You’re certainly not alone with this type of research – domestic servants can be among the hardest ancestors to trace, especially before the early 20th century. Unfortunately, there is no single central register of servants in Ireland, and very few large houses kept staff records that have survived. In the case of Kilkenny Castle, staff wage books and servants’ lists do not survive for the 19th century, so there is no definitive servant register to consult there. That said, there are still several indirect avenues worth pursuing.
1. Census substitutes & census records Check the 1901 and 1911 censuses carefully (including spelling variants of Webb). Servants are often listed under employers rather than with the family. Use the search by occupation and county of birth options – “butler” or “domestic servant” can be very helpful
2. Civil & church records George married or died in Ireland, civil records may list his occupation and residence, which can hint at an employer. Marriage witnesses are often fellow servants or employers. Continue checking RC parish records outside Meath – servants frequently married where they worked, not where they were born.
3. Valuation & estate recordsGriffith’s Valuation won’t list servants directly. Still, if you find him residing in a demesne or estate property, that’s a clue.Estate papers (rent books, correspondence, household accounts) sometimes survive and can mention senior servants like butlers. These are held mainly in:National Library of IrelandNational Archives of IrelandLocal county archives (Kilkenny, Tipperary, Cork, etc.)4. NewspapersButler positions were often advertised, and long-serving staff sometimes appear in local papers (weddings, retirements, deaths).Check the Irish Newspaper Archives and British Newspaper Archive using name + occupation.5. Military or overseas recordsMany butlers worked in Britain or served in the army earlier in life. If he disappears from Irish records, it’s worth checking UK census returns, especially for large households.6. Genealogy forums & local history groupsPosting on Meath, Kilkenny, or Munster-focused genealogy groups can be very effective – someone may recognise the name from estate material or local research.Lastly, don’t be discouraged by the lack of a single “servants record”. Butlers were senior staff, and they tend to leave more paper trails than general domestic servants — it often just takes time to connect the dots.