Mills Hall, Merrion Row

wmpt

;)Does anyone know where exactly was Mills Hall Merrion Row was and what is in its place now,the reason I am interested is I bought an old poster which is hand written in old irish advertising a Céilí in 1934.Hope someone can throw some light on it.........

shanew

Thom's 1938 has a J.E. Mills Ltd, caterers listed at 8/9 Merrion Row - might this be the location of this Hall ?

The entrance to the old graveyard is next door, and to the west of 8/9. Number 10 was across the road.
(There's a Stroller's Club also listed at 9)


Shane

wmpt

Thanks for the information Shane,every bit of info helps.I was thinking that the word mills was referring to a grain mill or a linen mill,maybe I was on the wrong track??????
thanking you.

Peregrinus

Google throws up numerous references to Mills Hall at 8 Merrion Row as a venue for art exhibitions, public lectures and the like in the '20s and '30s, with at least one public lecture (on "psychic phenomena") as far back as 1916. The latest reference I've found is to a political meeting held there in 1951, addressed by John A Costello.

The building that housed Mills Hall was demolished in the earliy 1970s to make way for an absolutely hideous office block which has itself since been demolished to make way for the building that stands there now. The building demolished in the 1970s was a conventional four-story apparently residential building typical of the area. It strikes me as very unlikely that it ever housed a working mill.

In fact, as pointed out, J E Mills Ltd were caterers, whose premises included a large function room (I would guess, constructed on what had been the back garden of the house) which could be rented out. They were a well-established Dublin firm; in the '30s and '40s they provided the catering to the members' dining room in Leinster House.

wmpt

Peregrinus:Thanks very much for the information, much appreciated.

shanew

the last listing I can see for Mills caterers is in 1958, the next listing I have for 1962 shows Charles Chambers, printers, stationers & office furniture.

The earliest listing I see for the Mills business at the address is in 1904, for a Joseph Edward Mills caterer & confectioner at just no. 9. (In 1914 he's one of the few people to include a phone number in his listing - Dublin 1451).

In 1899 no. 9 Merrion Row is listed as an optician & electrical engineer named George Prescott, with his residence on Pigeon House rd. named the exoticly spelt 'Sandefjiord'.

wmpt

Thanks Shanew for all the new information,I must put it all dow in writing now.Who owns the new offices that are on th site now???

shanew

wmpt wrote: »

Thanks Shanew for all the new information,I must put it all dow in writing now.Who owns the new offices that are on th site now???

had a look at Google street view, but dont see any readable name. But according to google and the OPW website it's now used by Dept.of Finance

see : 7-9 Merrion Row (street view)

and : OPW / Dept. Finance / Projects

Peregrinus

Yes. It's occupied by the Dept of Finance. In fact the present building is connected at the rear to the Government Buildings complex on Merrion Street, so it now forms part of that larger complex.