"Unidentified Photograph from the Fergus O'Connor Collection" is the Strand Hotel, Bray
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Where: Wicklow, Ireland
Try to find the spot where the photographer was standing.
When: 01 January 1900
Try to find the date or year when this image was made.
We have another unidentified photo today, this time from the Fergus O'Connor collection. I feel confident that we will do better today than we did yesterday, as I have a feeling that I may have seen this building in real life only a few weeks ago.
With thanks to Anne McGinley (mcginley2012) we have confirmation that this is the Strand Hotel in Bray. Originally built in the mid-19th century, it was apparently once owned by Oscar Wilde's family. Beachcomberaustralia tells us that Wilde himself sold it in the late 1870s (though not without some controversy). It was seemingly up-for-sale again earlier this year...
Photographer: Fergus O’Connor
Collection: Fergus O’Connor Collection
Date: Likely c.1890-1915. Perhaps c.1900-1910
NLI Ref: OCO 374A
You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at catalogue.nli.ie
Source: Flickr Commons
Views: 15819
With thanks to Anne McGinley (mcginley2012) we have confirmation that this is the Strand Hotel in Bray. Originally built in the mid-19th century, it was apparently once owned by Oscar Wilde's family. Beachcomberaustralia tells us that Wilde himself sold it in the late 1870s (though not without some controversy). It was seemingly up-for-sale again earlier this year...
Photographer: Fergus O’Connor
Collection: Fergus O’Connor Collection
Date: Likely c.1890-1915. Perhaps c.1900-1910
NLI Ref: OCO 374A
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: 15819
ferguso’connor
ferguso’connorcollection
glassnegative
nationallibraryofireland
ireland
elsinor
wilde
oscar
strandhotel
bray
countywicklow
elsinore
hotel
strandhotelbar
esplanadeterrace
oscarwilde
sirwilliamwilde
probablecataloguecorrection
locationidentified
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mcginley2012
Is it The Strand Hotel, Bray? www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/search.jsp?type=record&...
derangedlemur
Too slow again. Well done https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected].
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected] Excellent, Well done. Did you have a look at yesterdays photo? https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]
derangedlemur
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland I am on the case and mightily in pursuit of the wrongdoer. I mean, I might get a few minutes to look at it during the week.
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
Has it always been pink? (as the actress said to the bishop) - https://www.flickr.com/photos/tombruen1/28828716830/In 2014 via https://www.flickr.com/photos/tombruen1/
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
It has Wilde connections - "One of the people to take advantage of the growing status of Bray as a prestigious resort was the surgeon and antiquarian, Sir William Wilde, father of the playwright Oscar. In 1861, he built 1-4 Esplanade Terrace in the elegant style of Victorian architecture of the period. They were tall, three-storey houses over basements. Sir William Wilde also built another nearby house, Elsinore, which is now the Strand Hotel." From - www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC5219K_3-a-history-of-bray-t...
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
It is/was for sale in March 2017. "A Bray hotel built by the parents of Oscar Wilde and inherited by the renowned playwright in 1876 is for sale at €2.2 million through agent Cushman & Wakefield. Sir William and Lady Jane Wilde built, circa 1850, the fine seafront house (then called Elsinore) on Esplanade Terrace that was later to become the Strand Hotel & Bar. They used it as a holiday home while keeping their main residence in a fine townhouse on Merrion Square. In fact, the couple developed a number of properties on Esplanade Terrace as investments and rented out Tower Cottage on the corner of Strand Road and Putland Road. After Sir William’s death, Oscar Wilde inherited his father’s Bray properties and decided to sell them in 1878. However, after the estate agent accepted offers from two bidders, the sale ended up in court as the bidder who eventually lost out sued. Wilde won the case but had to pick up the court expenses." From - www.irishtimes.com/business/commercial-property/oscar-wil...
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
The hotel has turned white now! - irishpost.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/strand-wilde-1... More photos of refurbished interior - irishpost.co.uk/former-seafront-home-oscar-wilde-sale-ire...
Niall McAuley
The NIAH dates it to 1850.
Niall McAuley
The chimneys of the 1865 Neptune House are visible at left, likewise Mount Norris at right.
Niall McAuley
The globe light over the door is surely electric?
Niall McAuley
Streetview and GeoHive OSI 25" map link
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gnmcauley https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected] https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected] Good to see you all back on track today, any views on date range?
Niall McAuley
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland Electric light is the only thing I see which might be a date hint... The collection info says 1890-1915 for the Fergus O'Connor collection, no sure we can do better than that...
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected] https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected] https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia https://www.flickr.com/photos/gnmcauley I am delighted to report that https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected] has identified the location of https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland/34589161483/
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/gnmcauley] Niall you referenced this photo from the archive previously. OCO 339
O Mac
"Bray Town Commissioners undertook to provide electricity to the town in 1896" I remember seeing the remains of a water turbine there in the 80's ( the 1980's) maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V2,726149,718764,12,9
Niall McAuley
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland This one is consistent with OCO339 and OCO333, which we thiought likely to be after 1911, but maybe O'Connor's photographer was in Bray at another date... The relatively high Catalogue number (they go OCO 1 to 381) might correlate to a date later in the range, too. I have not checked that collection to see if they are close to consecutive.
BlueisCoool
A very impressive looking home and image from yesteryear.
Dr. Ilia
Cool shot
marypaint
Very good!