Railway Cottage North Circular Road, Phibsborough.

Gravale

My great-grandfather worked for the Midland & Great Western Railway from the 1880's until he retired as a stationmaster c.1920. One of the places he resided in in 1884 on his way up the ladder was the small railway cottage beside the railway bridge a bit up on the left from St. Peter's church on the NCR.

Would anyone know what the purpose of the cottage was? What was happening there that they needed somebody there? Was there a depot or something beside it where there's a motor dealership today? He would have been about 28 at the time. Thanks.

Losty Dublin

Some staff for the railway were entitled to board at houses provided for by the company as part of their salary. As your relative was a stationmaster it's likely that he was entitled to same. Others had houses provided for by the companies to rent at favourable rents. As well as helping to improve life for their staff and their families, having lodgings close to work made it easier for them for the awkward shift hours that railways worked to. The MGWR had their Broadstone depot and station close by, and a lot of houses in the D 7 area were built by the company.

Gravale

Thanks, Losty.

Yes, for some reason or other my gr-grandfather had a house in Great Western Villas nearer Broadstone at the same time. My grandmother was born there. I see, however, that a later daughter was born in the Railway Cottage beside the bridge on the NCR., Phibsborough.

I'm wondering why the M&GW railway built a solitary cottage there in the first place. Was it serving any other purpose than simply providing accommodation? Were there any works (station or depot) beside it where the motor dealership is now?

whisky_galore

Gravale wrote: »

Thanks, Losty.

Yes, for some reason or other my gr-grandfather had a house in Great Western Villas nearer Broadstone at the same time. My grandmother was born there. I see, however, that a later daughter was born in the Railway Cottage beside the bridge on the NCR., Phibsborough.

I'm wondering why the M&GW railway built a solitary cottage there in the first place. Was it serving any other purpose than simply providing accommodation? Were there any works (station or depot) beside it where the motor dealership is now?

I don't know the area but maybe the MGW were looking for sites to build further houses and perhaps that was all that was available at the time?
They were often clustered together, perhaps there were more of them at one stage and they may have been demolished or altered beyond all recognition over the years?

Small and poky by our standards, they were a damn sight better than conditions in the tenements.

Losty Dublin

Gravale wrote: »

Thanks, Losty.

Yes, for some reason or other my gr-grandfather had a house in Great Western Villas nearer Broadstone at the same time. My grandmother was born there. I see, however, that a later daughter was born in the Railway Cottage beside the bridge on the NCR., Phibsborough.

I'm wondering why the M&GW railway built a solitary cottage there in the first place. Was it serving any other purpose than simply providing accommodation? Were there any works (station or depot) beside it where the motor dealership is now?

Back in the day the site of the motor garages was actually a kept garden for the use of local residents. More than likely your old house was simply built there to make use of the spare space. If you were curious enough about it, perhaps the Irish Railway Records Society could shed a little more light on the house itself.

tabbey

Gravale wrote: »

I'm wondering why the M&GW railway built a solitary cottage there in the first place. Was it serving any other purpose than simply providing accommodation? Were there any works (station or depot) beside it where the motor dealership is now?

As Losty said the site of the motor showroom had been parkland, part of Great Western Square, it is clearly shown on the OSI 25 inch map.

The Station, the depot and the works of MGWR were at Broadstone, just 200 metres from the bridge and cottage.

Perhaps the cottage was erected for a gardener / park superintendent. The company would have been keen to maintain their employee's park in tidy condition, both for the staff morale,and to project a good image to the public.

Gravale

I've just been looking at the area to the left of the cottage, where Premier Cars have their premises. The huge barn-like premises is a large red-bricked Victorian building with a grand facade. It's like a huge factory. I'm presuming that Midland & Great Western were its original owners, as I've seen it in old B&W photos. What it was used for would be very interesting to find out.

Gravale

whisky_galore

Looks like that was built post-1900s as it was a green park area almost certainly owned by the MGWR in osimapviewer.
Great Western Ave not having been laid down then.

The cottage can be seen in it.

Maybe the building was put up for something like road freight?

tabbey

Gravale wrote: »

The huge barn-like premises is a large red-bricked Victorian building with a grand facade. It's like a huge factory. I'm presuming that Midland & Great Western were its original owners, as I've seen it in old B&W photos. What it was used for would be very interesting to find out.

First of all it is not Victorian, as Losty and I told you the staff housing park (gardens) was there in the 25 inch map about 1907.

This building first appears in Thom's directories 1932 edition, suggesting that it was built about 1930-31. It was described as a garage, without the occupiers name. I am inclined to believe that it was a garage for private cars etc, You may be right about railway road freight , but I have never heard of one there.

If it was owned by the railway, it would have been GSR before 1930, the Great Southern Railway being formed 1924, with the amalgamation of MGWR and GSWR, followed by Great Southern Railways (plural) when joined by the DSER from the start of 1925.

Gravale

Thank you everyone for the information you've been able to give me. I do appreciate it. You've given me much food for thought and study.

My great-grandfather served as the stationmaster in Blanchardstown, amongst other places, and later on in Streamstown, Co. Westmeath, the location of the family scene from c.1905.

whisky_galore

That large building is very dated looking for a 1930's build. Looks more like 1900 style-wise.

If say a garage selling new cars, would have expected to look more like a showroom than a warehouse.