Ships manifest documents Cork’s butter exports

THE Cork Butter Exchange was the largest butter market in the world and the city retains a Butter Museum in Shandon to this day.

Butter was exported in large quantities from the city. An important piece of maritime memorabilia from this industrial past features at the Marshs sale in Cork next Saturday at noon.

There is a historic ship’s manifest, framed and dated August 17, 1785. It contains details of the export of about 50 firkins of new loose butter “in good order and condition”. It was shipped by William Crawford of Cork to London on a vessel called the Thomas, which was anchored in the river of Cork. The manifest is signed by both William Crawford and Sam Seldon, skipper and master of the Thomas. The freight charge was 25 shillings.