Passengers going to Graiguenamanagh in brakes
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Where: Waterford, Ireland
Try to find the spot where the photographer was standing.
When: 01 September 1911
Try to find the date or year when this image was made.
Why? I mean why would you want to go to Graiguenamanagh in the first place? Why go there in the buckets of rain? In an open car, late in an Irish summer? In any event, this fine Poole shot captures groups of passengers in horse drawn transport leaving for the town of Graiguenamanagh (but from where?)
As suggested by Rory Sherlock, these passengers are leaving from Merchant's Quay, Waterford (with St Saviours visible to the rear). Beachcomber tells us that the "brake" carriages are "large, four-wheeled carriage-frame with no body". And, while these carriages have "no body" they are certainly carrying plenty of bodies - pressed together on the 25m/half-day journey to Graiguenamanagh, Co. Kilkenny. O Mac and guliolopez offer answers to our (perhaps bluntly put) question about why such a group would brave the weather in an open carriage on such a long journey - with confirmation that a rail and steamer strike was in place at the time, leaving "Waterford Isolated" otherwise (as per the Irish Independent article linked in the comments)....
Photographer: A. H. Poole
Collection: Poole Photographic Studio, Waterford
Date: c.23 September 1911
NLI Ref: POOLEWP 2129
You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at catalogue.nli.ie
Source: Flickr Commons
Views: 24952
As suggested by Rory Sherlock, these passengers are leaving from Merchant's Quay, Waterford (with St Saviours visible to the rear). Beachcomber tells us that the "brake" carriages are "large, four-wheeled carriage-frame with no body". And, while these carriages have "no body" they are certainly carrying plenty of bodies - pressed together on the 25m/half-day journey to Graiguenamanagh, Co. Kilkenny. O Mac and guliolopez offer answers to our (perhaps bluntly put) question about why such a group would brave the weather in an open carriage on such a long journey - with confirmation that a rail and steamer strike was in place at the time, leaving "Waterford Isolated" otherwise (as per the Irish Independent article linked in the comments)....
Photographer: A. H. Poole
Collection: Poole Photographic Studio, Waterford
Date: c.23 September 1911
NLI Ref: POOLEWP 2129
You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at catalogue.nli.ie
Info:
Owner: National Library of Ireland on The CommonsSource: Flickr Commons
Views: 24952
ahpoole
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raining
wetground
groupsofpeople
horsedrawnbrakes
omnibuses
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graiguenamagh
cokilkenny
thecats
umbrellas
macintoshes
brake
merchantsquay
stsaviourswaterford
passengers
puddles
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locationidentified
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National Library of Ireland on The Commons
Apologies for the delay in posting, an early appointment screwed our plans up!
BeachcomberAustralia
23 September 1911 was a Saturday,
Rory_Sherlock
I'd say that's the dome of the St Saviour's Dominican Church on Bridge Street in Waterford in the background (right)
Rory_Sherlock
Yes - this was taken on Merchant's Quay in Waterford - the building with the barred windows and the church are visible in this image: catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000592135
Niall McAuley
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland] Oi! What have you got against Graigue? A lovely spot:
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gnmcauley We never said there was anything wrong with Graigue, we just asked why one would wish to go there? :) Looks gorgeous (but maybe not in the rain!) :)
Niall McAuley
Also, given that the lead car has T. DORAN GRAIGUE on it, it is possible that these people are from Graigue, and were only visiting Waterford.
Niall McAuley
I only see one T. Doran in Graiguenamanagh in 1911.
Niall McAuley
5 folks with Car in their occupation live in Graiguemanagh [sic] in the 1911 census, 4 car drivers and a "car maid".
WeFive5
Terrific quality. Thank you.
woodworker_34
woodworker 34 Is that a cash box for the fares the driver of the front car is holding or were they transporting other valuables.
BeachcomberAustralia
"A brake (French: break), was a horse-drawn carriage used in the 19th and early 20th centuries in the training of horses for draft work. A shooting-brake, was a brake pressed into service to carry beaters, gamekeepers and sportsmen with their dogs, guns and game. There were purpose-built shooting-brakes designed to carry the driver and a footman or gamekeeper at the front facing forward, and passengers on longitudinal benches, with their dogs, guns and game borne along the sides in slatted racks. ... " From en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brake_(carriage)
Rory_Sherlock
https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected] Perhaps he has a contract to transport mail - he certainly seems keen to have the locked box in the photo
La Belle Province
Huge hats, even on the gents.
Foxglove
there is always one unshod. child
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected] I strongly suspect that you are correct on that, the spire is pretty distinctive St Saviour's is pretty distinctive. Hve updated the map accordingly!
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
https://www.flickr.com/photos/foxglove I noted that and the boy beside him is very well shod but has sacking for an overcoat? Perhaps they are brothers and first up chose boots or coat? You know the old maxim: "First up - best dressed".
Dún Laoghaire Micheál
23 Sep 1911. One wonders what the topic of discussion might have been on the journey. Maybe . . . "In the first major demonstration by Protestant Irishmen against "Home Rule" and the separation of all of Ireland from the United Kingdom, Edward Carson led the march of 50,000 Unionists in Northern Ireland from Belfast to Craigavon, the home of James Craig, 1st Viscount Craigavon, and addressed the crowd, declaring, "We must be prepared.. the morning Home Rule passes, ourselves to become responsible for the government of the Protestant Province of Ulster" en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_1911
caoin
❝Why? I mean why would you want to go to Graiguenamanagh in the first place?❞ Ar thóir na manach b’fhéidir?
O Mac
Waterford to Graiguenamanagh is a long way to go by horse and cart ...on a wet day. The reason is more than likely because the railwaymen of the GSWR were on strike in August/September 1911.
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
Ah - That https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected] would make a lot of sense, and explain why it was so busy - and seemingly worthy of capture. (We had - with absolutely no slight to Graiguenamanagh intended - wondered why so many would take the 5 or 6 hour journey by open cart on such a seemingly bad day. Your explanation explains it completely.) Will take a look at the news archives for more info and update the description later. Thanks!
guliolopez
Hi [https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]] [https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland]. I had a look at the archives today, and as [https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]] points-out there was a general strike at the time - the papers of Autumn 1911 are choc with it. I won't repost it all, but this full-page spread in the Independent from Sunday 26 September 1911 carries the crux of it. Including this extract under a very dramatic and telling headline/sub-title - which covers the mood (and weather) in the city at the time:
- Irish Independent 26 Sep 1911 www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/32462571335/National Library of Ireland on The Commons
Excellent https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]! And thanks again https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected] . I've added this extra bit of critical info to the description - answering as it does, our key "why brave it?" question....
Salty Windows
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gnmcauley As a youngster I earned my first bit of pocket money helping the local milkman Jim Doran (James Doran aged 2 in that census). It would not be uncommon for businessmen to have a second line of business so Tom Doran could well be our man.
jamica1
Crowded
Niall McAuley
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gerrydunne Brilliant!