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Where: Ulster, Donegal, Ireland
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When: Unknown
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In a beautiful part of a beautiful county stands the beautiful wee town of Gweedore, and so we will start our week with a visit to the Gweedore Hotel. A posed shot by the looks of it, with a gentleman standing behind a bench with his hat resting on the seat. The flowers are abundant, the windows are open, so it was probably Sunday 5th June when the Irish summer arrived – and departed?
Photographer: Robert French
Collection: Lawrence Photograph Collection
Date: Circa 1865 - 1914
NLI Ref: L_ROY_01345
You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at catalogue.nli.ie
Source: Flickr Commons
Views: 14737
Photographer: Robert French
Collection: Lawrence Photograph Collection
Date: Circa 1865 - 1914
NLI Ref: L_ROY_01345
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: 14737
robertfrench
williamlawrence
lawrencecollection
lawrencephotographicstudio
glassnegative
nationallibraryofireland
ulster
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donegal
gweedorehotel
herbaceousborder
sundial
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suckindeesel
Gweedore.Court Hotel goo.gl/maps/fZJbDRCZeWDNfuuC6 Now much extended?
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
Those chimney pots do not look bird-friendly. Ouch!
John Spooner
Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser - Wednesday 26 July 1876
"I'll have a room with a cold bath, please!"
Foxglove
sundial, Gweedore......first silly smile if the week !
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
Flickr is sometimes amazing! In 2010 via https://www.flickr.com/photos/donegalcottageholidays/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/donegalcottageholidays/5186821809/
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
The Gweedore Hotel was front and centre in the "distress" and evictions in the 1880s. This from 1886 via Trove - trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/170444481
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
And from 1887 - trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/170602265?searchTerm=%...
Niall McAuley
Next door in the catalogue at L_ROY_01344 is St. Finians RC church in Falcarragh from 1877 per the DIA
John Spooner
https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia and in 1858. At the 9th day of the Gweedore Inquiry on 23rd June, Mr George Brady, surgeon, testified:
(Belfast Morning News - Monday 28 June 1858)John Spooner
On 9th July 1915 the Northern Whig published a travelogue of a trip to Donegal, including a trip to Gweedore and lunch at the Hotel. The sundial seems to have been a highlight of the trip
cargeofg
bit.ly/2Xb63oWOSI 25" Does not go down any further that this. So we are unable to see if sundial is marked.
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
1908 description from a book "Picturesque Donegal: its mountains, rivers, and lakes. Being the Great Northern Railway (Ireland) Company's illustrated guide to the sporting and touring grounds of the north of Ireland" via [https://www.flickr.com/photos/internetarchivebookimages/] [https://www.flickr.com/photos/internetarchivebookimages/14779871732/] ❝LOWER LOUGH NACUNG. Route from Strabane :—via Letterkenny and the Burton Portextension of the Lough Swilly Railway, to Gweedore Station,which is quite close to the hotel. The Hotel at Gweedore is admirably conducted by Mr. andMrs. Alex. Robertson, who for many years have catered for alaige number of guests with complete success, and it is quite anup-to-date establishment in every way. It stands in beautifulgrounds, amidst grand mountain, lake, and river scenery, is oneof the best sporting centres in the North of Ireland, and amidstits glorious solitude is yet in close touch with the outside world,for a telegraph and post office are attached. It is the pioneertouring hotel in Donegal, and for many years was the onlyestablishment of its sort in the county. \isitors are assured ofevery convenience, and nothing is left undone to enhance theircomfort. To a very large number of its patrons it has chieflybeen known as the centre from which to fish the famous salmonwater that flows close by ...❞ Edit - there is much more about day trips from the Hotel in the online 1908 book. Lots of photos and maps. Well worth a virtual squizz - archive.org/stream/picturesquedoneg00shru/picturesquedone...
suckindeesel
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia] The hotel site's own history glosses over those incidents www.gweedorecourthotel.com/about/ I wonder when it served as as a courthouse?
abandoned railways
The station opened in 1903.
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/abandonedrailsireland] Wonderful station photo with folk who just missed the only train! - catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000043128 There are a couple of reverse views from an upstairs window. Same time? catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000317154 catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000331679
Niall McAuley
Here is Alexander Robertson, Hotelier, in the 1901 census. He was aged 48, close enough to the man shown here.
Niall McAuley
No sign of the Robertsons in 1911. Michael Mooney, Farm Servant, is given as head of the household. He was a car driver in 1901.
O Mac
6" Cassini bit.ly/2X9qjay showing a RIC barracks very close by keeping an eye on things...
Niall McAuley
Ah, Alexander and Jane were away on a visit in Derry in 1911. Married only 11 years...
suckindeesel
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia] Another shot of the hotel gardens catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000335298 4573 WL also used in a Cahirciveen shot, see others sharing the same numbers. What's that about?
suckindeesel
https://www.flickr.com/photos/91549360@N03 The hotel's footprint was so different then, that I wonder how much of the original remains. Most, if not all, may be a modern reconstruction.
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
https://www.flickr.com/photos/184711311@N04 There are different sizes of Lawrence glass plates – Cabinet, Royal, Imperial. So a number like 4573 can be used a few times, just depends on the remainder of its call number. The railway bridge in Cahirciveen is NLI call number (or ref. number) L_ROY_04573, i.e. Lawrence Royal size number 4573. The gardens of the hotel above are call number L_CAB_04573, i.e. Lawrence Cabinet size number 4573.
cargeofg
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland Ah That explains a lot Am I correct that this system was employed onto the Eason plates. Do you have the sizes in inches for the plates. There is a photographer Jack Lowe who is doing The Lifeboat Station Project. He is photographing all of the RLNI stations and Crews around UK and Ireland. He is using a Victorian camera and 12"x10" glass plates.
suckindeesel
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland] Thanks for the explanation [https://www.flickr.com/photos/187095410@N06] The Cahirciveen bridge catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000322612 glass plate size is given as 22cm x 17cm, probably 8-3/4" x 6-3/4" in the old money, so not so large as your example.
cargeofg
https://www.flickr.com/photos/184711311@N04 Don't worry I can work in old money sizes and new. Fishing boats that I do maintenance and welding work on buy rope by the meter but measure it out in fathoms. Watched Blue Max over the weekend.
cargeofg
lifeboatstationproject.com/ When I get a chance I will upload some photos my wife took while he was photographing the crew at Aberystwyth. [https://www.flickr.com/photos/184711311@N04]
suckindeesel
https://www.flickr.com/photos/187095410@N06 Yes, but can you tell the difference between UNC, BSW & BSF, not to mention metric? Met an old timer once who made his own large format wooden cased cased camera. He swore by the quality of the image and used it for landscape and buildings. Was able to correct for parallex using its antique tilting lens.
O Mac
Niall McAuley An Alexander Robinson married a Mary Alcorn in Gweedore on Sept 3 1882. both are only couple listed as "minors" which is odd..as he would have been 29 (48 in 1901) The chances of there having been two Alex Robinsons in Gweedore are pretty slim. He must have married twice ? donegalgenealogy.com/gweemarr.htm
O Mac
Frank Sweeney in his thesis on the "Letterkenny and Burtonport Extension Railway It's Social Context and Environment" quotes Robinson as saying at an BofT enquiry that he had built seven new bedrooms in 1896. Here's another W.L. taken before the hotel extension was built as seen above. catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000335301 note Mr Jaunty. 1896 earliest date. Fascinating research on the railway.. mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/5278/1/Frank_Sweeny_201407221...
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
As usual Mr French / Lawrence revisited several times. Here is an earlier photo from a similar angle showing that the extension to the right (see note) was not built. And the wooden corner sign had different faded lettering and cracked boards. Windows are wide open; Mrs Robinson (or Cunningham?) liked fresh air in her establishment - catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000335301 Also some stereo pairs which means early 1880s (before the aforementioned troubles) catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000559999 Ed. Eblana double not STP, but the same man with gun is in V catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000565048 The hotel car - catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000565054 - also spotted previously (see note on rear) [https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland/11113786414/]
cargeofg
https://www.flickr.com/photos/184711311@N04 O Yes and have a wide selection of taps and dies for all of those thread forms. https://www.flickr.com/photos/gnmcauley I had a look through Donegal and Derry car registrations on Lennonwylie to see if there was a motor car registered to Robertson or Gweedore Hotel. More likely Micheal Mooney as car driver refers to sidecar as in plate above that took guests out on trips.
oaktree_brian_1976
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland Cabinet is the smaller size, to be displayed on a table/cabinet, 3x5 if memory serves. Imperial is of course the largest size, probably 8x10.
Niall McAuley
O Mac I think that Gweedore geneology has a few errors. From the 1911 census, we know Alexander Robertson married Jane in 1900, that page shows Alf. Ok, the official site says Alex, but I can see how it looks like Alf if you don't already know.
Niall McAuley
so her name was Jane E Keown, and his job was sub agent for the Hill estate. The census shows a Capt. Hill was landowner of the Hotel. Alex's father was likewise the agent. Hill is referred to in the Famine accounts above.
Niall McAuley
The 1858 Robertson wedding shown is Alex's father William, a farmer of Heath Cottage up the road. Wife Hannah's father Donald MacDonald was a land agent. Alex's grandfather was also named Alexander. The minors name was Robinson, not Robertson.
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
I have a strong suspicion that the dapper fellow in the Gweedore Hotel car at Halfway House (see above) is our old favourite Mr Jaunty. Which means that a large number of other 'Jaunty' photos might also be dated to 1884. Not this photo ... eg - catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000335304 catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000042972 catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000335302