Main Street, Longford on a market day
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Where: Longford, Ireland
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When: Unknown
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Starting this week with a Lawrence image of Main Street, Longford on a busy market day! I love shots like this with a wealth of detail, lots of people, animals, carts and produce on display. It will be difficult to date this from the evidence on view but we can enjoy all the atmosphere that Mr. French has so beautifully captured.
The general concensus on date is that this image was captured after 1901. The rationale being that, while we can see the shop of J&M Farrell (brothers) in this image and the 1911 census return, at the time of the 1901 census, John and Michael Farrell were "serving their time" separately in other retail businesses on the same street. Hence this image surely dates after 1901 - as, at that time, they hadn't yet set up shop together.....
Photographer: Robert French
Collection: Lawrence Photograph Collection
Date: Catalogue range c.1865-1914. Almost certainly after c.1901 (businesses visible). Possibly c.1901-1910s
NLI Ref: L_CAB_08257
You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at catalogue.nli.ie
Source: Flickr Commons
Views: 24687
The general concensus on date is that this image was captured after 1901. The rationale being that, while we can see the shop of J&M Farrell (brothers) in this image and the 1911 census return, at the time of the 1901 census, John and Michael Farrell were "serving their time" separately in other retail businesses on the same street. Hence this image surely dates after 1901 - as, at that time, they hadn't yet set up shop together.....
Photographer: Robert French
Collection: Lawrence Photograph Collection
Date: Catalogue range c.1865-1914. Almost certainly after c.1901 (businesses visible). Possibly c.1901-1910s
NLI Ref: L_CAB_08257
You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at catalogue.nli.ie
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Owner: National Library of Ireland on The CommonsSource: Flickr Commons
Views: 24687
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domenico milella
Congratulation for your beautiful Album.
DannyM8
I see a Dog
abandoned railways
www.google.ie/maps/@53.7275633,-7.8006191,3a,75y,358.07h,...
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
https://www.flickr.com/photos/79549245@N06 Whats his name? Spot?
Niall McAuley
The 1860 Bank of Ireland building at right with the arches was "renovated" in 1901, although it looks like a complete rebuild to me.
CASSIDY PHOTOGRAPHY
When was the street paved or sealed? The railway was opened 1855. Looks like an ideal street for a Tram. Was there a tram? Not one motor vehicle on this street. When were they introduced? So, it could be narrowed down based on evolution of infrastructure. Notice the 8 chimneys and the clock tower or possibly a cupola, further down, on the left side of the street? Maybe a government building. Another possibility would be knowing what periods of time were a clothing style or hat worn.
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
Flickr is sometimes amazing! https://www.flickr.com/photos/50974353@N08/ also wants help dating his similar view 'old' photo ... guessing 1990s ? https://www.flickr.com/photos/50974353@N08/4679663214/
Niall McAuley
The clock and cupola are the court building, which is still there but without those features.
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
There is a bit of a puzzle with the AIB gable-roofed building (see note). The NIAH - www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/search.jsp?type=record&... - says it is 1920s, and indeed there is "1922" on the pedimant (see streetview). Anyone know how it is there 25 years early?!
Niall McAuley
https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia It is not the same building. They replaced this one in 1922 with another gable-roofed building.
Foxglove
it been a while, but there is a dog ! absence of barefoot children though. affluent town
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
Via Trove, an 1890 description from some visiting round-the-world cyclists [!] - ... It was market day when we entered Longford, and the main street was converted into a mass of bartering humanity, and hundreds of cattle, goats, sheep, farm produce, old hats, clothes, and anything else likely to find a buyer were being offered for sale. The costermongers kept interlarding their business talk with witty interjections hurled at some of the lookers-on, and by this means kept a crowd round their stalls. ... From - trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/139149367?searchTerm=b...
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
Apologies for banging on about the AIB building; seen here closer and more detailed opposite the Court House - catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000318781/Image?lookfor=http:... . And it does not appear to be there in this reverse view - catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000332575 . Very odd, but it should provide a 'later than' date.
guliolopez
John Boyers (whose premises and merchandise seem to take up a fair chunk of the right hand-side of the street and photo) was there in the 1901 and 1911 census. No real help with dating. Though perhaps the people outside his premises are family or staff. (His second son, Edwin, aged 19 in the 1911 census, seems to have become a doctor and joined the Royal Medical Corps - this website records his death in October 1918 from "pneumonia as a result of service". No help with dating. But a sad read almost exactly 100 years later.) J(ohn) & M(ichael) Farrell appear a few doors down in the 1911 census; Brothers in business together as the signage here suggests. However, they were not working together in 1901. And instead are working separately (earning their stripes in the trade) as assistants in other peoples' businesses as of that date. Here is Michael working as an grocers assistant in 1901 under a man named Fitzgerald. And John also as an assistant elsewhere for a family named King. This to me puts the date almost certainly after 1901. (Because sometime between the 1901 and 1911 census, the Farrell brothers stopped working for others - and started their own business). So, after 1901. Almost certainly.
guliolopez
Legge, Shanley, Brady and Plunkett all appear in both the 1901 and 1911 returns for the main street, so they don't really help. Other than to put the date in the ballpark of the early 20th century. I don't see Brady's neighbours, [Heg]earty(?), in either return, so no help there. I think that the Farrell brothers (J&M) have set up shop by the time of French's photo, however, at least puts us after 1901. PS: To my eye, there's a surprisingly high number of kids around that cabbage truck.
CASSIDY PHOTOGRAPHY
Notice on the photo: "MAIN ST. LONGFORD . 8257 . W.L ." Have you identified and dated any other Robert French Lawrence Collection Photos with 8256 or 8258, for example. Were sequential numbers used or did they relate to date or file number or box of glass plates, etc. Must be a method to the madness for recording such information on the glass plate when developing.
Skiappa.....v.i.p. (Volentieri In Pensione)
This photo is awarded with a gold harp.
https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3064/2800465999_989ddd1f82_m.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="Ireland?" />
Beauty of Ireland
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
Thanks https://www.flickr.com/photos/20727502@N00 - I've tweaked the dates and description based on the insights on the Farrell brothers :)
Dr. Ilia
great details!