Eve,
Irish sheep of the early 19th century were generally noted (by
agricultural authors at the time such as George Cully) as being of the
lean 'unimproved' type; the more familiar breeds such as the Mourne,
Galway or Roscommon being at a fairly early stage in development. The
specific reference to the fat might indicate the meat was being stolen
for making mutton 'hams', (i.e. salted). In the 19th century the best
mutton hams were said to come from the wethers as their more fatty
meat was better for the curing process. Unimproved sheep in early 19th
century Ireland were described as being a lean, long legged type,
which might suggest that those who stole the meat were conscious of
taking the what limited fatty meat there was on the unimproved type
for making hams.
Just a suggestion but hope this helps,
Don.
On 19 September 2015 at 14:36, Eve Richardson <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> This isn't exactly archaeological, but I'm hoping someone can shed some
> light on an item I've found in an Irish paper published in 1819.
>
> "We are sorry to learn, that the atrocious practice of killing sheep for
> their fat is carried on, at present, in the neighbourhood of Thomastown ...
> one was killed on the land of West Jerpoint ... and the fat and hindquarters
> carried away. .. several sheep ... have been stolen or treated in a similar
> manner."
>
> Why the fat in particular?
> And why the hindquarters, but not the whole sheep? Were the sheep of that
> time already too big to carry off easily? Or just easier to hide the
> hindquarters than the whole thing?
>
> (One of the three whose sheep were stolen was a brother or cousin of my gr
> gr grandfather, hence my interest.)
>
> Eve
> Toronto, Canada
>
>
>
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