Jaffray of Roebuck (Possibly Springfield)
Robert Jaffray born 4 Apr 1703 at Kings Wells near Aberdeen in North Britain son of Alexander
Jeffray and Christian Mureson. He was a grandson of Robert Barclay, of Urie, Scotland, who
was the author of ‘the learned Apology for the People called Quakers’. He married Abigail
Strettell on 4 Oct 1733. Abigail born in Dublin on 14 Aug 1707 was the daughter of Abel
Strettell and Lydia Clarridge of Dublin. He was an exporter of tanned leather in 1866. Robert
was a merchant of Eustace Street and a member of the Committee of Merchants Society (a
forerunner of the Chamber of Commerce) and its chairman from 1768 to 1773. Robert a
member of the Royal Exchange died on 30 Sep 1773 and was buried at Stephen’s Green.
Abigail died 29 Nov 1788 and was buried at Stephen’s Green. The burial ground was sold to
the RCSI in 1805. Before the sale, all remains were exhumed and moved to the Cork Street
burial ground.
1 Alexander Jaffray born 2 Aug 1734 at Eustace Street. A member of the Committee of
Merchants Society and an exporter of tanned leather in partnership with his father in
1766 at Eustace Street. He was debarred from the Society of Friends in 1778. The
reason given is that he was ‘paying priest’s wages’ which was against the rules of the
society and he had refused to meet members to discuss further. He became a member
of the Established Church. He married Sarah Fayle on 6 Mar 1779 (ML). By 1780 he
was importing flaxseed and silks. In 1781 he took in a consignment of Italian paintings
which he sent to auction. In 1783 he is listed at 19 Eustace Street and it is referred to as
a counting house. Sarah died 18 Apr 1788. In 1789 he was trading as Jaffray, Fayle &
Hautenville, merchants of 19 Eustace Street and a trustee of the Royal Exchange***. He
was a shareholder of Bank of Ireland and became the second Governor of same from
1791 to 1793. He was of 8 Ely Place* in 1783 and living at Roebuck** in 1793 when he
was churchwarden of Taney. He was a member of the Ouzel Galley Society from 1802
to 1814. He was a guardian of the Lock Penitentiary in 1805 and governor of the Lying in
Hospital in 1815. He died 20 Mar 1818 at Cheltenham late of Bath.
1 Catherine Jaffray born 23 Oct 1780 at Eustace Street baptised 14 Nov 1780.
2 Robert Jaffray third son born 7 of Sep 1787 buried at St Kevin’s, Camden Street.
3 Henry Jaffray died 19 Sep 1788.
2 Lydia Jaffray born 24 Jul 1735 at Eustace Street. She married John Holmes of Bolyard/
Tullyard?, Kings County on 17 Jan 1762 in Dublin and they had at least nine children. John
was the son of Robert Holmes. They lived in Moate for a time before removing to Dublin
by 1773 and they left the Society of Friends circa 1780.
3 Abel Jaffray second son born at Eustace Street on 18 Jul 1736 died 8 Sep 1738 and was
buried at Stephen’s Green.
4 Robert Jaffray third son born 12 Mar 1738 at Eustace Street died 22 Jan 1739 and was
buried at Stephen’s Green.
5 Christian Jaffray second daughter born 5 May 1739 at Eustace Street. She married Thomas
Nicholson of Bridge Street on 1 Mar 1761 at the Quakers Meeting House in Sycamour Alley.
Miss Jaffray was a young lady of great merit and a very large fortune. Thomas was the son
of John Nicholson of Halls Mill, Co Down. Christain died in November 1778 and was buried
at Stephen’s Green.
1 John Nicholson born 1762.
2 Abigale Nicholson born 1763.
3 Lydia Nicholson born 1766 married Thomas Bell.
4 Robert Jaffray Nicholson born 1768 in Dublin.
5 Isabella Nicholson born 1771.
6 Katherine (Kitty) Jaffray third daughter born 7 Jul 1740 at Eustace Street died unmarried on
19 Jun 1793 at Roebuck and was buried at Stephen’s Green.
7 Jonathan Jeffray fourth son born at Eustace Street on 4 Jun 1742 died 15 Apr 1745 and was
buried at Stephen’s Green.
8 Abigail Jaffray fourth daughter born 13 Mar 1747 at Eustace Street. She was living at Ely
Place when she married Rawden Hautenville on 4 Oct 1783 at St Peter’s Church. She 'married
out' and without the permission of her mother and was disowned by the Society of Friends.
Rawden the godson of the 1st Earl of Moira was a captain in the 6th Foot and retired in 1785.
Rawden died 9 Dec 1815 aged 73 at Molesworth Street and Abigale died 18 Nov 1820. Both
are buried at St Anne’s, Dawson Street.
1 Charlotte Hautenville born 26 Aug 1784 baptised at St Peters.
2 Robert William Hautenville born circa 1785 died at Rathmines on 16 Aug 1874.
3 Son Hautenville born November 1786 at Frederick Street.
4 Son Hautenville born November 1787 at Frederick Street.
5 Katherine Hautenville born circa 1790 died 20 Feb 1798 and is buried at St Anne’s.
* 8 Ely Place is possibly Ely House built by Henry Loftus, Earl of Ely, now home to The Order
of the Knights of St Columbanus (or it may have been renumbered as infills were built).
** Possibly Springfield in Roebuck.
***Alexander Jaffray junior was living at Eustace Street in 1789 and on the grand jury for Dublin.
He married Sarah Ryder on 7 Jul 1803 and they had a daughter Mary Alexandrina Sarah Jaffray
born circa 1813 who as last surviving daughter she died a spinster at Chester on 8 Mar 1893.
This is thought to be perhaps a cousin of Alexander Jaffray senior as too young as a grand juror
to be his child.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - March 2026
Return to Roebuck page
Robert Jaffray born 4 Apr 1703 at Kings Wells near Aberdeen in North Britain son of Alexander
Jeffray and Christian Mureson. He was a grandson of Robert Barclay, of Urie, Scotland, who
was the author of ‘the learned Apology for the People called Quakers’. He married Abigail
Strettell on 4 Oct 1733. Abigail born in Dublin on 14 Aug 1707 was the daughter of Abel
Strettell and Lydia Clarridge of Dublin. He was an exporter of tanned leather in 1866. Robert
was a merchant of Eustace Street and a member of the Committee of Merchants Society (a
forerunner of the Chamber of Commerce) and its chairman from 1768 to 1773. Robert a
member of the Royal Exchange died on 30 Sep 1773 and was buried at Stephen’s Green.
Abigail died 29 Nov 1788 and was buried at Stephen’s Green. The burial ground was sold to
the RCSI in 1805. Before the sale, all remains were exhumed and moved to the Cork Street
burial ground.
1 Alexander Jaffray born 2 Aug 1734 at Eustace Street. A member of the Committee of
Merchants Society and an exporter of tanned leather in partnership with his father in
1766 at Eustace Street. He was debarred from the Society of Friends in 1778. The
reason given is that he was ‘paying priest’s wages’ which was against the rules of the
society and he had refused to meet members to discuss further. He became a member
of the Established Church. He married Sarah Fayle on 6 Mar 1779 (ML). By 1780 he
was importing flaxseed and silks. In 1781 he took in a consignment of Italian paintings
which he sent to auction. In 1783 he is listed at 19 Eustace Street and it is referred to as
a counting house. Sarah died 18 Apr 1788. In 1789 he was trading as Jaffray, Fayle &
Hautenville, merchants of 19 Eustace Street and a trustee of the Royal Exchange***. He
was a shareholder of Bank of Ireland and became the second Governor of same from
1791 to 1793. He was of 8 Ely Place* in 1783 and living at Roebuck** in 1793 when he
was churchwarden of Taney. He was a member of the Ouzel Galley Society from 1802
to 1814. He was a guardian of the Lock Penitentiary in 1805 and governor of the Lying in
Hospital in 1815. He died 20 Mar 1818 at Cheltenham late of Bath.
1 Catherine Jaffray born 23 Oct 1780 at Eustace Street baptised 14 Nov 1780.
2 Robert Jaffray third son born 7 of Sep 1787 buried at St Kevin’s, Camden Street.
3 Henry Jaffray died 19 Sep 1788.
2 Lydia Jaffray born 24 Jul 1735 at Eustace Street. She married John Holmes of Bolyard/
Tullyard?, Kings County on 17 Jan 1762 in Dublin and they had at least nine children. John
was the son of Robert Holmes. They lived in Moate for a time before removing to Dublin
by 1773 and they left the Society of Friends circa 1780.
3 Abel Jaffray second son born at Eustace Street on 18 Jul 1736 died 8 Sep 1738 and was
buried at Stephen’s Green.
4 Robert Jaffray third son born 12 Mar 1738 at Eustace Street died 22 Jan 1739 and was
buried at Stephen’s Green.
5 Christian Jaffray second daughter born 5 May 1739 at Eustace Street. She married Thomas
Nicholson of Bridge Street on 1 Mar 1761 at the Quakers Meeting House in Sycamour Alley.
Miss Jaffray was a young lady of great merit and a very large fortune. Thomas was the son
of John Nicholson of Halls Mill, Co Down. Christain died in November 1778 and was buried
at Stephen’s Green.
1 John Nicholson born 1762.
2 Abigale Nicholson born 1763.
3 Lydia Nicholson born 1766 married Thomas Bell.
4 Robert Jaffray Nicholson born 1768 in Dublin.
5 Isabella Nicholson born 1771.
6 Katherine (Kitty) Jaffray third daughter born 7 Jul 1740 at Eustace Street died unmarried on
19 Jun 1793 at Roebuck and was buried at Stephen’s Green.
7 Jonathan Jeffray fourth son born at Eustace Street on 4 Jun 1742 died 15 Apr 1745 and was
buried at Stephen’s Green.
8 Abigail Jaffray fourth daughter born 13 Mar 1747 at Eustace Street. She was living at Ely
Place when she married Rawden Hautenville on 4 Oct 1783 at St Peter’s Church. She 'married
out' and without the permission of her mother and was disowned by the Society of Friends.
Rawden the godson of the 1st Earl of Moira was a captain in the 6th Foot and retired in 1785.
Rawden died 9 Dec 1815 aged 73 at Molesworth Street and Abigale died 18 Nov 1820. Both
are buried at St Anne’s, Dawson Street.
1 Charlotte Hautenville born 26 Aug 1784 baptised at St Peters.
2 Robert William Hautenville born circa 1785 died at Rathmines on 16 Aug 1874.
3 Son Hautenville born November 1786 at Frederick Street.
4 Son Hautenville born November 1787 at Frederick Street.
5 Katherine Hautenville born circa 1790 died 20 Feb 1798 and is buried at St Anne’s.
* 8 Ely Place is possibly Ely House built by Henry Loftus, Earl of Ely, now home to The Order
of the Knights of St Columbanus (or it may have been renumbered as infills were built).
** Possibly Springfield in Roebuck.
***Alexander Jaffray junior was living at Eustace Street in 1789 and on the grand jury for Dublin.
He married Sarah Ryder on 7 Jul 1803 and they had a daughter Mary Alexandrina Sarah Jaffray
born circa 1813 who as last surviving daughter she died a spinster at Chester on 8 Mar 1893.
This is thought to be perhaps a cousin of Alexander Jaffray senior as too young as a grand juror
to be his child.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - March 2026
Return to Roebuck page
