535:
150:
129:
33:
412:). For many, however, such beneficence was poor compensation for the hardship that Cunningham visited upon his own countrymen, and co-religionists. Townspeople and countryfolk alike decried his eviction of poor tenants from lands in which he and Greg had speculated. In 1771, members of the secret agrarian society, the
377:(1756–1763) and, although themselves trading illicitly with the French and Spanish, from licence to attack and plunder enemy vessels, Greg & Cunningham became one of New York's largest shipping companies. After the war, the partners invested some of their new found wealth in acquiring a sugar plantation on
613:
Church cemetery overlooking
Belfast. The inscription reads: "Here are deposited the remains of Waddell Cunningham, Esq. whose integrity as a merchant, generosity as a patron and whose steadiness and hospitality as a friend will long be the objects of the most respectful and greatful rememberance. He
467:
The prosperity of
Belfast was heavily invested in trade with the West-Indian plantation economy, but for public opinion in the town the actual carriage of human chattel proved a step too far. The outcry was led from within the First Presbyterian Church in Rosemary Lane (to which Cunningham, a
384:
Facing legal sanctions in New York for his illicit trading, Cunningham returned to
Belfast in 1763 where, with Greg, he acted to improve the town's commercial infrastructure. They invested in the Lagan navigation canal (1763), in new docks and quays (Cunningham was the first president of the
582:, Henry Joy, proposed, rather, "the gradual emancipation of our Roman Catholic brethren". Their caution was swept aside, with Neilson expressing "astonishment at hearing ... any part of the address called a Catholic question." The only question was "whether Irishmen should be free."
571:
The
Address's offending passage proved to be the declaration that "no reform, were even such attainable, would answer our ideas of utility or justice, which should not equally include all sects and denominations of Irishmen". Cunningham, together with his church minister,
439:
company. Ostensibly formed to defend the
Ireland against the Americans and their French allies, the large Presbyterian contingent in the Volunteer movement demonstrated sympathy for their kinfolk in the colonies. Cunningham was a delegate to Volunteer conventions in
602:. In November 1765 he had married Thomas Greg's sister-in-law Margaret (d. 1808), daughter of a Belfast merchant, Samuel Hyde. They had no children. His name was carried by Cunningham Waddell Greg, the son of his business partner, who, with his sister
585:
As the United
Irishmen prepared, under growing martial-law repression, for a republican insurrection, Cunningham declared his loyalty to the Crown and to the government in Dublin, now entrusted to the least compromising representatives of the
393:. Cunningham was additionally engaged in sugar-refining, flour-milling, glass manufacturing, new techniques for salting Donegal herring for export, finance ("Cunningham's Bank", 1785), insurance, and tobacco smuggling.
499:, ignored a petition to nominate Cunningham as one of Belfast's two Members of Parliament in the general election of 1783, Cunningham stood on a platform of parliamentary reform in neighboring
550:, Cunningham led his Volunteers in a muster and parade in Belfast. He was alarmed, however, by the knowledge the day was to end in a public banquet and meeting at which Tone's supporters, the
264:
celebrations, his attempt to water down a town resolution in favour of political coalition with
Ireland's Catholic majority was defeated by fellow Volunteers styling themselves the
396:
Commensurate with his position as the town's wealthiest merchant, Cunningham assumed broader civic responsibilities. He was a founding member, and principal benefactor, of the
564:
568:, found Cunningham the previous evening in an inn haranguing Volunteers up from the country against Catholics "and talking of some sedition to be broached next day".
514:. In May 1784, his Belfast Volunteer Company opened its rank to Catholics and under Cunningham paraded for the opening for the town's first Catholic chapel,
358:(where, in contrast to Belfast and its hinterlands, the relative scarcity of labour made it unprofitable to process flax into linen fibre) back to Ireland.
848:
664:
472:. In 1785, plans for a "Belfast Slaveship Company" were abandoned. The victory of the abolitionists was sealed by the popular reception given to
772:
526:—Tone's insistence that a national government for Ireland would never be secured without engaging Catholics on the basis of complete equality.
389:), and in the construction of the White Linen Hall (1785) which, together, attracted the linen trade to Belfast that had formerly gone through
468:
congregant of the neighbouring Second
Presbyterian Church had made a generous subscription), by his fellow Charitable Society board member,
534:
746:
496:
1044:
890:
Crawford, W.H. (1993), "The
Belfast Middle Classes in the Late Eighteenth Century", in David Dickson, Daire Keogh, Kevin Whelan (eds.)
1049:
256:" from his home region north of the town. In 1786 public protest forced him to abandon plans to commission ships in the port for the
970:
Belfast politics: or, A collection of the debates, resolutions, and other proceedings of that town in the years 1792, and 1793
298:, the youngest son of John Cunningham and his wife Jane. Both of Cunningham's parents came from families who were involved in
919:
483:, calls for reform revived, Cunningham became a member of the Northern Whig Club. The club proposed reforming the system of "
1034:
993:
503:. He was returned by 474 votes to 289. A rare victory for a Presbyterian, the result was overturned by a committee of the
448:
which echoed
American discontents in calling for legislative independence and freedom from the restrictions of Britain's
416:
were able to enter the town, burn Cunningham's house, besiege the barracks, and spring one of their number from prison.
511:
598:
Cunningham died in December 1797 at his restored house in Hercules Street (now Royal Avenue), seven months before the
875:
687:
936:
252:
In retaliation for rent increases and evictions, in 1771 his house in Belfast was attacked and destroyed by tenant
823:
707:
469:
436:
238:, he was at odds with the more democratic elements of the town and surrounding districts who, in the wake of the
215:
174:
154:
806:
370:
219:
424:
Although secretly engaged in the supply of linen uniforms to the insurgent American colonists, following the
1039:
515:
1054:
546:
1792, celebrating what he and his fellow Whig reformers still regarded as a French reprise of England's
381:, which they called "Belfast". Greg's brother John, already established on the island, supplied slaves.
968:
551:
484:
397:
265:
227:
223:
207:
105:
983:
140 PRO, Kent, HO/100/70. John Jeffries, Lord Lieutenant to Duke of Portland, 3 November 1797, p. 193.
610:
510:
Cunningham favoured relieving the kingdom's Catholic majority of their civil disabilities under the
1059:
573:
425:
730:
Rodgers, Nini (1997). "Equiano in Belfast: a study of the anti-slavery ethos in a northern town".
606:
a committed republican, were in 1798 attacked by loyalists for assisting United Irish prisoners.
599:
507:
on the grounds that Cunninghan's Belfast supporters had exercised undue influence on his behalf.
269:
272:, Cunningham was prominent among the town's loyalists in volunteering his services to the local
504:
488:
401:
211:
1024:
587:
405:
247:
235:
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492:
453:
374:
257:
773:"International Day for the Abolition of Slavery: Belfast Charitable Society & Slavery"
8:
547:
327:
307:
199:– 15 December 1797) was an Irish merchant, prominent in the commercial and civic life of
639:
518:, for which they had made "a handsome collection". But on his visit to Belfast in 1791,
609:
Cunningham was interred under an imposing memorial, attributed to Roger Mulholland, in
409:
134:
915:
871:
802:
683:
658:
480:
355:
239:
331:
315:
909:
578:
473:
449:
432:
413:
386:
253:
109:
555:
461:
230:
he was seen a friend of reform. But as a land speculator, a slaveholder in the
476:
who, promoting his memoir of slavery in West Indies, visited Belfast in 1791.
1018:
500:
362:
347:
319:
289:
95:
61:
680:
Flaxseed and Emigrants: Scotch-Irish Merchants in Eighteenth-century America
559:
543:
261:
200:
299:
231:
38:
522:
found Cunningham was not among the northern reformers convinced by his
519:
311:
849:"Man who kept city on right side of slavery - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk"
603:
441:
429:
366:
343:
243:
32:
373:. Benefitting from the rise in the prices of provisions during the
457:
378:
351:
273:
435:
in April 1778, Cunningham was among the first to organise his own
491:
were nominees of kingdom's largest landowners (already seated in
323:
285:
203:
186:
164:
75:
57:
747:"Fears Belfast's Bank Building will collapse after Primark fire"
456:, Cunningham (following the example of the "African Company" in
445:
390:
892:
The United Irishmen: Republicanism, Radicalism and Rebellion,
538:
Mausoleum of Waddell Cunningham, Kbockbreda Cemetery, Belfast
335:
303:
419:
966:
934:
16:
Irish merchant, politician and military officer (1729–1797)
339:
404:) just outside the town. He was also a promoter of the
322:
carried rough linen clothing and salted provisions from
640:"Cunningham, Waddell | Dictionary of Irish Biography"
408:
and the Belfast Society for Promoting Knowledge (the
801:. Belfast: Blackstaff Press. pp. 34–36, 47–51.
222:
subscriber to the costs of erecting Belfast's first
956:. Dublin: George Harrap & Co. pp. 112–113.
824:"Clean hands? Ireland, slavery and the slave-trade"
745:Carroll, Rory; Rawlinson, Kevin (28 August 2018).
554:, would move an Address to the People of Ireland.
242:, were to directly challenge the authority of the
941:. Washington D.C.: Gales and Seaton. p. 149.
1016:
914:. Liverpool University Press. pp. 182–183.
744:
614:died the 15th of December 1797 aged 68 years".
576:, and the publisher of the Star's rival title,
524:Argument on behalf of the Catholics of Ireland
460:) proposed to commission ships in Belfast for
365:brought him into contact and partnership with
663:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
973:. Belfast: H. Joy & Co. pp. 52–65.
865:
590:. He captained the town's yeomanry corps.
464:, previously a preserve of British ports.
31:
967:William Bruce and Henry Joy, ed. (1794).
935:William Theobald Wolfe Tone, ed. (1826).
725:
723:
721:
682:. Belfast: Ulster Historical Foundation.
420:Irish Volunteer, slaver and Whig reformer
125:
907:
770:
677:
533:
729:
705:
310:. By 1752, he had started working as a
226:chapel, in a town much agitated by the
1017:
911:Belfast 400: People, Place and History
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796:
718:
529:
87:Merchant, politician, military officer
951:
870:. Dublin: Mercier. pp. 139–142.
637:
593:
387:Belfast Ballast--later Harbour--Board
701:
699:
633:
631:
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627:
400:which established the "Poor House" (
268:. As preparations were laid for the
954:Rise of the United Irishmen 1791-94
938:Life of Theobald Wolfe Tone, vol. I
13:
706:Rolston, Bill (12 February 2013).
398:Belfast Charitable Society, (1774)
228:American struggle for independence
14:
1071:
1045:18th-century Irish businesspeople
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624:
495:). After the borough proprietor,
37:A 1784 portrait of Cunningham by
1050:Irish businesspeople in shipping
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127:
994:"Cunningham Mausoleum, Belfast"
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960:
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799:Belfast: an Illustrated History
284:Waddell Cunningham was born in
234:, and an opponent of immediate
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487:" whereby most members of the
112:, Belfast Chamber of Commerce
1:
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72:15 December 1797 (aged 67–68)
49:
771:caroline (2 December 2021).
7:
1035:Businesspeople from Belfast
10:
1076:
908:Connolly, Sean J. (2012).
678:McMaster, Richard (2023).
600:risings in Antrim and Down
330:, where they were sold to
208:Belfast Charitable Society
106:Belfast Charitable Society
866:O'Regan, Raymond (2010).
822:Fenton, Laurence (2020).
797:Bardon, Jonathan (1982).
479:When, in the wake of the
216:Volunteer patriot militia
180:
175:Belfast Volunteer Company
170:
160:
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121:
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101:
91:
83:
68:
45:
30:
23:
998:www.douglashistory.co.uk
952:Jacob, Rosamund (1937).
342:from the West Indies to
314:who was involved in the
214:; as a commander of the
708:"A Lying Old Scoundrel"
426:raid upon Belfast Lough
638:Woods, C. J,. (2009).
539:
489:Irish House of Commons
896:, ISBN 978-1874675198
732:Slavery and Abolition
537:
260:. In 1792, following
248:Protestant Ascendancy
236:Catholic Emancipation
206:. As a patron of the
110:Belfast Ballast Board
258:Atlantic slave trade
102:Board member of
1040:People from Killead
588:Anglican Ascendancy
558:, publisher of the
548:Glorious Revolution
530:Government loyalist
452:. After these were
328:British West Indies
1055:Irish slave owners
594:Death and memorial
540:
493:the House of Lords
462:the Middle Passage
454:conceded by London
410:Linen Hall Library
369:, another Belfast
246:and of the landed
190:Waddell Cunningham
96:Northern Whig Club
25:Waddell Cunningham
921:978-1-84631-634-0
898:(pp.62-73), p. 70
481:French Revolution
356:Thirteen Colonies
332:slave plantations
240:French Revolution
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375:Seven Years’ War
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579:The News Letter
552:United Irishmen
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485:pocket boroughs
474:Olaudah Equiano
450:Navigation Acts
433:John Paul Jones
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414:Hearts of Steel
406:Belfast Academy
308:overseas trades
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266:United Irishmen
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751:the Guardian
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541:
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478:
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371:Presbyterian
361:Dealings in
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262:Bastille Day
251:
220:Presbyterian
201:Georgian-era
189:
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1030:1797 deaths
833:6 September
562:paper, the
367:Thomas Greg
296: 1729
232:West Indies
218:; and as a
197: 1729
53: 1729
39:Robert Home
1019:Categories
808:0856402729
644:www.dib.ie
618:References
611:Knockbreda
520:Wolfe Tone
512:Penal Laws
312:ship-owner
280:Early life
254:"Steelboys
212:Poor House
122:Allegiance
756:28 August
604:Jane Greg
516:St Mary's
442:Dungannon
437:Volunteer
430:privateer
354:from the
344:Baltimore
78:, Ireland
659:cite web
458:Limerick
379:Dominica
363:New York
352:flaxseed
302:and the
274:yeomanry
224:Catholic
210:and its
142:Service/
1003:23 June
782:19 June
649:21 June
560:Painite
326:to the
324:Belfast
300:farming
286:Killead
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187:Captain
165:Captain
135:Ireland
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446:Dublin
391:Dublin
350:; and
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336:sugar
304:linen
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784:2022
758:2018
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665:link
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