Maria Georgina Duckett permanently left Duckett’s Grove circa 1916 to reside in Dublin following alleged threats from those who were disgruntled and had become malicious in their feelings towards her. As a result, Maria decided to live in ‘De Wyndesore’, a mansion on Raglan Road, Dublin which was purchased for her as a wedding gift by her late husband William (Dawson) Duckett (2). She spent some time moving between her Dublin and London homes and rarely returned to Duckett’s Grove. It was during this time; and as a result of the alleged threats made against her, that Maria decided to sell Duckett’s Grove and move from her ‘De Wyndesore’ home in Dublin to England where she lived until she felt safe enough to return. She returned to live in Dublin in 1928.
After Maria Duckett left Duckett’s Grove the estate was reduced to approximately 1,300 acres as a result of various Land Acts. The estate was leased for grazing and tillage until 1922. In 1921, Duckett’s Grove entire stock, effects and contents were sold by public auction. The estate was put under the management of an agent where twenty-eight Beneficiaries consisting of local farmers and labourers of Killerig Land Committee (later renamed Duckett’s Grove Land Committee) purchased the estate with a £32,000 loan from the Bank of Ireland with a vision of establishing a Forestry College in the mansion. The entire contents of the mansion itself were sold by public auction in December 1923.
On 07th and 08th June, 1921, a public auction was scheduled to take place at Duckett’s Grove, whereby the entire stock and outdoor effects of Duckett’s Grove were to be auctioned under the instruction of Mrs. Maria Georgina Duckett.
The following advertisement published in The Nationalist & Leinster Times dated Saturday, May 28th, 1921 outlines the volume and diverse “stock and outdoor effects” proposed to be sold at public auction. This advertisement brings to life the vastness of the Demesne, wealth of the Duckett family and the large variety and volume of work carried out by numerous locals who were employed by the Ducketts.
This auction scheduled to take place on June 07th and 08th, 1921 was “unavoidably postponed” and was re-scheduled to take place on June 14th and 15th, 1921.
A further notice was published in the Nationalist and Leinster Times dated June 04th June, 1921, which was repeated in a publication dated Saturday 11th June, 2021 giving notice of a public auction scheduled to take place on Tuesday and Wednesday, June 14th & 15th, 1921 whereby the “entire stock and outdoor effects” of Duckett’s Grove were to be auctioned under the instruction of Mrs. Maria Georgina Duckett.
At the scheduled public auction on Tuesday and Wednesday 14th and 15th June 1921, a large number of stock owned by Mrs. Duckett were auctioned, including:-
“114 three-year old Bullocks, 199 1 1/2 and 2 year old Bullocks…….79 Brood Ewes, 79 Hoggets, 77 lambs, 20 fat sheep, 2 rams, 6 useful working farm horses, 2 donkeys ………”
A number of “outdoor effects” were also scheduled to be auctioned, including:-
” 1 Marshall 4-ft Threshing Mill, 1 new Reaper and Binder (Massey), 1 new Winnowing machine (Richardson), 1 corn sower (Hornsby)…….2 Timber carts, ….. 2 Donkey carts, ….. 1 Morticing machine ……..”
Following the sale of Duckett’s Grove which now lay vacant, and the detailed advertisement of the proposed public auction, a number of items were removed from Duckett’s Grove and considerable damage was caused to the property which was in the ownership of Killerig Land Committee at the time. As a result, the following article was published in the Nationalist and Leinster Times dated Saturday 25th June, 1921.
In the same edition of the Nationalist and Leinster Times dated Saturday, 25th June, 1921 the following additional article in relation to the damage at Duckett’s Grove was published, it read:-
“An advertisement appears elsewhere conveying a warning that action will be taken against any person found tampering with property on the Duckett’s Grove estate recently, taken over by the local Land Committee. I understand that damage has been done not only to ordinary property on the estate, including timber, but also to certain works of art around the magnificent mansion. Every decent-minded person will condemn such outrages – because outrages they are – and whoever is responsible should be heartily ashamed. It is to be hoped that the Committee will not be called upon to take action. If they are, I feel sure that public opinion will support the Committee in every possible way. Wanton acts are bad enough, but when malice or devilment is obvious the perpetration is naturally worse.
Some people are talking about Duckett’s Grove, the lovely demesne, the superb residence, the statuary, etc., etc., and are hinting that it is a pity such demesnes should be interfered with in the campaign for land distribution. It should be remembered, however, that there has been very little employment given on that property for many years and in other respects, too, the existence of those “things of beauty” have not added to the prosperity or contentment of Co. Carlow. It should be born in mind that centuries ago there were many happy homesteads on the lands now again transferred to the people. Those were the days as Goldsmith says:-
“When every rood of ground maintained its man”.”
By the Autumn of 1921 the gardens and crops surrounding the big house were sold and the land continued to be leased for grazing and tillage until 1922. The following advertisements for the sale of contents from Duckett’s Grove gardens as well as twenty acres for grazing were published in the Nationalist and Leinster Times dated Saturday August 20th, 1921.
By mid-Autumn, and on the approach of winter; with the possibility of the shortage of food, fuel and fodder, the following advertisements were published in the Nationalist and Leinster Times dated Saturday September 03rd, 1921 advertising the sale of the old meadow, fallen timber, etc., a half-acre of potatoes and land to graze cattle and horses until December 31st, 1921.
Two years after the sale of the entire stock, outdoor effects, crops, timber and fruit from Duckett’s Grove gardens in 1921, the entire furniture and contents of Duckett’s Grove were sold by public auction held on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 11th, 12th and 13th December 1923. The following article was published in the Nationalist and Leinster Times dated Saturday, November 10th, 1923:-
Following the publishing of the above article, an advertisement was published in the Nationalist and Leinster Times dated Saturday 08th December, 1923 give a details of the order of sale with an admission fee of two shillings.
The advertisement also provides details of the big house which includes four reception rooms, ten bedrooms (including principal bedrooms), dining room, inner hall, drawing room, outer hall, morning room and basement. The advertisement provides an insight into the vastness of the big house and its contents with a lavish display of wealth and grandeur. Contents of this magnificent mansion included:-
“Organ by Telford (eight-stops), set of mahogany economy dining tables, 20 various Gothic style dining chairs in morocco mahogany……settees, lounges and sofas…….Axminster, Wilton, Brussels and Tapestry carpets, oak and walnut sofa and writing tables……mounted elk horns (10’x10′ spread)…..revolving book cases, trinket stand……..massive brass hall lantern (6′ high)…pair of 2′ 7″ bronze cannon on carriages (1659)……..plush and tapestry curtains, oil paintings, engravings and prints…..chest of drawers, dressing chests, wash stands, toilet tables and mirrors…….table glass and china, Beleek and glass comports, cameras and magic lantern with slides……”
Included in the furniture auction held on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 11th, 12th and 13th December, 1923 was a 19th century eight-stop Organ by Telford “whose ecstatic tone would raise the soul from the abyss of despair to the very portals of paradise” (Nationalist & Leinster times). The organ was purchased by the Parish Priest of Graiguecullen at that time and is now housed in the gallery of St. Clare’s church, Graiguecullen.
Another item sold by public auction at Duckett’s Grove in 1923 includes a late 17th early 18th finely figures oak Refectory table with plank top and spliced ends, on a base with double turned opposing pillar upright united by shaped stretcher. This table, once owned by the Duckett family was auctioned by Fonsie Mealy Auctioneers for Chatsworth Winter Fine Art Sale on 26th November, 2019 with an asking price of between 1000 – 1500 Euros, giving a sense of the value of the contents of Duckett’s Grove mansion.
Following a very successful public auction with a large attendance on each of the three days, with over four hundred people passing through the portals one of the days, the entire contents of Duckett’s Grove were sold. By the end of 1923 Duckett’s Grove mansion lay empty. The following article was published in the Nationalist and Leinster Times dated Saturday, 22nd December, 1923.
The contents of Duckett’s Grove mansion sold at public auction on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 11th, 12th and 13th December, 1923 left behind what was once a mansion and lifestyle of grandeur and wealth. Duckett’s Grove, now vacant and empty, except for the silence that echoes in what was once a magnificent family home for generations; and where many locals were employed as labourers, groundsmen, craftsmen, tradesmen, maids and housekeepers.
“The local people no longer reminisce about the good old days at “The Grove”; the generation who then remembered magic-lantern lectures and the fireworks, the Victoria plaques and the fantastic statuary have joined Mr. and Mrs. Duckett in an even more extraordinary setting. If their ghosts ever return to the once merry ruin it is to be hoped that they see it in its glory, and not in its present sad decay” – Con Costello.
Article by J. Doyle – Founder, Owner and Administrator of DuckettsGrove.ie