Tracing the history of a building in Dublin

tomall

Hey guys. Just looking for some advice as to the best way to approach this. Basically I want to put together a comprehensive folder containing details on families that lived in the building/businesses that operated out of it.

I've started going through the Thom's Directories so that will keep me going for a good while. I've also checked the 1901 and 1911 census and grabbed that info. The one thing I've found with the location is the lack of photographs when I search online. Now, with the help of the Thom's Directories I was able to see a certain company that were located there and then found a photo that way online. Is this my best bet?

pinkypinky

You should also go to the Valuations Office and trace the building in those records - they're not online.

Do you know how old the building is?

tabbey

Yes,Thom's directories are the fundamental building blocks of your research on any Dublin address.

One source of photographs in Dublin as well as elsewhere in Ireland, is the Irish Architectural Archive, on Merrion Square East. They have boxes of photos arranged by street in alphabetical order. The chances of any individual building being featured is not great, but you could be lucky. The IAA also has copies of the "Builder" and other journals, if your building had some merit, it might be mentioned.
The "Builder" is also available in the Dublin City Laibrary and Archive, 138 Pearse Street, where you will find lots of books on Dublin and it's people, as well as Corporation reports, Wide Street commissioners plans, directories etc .

tomall

Thanks, didn't even think of checking out the Valuations Office.

It's a Georgian building so goes back a few years I'm guessing!

pinkypinky

Once you get back to earlier occupiers/owners, it may be worth checking out the Registry of Deeds.

KildareFan

What street? Henry Shaw's directory of 1850 has line drawings of buildings on many of the main streets in Dublin city

pedroeibar1

tabbey wrote: »

One source of photographs in Dublin as well as elsewhere in Ireland, is the Irish Architectural Archive, on Merrion Square East.
The "Builder" is also available in the Dublin City Laibrary and Archive, 138 Pearse Street, where you will find lots of books on Dublin and it's people, as well as Corporation reports, Wide Street commissioners plans, directories etc .

+1 on the IAA - fantastic resource, mainly funded privately and really helpful staff. The 'Builder' is also available in the NLI.

tomall

+1 on the IAA having helpful staff! I could only locate one photo of the building but they gave me lots of info on how to find out the history of the building since day one. I need to call in again to go through some of the press cuttings in the off-chance that they'll have something.

I'll add Henry Shaw's directory of 1850 to the list of things to check, thanks!

pinkypinky

Tomall, what's the address?

I think there's a copy of Shaws (reprint) in my office and I can take a look for you.

tomall

It's Merrion Street but unless I'm blind, I couldn't find any drawings of it in the Shaws directory (Upper, Lower or the Square).

kildarejohn

Might also be worth checking out "Goad's Plans", these plans prepared for fire insurance companies give the occupation of each building, see http://www.dublincityarchitects.ie/?p=1917 - from that link it looks like Dublin City Archives have a copy and its likely the IAA has a copy also.

tabbey

kildarejohn wrote: »

Might also be worth checking out "Goad's Plans", these plans prepared for fire insurance companies give the occupation of each building, see http://www.dublincityarchitects.ie/?p=1917 - from that link it looks like Dublin City Archives have a copy and its likely the IAA has a copy also.

Those maps / plans are on the British Library website. They are very good, even giving the number of storeys.

tomall

Great resource but again, not finding any mention of Merrion Street (checked all 26 links).

spurious

Which number are you interested in?

tomall

Sent you a message there spurious.

The Thom's Directory is nicely laid out but is there a quicker way of finding an address in the almanacks?

spurious

Some of them have a by name index as well as the by street one.