Thomas Duck ~1776
An Armagh born woolen and linen draper who had moved to Cork in the early 1800s. Street directories of the time show him with a "woolen and Manchester (corduroy) warehouse” in Paul St and later premises in South Main Street.
~1800-1813. Thomas Duck married Joanna Hare . Joanna’s family may have been directly in the linen or woolen business also. In directories, we find Thomas Hare, draper, in Barrack St and David Hare, draper, in Patrick St. Older records show William Hare, draper, in a mortgage paper dated 1755.
1813. Rebecca Duck was born to Thomas & Joanna
Joanna claimed kinship with the family of Richard Hare, one of the most prosperous merchants in Munster, son of John Hare. Richard established himself in Cork in the sugar and provisioning trades. His brother William was also active in the business. Richard turned his profits into property eventually becoming one of the largest landowners in the South of Ireland . . His son William turned this into political advantage, becoming M.P. for Cork and leveraging votes on the Act of Union into a title - Earl of Listowel.- Gary Acheson