a strongly Catholic country. The Edict was bitterly opposed by the Catholic clergy and many French parliaments and was eventually revoked by Louis XIV in 1685. The revocation deprived French Protestants of all religious and civil liberties and subjected them to intense religious persecution. The Vicomte Henri Robert d’Ully de Laval was imprisoned at Laon in 1688 and his estates were declared forfeit. He was able to escape in September 1689, and eventually sought refuge in Ireland. He moved to Portarlington in 1695, where his rank and considerable wealth allowed him to establish a leading position in the community.

In 1808, the Vicomte’s great-granddaughter Deborah Charlotte Newcombe married Thomas Gilbert Willis, son of Thomas Willis, the Master of Portarlington’s most famous French school. Thomas Gilbert, who had taken Holy Orders in the Anglican community, was appointed Rector of Kilmurry Church, Limerick (now adjacent to the campus of the University of Limerick); his son Thomas was appointed Curate to the same church in 1832. Thomas Gilbert was also appointed Prebendary to St Mary’s Cathedral, and Master of the Diocesan School which he ran from his house in Thomas Street. He died in 1837 and was buried outside the west door of the Cathedral. Following his death, his widow opened a Day and Boarding School for Young Ladies in No. 5 Pery Square, while his son William continued to run the private school in Thomas Street. Thus, the strong tradition of education established by the Willis family in Portarlington was successfully extended to Limerick.

Archival history

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Donated by Josephine and Roy Carter of Marlborough, Wiltshire on 21 May 2006. The donation was facilitated by Professor Geraldine Sheridan of the Languages and Cultural Studies Department at the University of Limerick.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

The collection items consist of seals, reproductions of portraits and transcripts of documents relating to the De Laval and Willis families, providing in snapshot detail the fate of a high-ranking Huguenot family forced into exile, their efforts to create a new life in a foreign country, and the lives of their descendants.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

All records have been retained.

Accruals

No accruals are expected.

System of arrangement

The material is divided into three series according to form.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Unrestricted access to all items.

Conditions governing reproduction

Standard copyright regulations apply to all items. For photocopying or reproducing material, please consult with the staff.

Language of material

  • Béarla

Script of material

    Language and script notes

    Physical characteristics and technical requirements

    Mainly paper documents, mostly in good condition. P21/3/7 requires a laptop or PC with a CD-drive and Microsoft Office Word or compatible software.

    Finding aids

    Allied materials area

    Existence and location of originals

    The originals of the materials in this collection are retained by the current representatives of the family in the UK.

    Existence and location of copies

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    Related descriptions

    Notes area

    Alternative identifier(s)

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    Description control area

    Description identifier

    Rules and/or conventions used

    This description follows guidelines based on ISAD(G) 2nd edition (2000), Irish Guidelines for Archival Description (2009), National Council on Archives: Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names (1997) and EAP Guidance on Data Protection for Archive Services (2018).

    Status

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        Archivist's note

        Papers arranged and described by Anna-Maria Hajba in December 2008 and revised in July 2021.

        Accession area