Bacon Curing in New Ross - Wexford Guide and Directory, 1885

About “Wexford County Guide and Directory,” 1885

George Henry Bassett produced 7 Irish county directories in the 1880s: Antrim, Armagh, Down, Kilkenny, Louth, Tipperary and Wexford. Each provides useful history of the respective counties as well as lists of office holders, farmers, traders, and other residents of the individual cities, towns and villages.

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The directories are naturally an invaluable resource for those tracing family history. However, there are a few points to bear in mind.

  1. This online version of Bassett’s Wexford County Guide and Directory is designed primarily as a genealogical research tool and therefore the numerous advertisements in the original book, many full page, and quite a few illustrated, have been excluded.
  2. The text has been proofed with due care, but with large bodies of text typographical errors are inevitably bound to occur.
  3. Be aware that there were often inconsistencies in spelling surnames in the 19th century and also that many forenames are abbreviated in Bassett’s directories.

With respect to the last point, surnames which today begin with the “Mc” prefix, for example, were often formerly spelt as “M‘,”. For a list of some of the more common forename abbreviations used in the directory, see Forename Abbreviations.

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MR. SAMUEL KOUGH’S bacon factory was established half a century ago by his grandfather, whose name was also Samuel Kough. At that time heavy salting was generally adopted for curing purposes. The product was shipped to London and the North of England. Mr. Kough’s brand held first place in the London market. He took his son, Mr. Richard Goff Kough, into partnership in 1865, and the firm was known as Kough & Son, and under this title continued to enjoy the prestige previously secured.

To meet the change of taste from heavy salt to mild cure, Mr. R. G. Kough introduced the ice curing system in its best form, and with the most satisfactory results. His father died in 1874, and he soon afterward made London his place of residence. The business then devolved on the present Mr. Samuel Kough, grandson of the founder, who had for many years been associated in the active management of it. Mr. R. G. Kough became a partner in the firm of Messrs. Jones Brothers, direct agents for Mr. Samuel Kough, whose brand still holds first place in the London market.

Mr. Kough’s factory is conveniently situated for every purpose necessary to vigorous operation. Its entrance is on the Quay of New Ross, immediately in front of the shipping point, thus avoiding the heavy item of cartage, and saving a great deal of time. The factory has a depth of about 250 feet, and discharges from its packing house into lighters at the quay. This is the mode of transit to Waterford, where transhipment is made, and prompt delivery in London secured by means of the steamship and train service of the Great Western Railway via Milford.

In every department of Mr. Kough’s factory, superior method, discipline, and extreme cleanliness are indicated. The styes are well kept. The slaughterhouse was sweet and wholesome, although my visit was made to it on one of the hottest days in July. The cleaning department was in good sanitary condition, and the same remark applied with equal truth to the hanging house, melting house, and curing house. The latter is admirably fitted, the beams of the ice loft being about eight feet from the ground floor.

The capacity of the factory is equal to 500 pigs per week. Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny, Wicklow, and Carlow afford a supply of the raw material, and the bacon is all mild cured, green. The lard is put up for the English markets, and shipped with the promptitude which is such a prominent characteristic of the general management. The offal and heads are sold by wholesale at the factory, New Ross dealers taking the larger portion.

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