SKILLEN NAME FOUND IN COUNTY DOWN

FREEHOLD REGISTERS

Freeholders

A Freeholder had property that was owned outright (held in fee simple) or by lease for a life or lives such as the term of his life or the term of three lives named in the lease. For example a Hugh Skillen of Ballyveamore held a lease for the lives of John Bennett, Hugh Chesney and himself. A tenant who held his land for a definite period of time did not qualify as a freeholder. A person with a freehold of sufficient value, depending on the law at the time, could register to vote.

From 1727 to 1793 only Protestants with a forty-shilling freehold or higher, meaning a freehold worth at least 40 shillings per year above the rent, qualified to vote. In 1793 Catholics with at least a 40-shilling freehold were given the vote. Forty-shilling freeholders, both Catholic and Protestant had the vote until 1829 when all 40-shilling freeholders lost the vote. From 1829 a 10 pound freehold was required to vote.

In the latter part of the 18^th century and into the 19^th century landlords had some incentive to subdivide farms and to grant leases for lives. A freeholder with property of sufficient value could register to vote in elections. Some Irish landholders created freeholds, often by providing direct leases to people who previously were subtenants, in order to influence the landholder’s political influence, particularly after the disenfranchisement of Catholics in 1793. Free hold tenants could be persuaded to vote for their landlord’s chosen candidate in elections. (Taken from an extract from Irish Freeholders, Freemen and Voting Registers by Kyle J. Beit)

Name	Townland	Parish	Record Source
John Skillen	Cahard	Magheradrool	Freeholder 11 May1783-89
William Skillen	Ballykine	Magheradrool	Freeholder Register 1813-1821
John Skillen	Ballyveamore	Kilkeel	Freeholder Register 1813-1821
Hugh Skillen	Ballyveamore	Kilkeel	Freeholder Register 1813-21
James Skillen	Ballymacarret	Knockbreda	Freeholder Register 1813-1821
John Skillen	Drumhirk	Kilmood	Freeholder Register 1813-21
Richard Skillen	Carrickmannon	Killinchy	Freeholder Register 1813-21
William Skillen	Bangor	Bangor	Freeholder Registered 18 Jan 1821
Hugh Skillen	Ballyveamore	Kilkeel	Freeholder Register 1824

SKILLEN NAME FOUND IN TITHE APPLOTMENT

SURVEY BOOKS

Tithe was a tax on all agricultural land (originally a tenth of the produce) excepting only church lands and glebes and urban areas and it was paid by lease holders and occupiers, of all religions and denominations to the clergy of the Established Church of Ireland.

Growing resentment against the tax forced the government to introduce a Tithe Composition Act 1823 which replaced payment in kind by payment in cash by landlords. In order to effect this change all agricultural land in the country, which was liable to pay the tithe, had to be surveyed and apploted (valued). During the period 1823 to 1837 a Tithe Applotment Survey was made in each civil parish for the whole of Ireland to determine the value of the tithe, the amount which occupiers of agricultural holdings should pay in tithes to the Church of Ireland. There is a manuscript book for every parish, giving the names of occupiers, the amount of land held, and the sums to be paid in tithes. The Skillen name is found among those who occupied agricultural land.

SURNAME	FIRST NAME	TOWNLAND	PARISH	RECORD SOURCE
Skillen	William	Ballytrim	Killyleagh	Tithe Applotment 1827
Skillen	William	Corporation	Killyleagh	Tithe Applotment 1827
Skillen	John	Tullyveery	Killyleagh	Tithe Applotment 1827
Skillen	Andrew	Tullymurray	Donaghmore	Tithe Applotment 1829
Skillen	Hugh	Drumbo	Drumbo	Tithe Applotment 1829
Skillen	Andrew	Ballybunden	Kilmood	Tithe Applotment 1829
Skillen	David	Ballykeigle	Kilmood	Tithe Applotment 1829
Skillen	John	Drumhirk	Kilmood	Tithe Applotment 1829
Skillen	John	Ballymageough	Kilkeel	Tithe Applotment 1830
Skillen	John Senior	Ballyveamore	Kilkeel	Tithe Applotment1830
Skillen	John Junior	Ballyveamore	Kilkeel	Tithe Applotment 1830
Skillen	William	Dunavin	Kilkeel	Tithe Applotment 1830
Skillen	Andrew Sr.	Glenloughan	Kilkeel	Tithe Applotment1830
Skillen	Andrew Jr.	Glenloughan	Kilkeel	Tithe Applotment 1830
Skillen	James	Glenloughan	Kilkeel	Tithe Applotment 1830
Skillen	John	Moneydarraghamore	Kilkeel	Tithe Applotment 1830
Skillen	John	Ballymageough	Kilkeel	Tithe Applotment 1830
Skillen	Thomas	Ballygrot	Bangor	Tithe Applotment 1833
Skillen	William	Carrickmannon	Killinchy	Tithe Applotment 1833
Skillen	John	Ballyrawer	Donaghadee	Tithe Applotment 1834
Skillen	Samuel	Ballyrawer	Donaghadee	Tithe Applotment 1834
Skillen	William	Magherascouse	Comber	Tithe Applotment 1834
Skillen	Hugh	Magherascouse	Comber	Tithe Applotment 1834
Skillen	John Jr.	Tonaghmore	Magherally	Tithe Applotment 1834
KERNS
Surname	Given Name	Townland	Parish	Record Source
Kerns	John	Gransha	Dromara	Tithe Applotment 1826
Kerns	Anne	Lisleen	Comber	Tithe Applotment 1834
Kerns	Anne	Ballykeel	Comber	Tithe Applotment1834
Kerns	Mrs.	Cherryvally	Comber	Tithe Applotment1834
Kerns	James	Comber	Comber	Tithe Applotment1834
Kerns	Widow	Tullinisky	Garvaghy	Tithe Applotment1834