Our swankiest post box ever?
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Where: Meath, 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.
The eye is immediately drawn to the ancient Cross here in the middle of the town of Kells in Co. Meath, but I don't think we've come across such an ornate post box before. (Or if it isn't a post box, what is it?)
Photographer: Probably Robert French of Lawrence Photographic Studios, Dublin
Date: Circa 1900??
NLI Ref.: L_ROY_05279
Source: Flickr Commons
Views: 107247
Photographer: Probably Robert French of Lawrence Photographic Studios, Dublin
Date: Circa 1900??
NLI Ref.: L_ROY_05279
Info:
Owner: National Library of Ireland on The CommonsSource: Flickr Commons
Views: 107247
crossstreet
johnstreet
kells
meath
ireland
leinster
celticcross
cross
marketcross
gaslighting
telegraphwires
church
tower
drinkingfountain
posters
horse
carts
victualler
butcher
carcases
meat
doconnor
robertfrench
williamlawrence
lawrencecollection
glassnegative
nationallibraryofireland
tumblingpaddy
seedmerchant
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O Mac
It think that's John's Street.Streetview
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected] It is indeed. There're lovely street signs up on the corner behind the cross.
O Mac
So there is!!.... The gas lighting looks abandoned. No mantle, no glass, bent poles. That thingimabob far right is a "Tumbling Paddy". Used for gathering up loose hay. When so much was gathered it flipped itself and off it went so on.
Gregory PC
www.google.com/maps?ll=53.702804,-6.835556&spn=0.2369...
Niall McAuley
The Market Cross has been moved up to the Heritage Centre (formerly the 1801 Courthouse).
derangedlemur
It doesn't appear to have the usual postal emblems on it. Is the writing legible on the original?
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected] Tumbling Paddy! Brilliant name.
derangedlemur
Seems to say "blah blah fasel gesuelz...Or Poor...etc", which wouldn't imply postage really.
B-59
The history of the Market Cross can be read here: photosynth.net/view.aspx?cid=1b06decf-4f2d-4075-9dab-d282...
derangedlemur
There's something marked on the 6" but it's not legible: maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V1,674126,775886,7,7 It's gothic script though so I assume it's the cross rather than the box.
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
Just uploaded closer view of box. Oddly, I'm getting THE EMPRESS at the top, and BOX POOR on the bottom... Don't laugh, just an immediate impression!
derangedlemur
"FOR THE"..."BOX(?) POOR" I think it's a poor box.
derangedlemur
I don't think it's box, btw. It seems to be for the something of the something poor
derangedlemur
I think it's "OLD" rather than "THE" at the top and it's not "EMPRESS" either. It ends in "ERS"
Niall McAuley
The church shown is gone (noted as ?) above, is the 1799 RC church. Had some rebuilding in 1890. The current church was built in 1960.
derangedlemur
It's "SICK POOR" at the bottom.
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]] See comments over yonder...
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gregcarey Thank you!
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected] That's a grand history! Don't want to tread on local beliefs however, but doubt it was used to hang Croppies... (Not high enough, even allowing for shorter humans in the late 19th century?)
Niall McAuley
In this view, you can see that the newspaper collection box and its streetlight are out in the middle of the road.
Niall McAuley
Extreme right, there are newspaper billboards - sadly illegible :(
Niall McAuley
Another view, with dog.
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
Have just had a look at the other view of our Mystery Box as http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnmcauley pointed out. My Flabber is completely Gasted, but it really does look like... OLD NEWSPAPERS ... FOR THE ... OF THE SICK POOR ...
O Mac
The bottom line could be ..........'of Kells Hospital' ......The 6" shows a Fever Hospital . maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V1,673716,776107,7,8
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
It could actually http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected], thanks! Very plausible... So might read: OLD NEWSPAPERS ... FOR THE ... OF THE SICK POOR OF KELLS HOSPITAL
John Spooner
Not Kells, but ... Freeman's journal, Friday, July 2, 1897, reported on the weekly meeting of the guardians of the South DuUblin Union, held at the workhouse, St James St. Under the subheading 'Reading for the Infirm' is the sentence (quoting Mr Mooney):
and not just newspapers. later: In an editorial about the matter (the Thomas street library was intending to discontinue its practice of donating its old newspapers), the same edition of Freeman's said: :National Library of Ireland on The Commons
http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnspooner Amazing! So not to raise money, but for poorer people to read?? And what larks at those South Dublin Union meetings! How big must the mouth of the D'Olier Street Box have been, for an 18" skullcracker to be inserted in one piece? (To our D'Olier Street photos, to see if said box can be spotted!)
TEXASJOHN
Sadly we will never know for sure!
guliolopez
Aggh. Looks like I missed the peering again today :) With apologies for hijacking Carol's followers, the Oregon Statue University Commons Project released a number of Irish images recently. Based on the commentary (they are handcoloured slides from a lecture seemingly) they were primarily taken in Cork, Dublin and Tipperary. But two in particular are driving me nuts. This one (of jarveys awaiting fares - presumably in Dublin) looks like it's close to Merrion Square to me - but perhaps someone can pinpoint? And this one (of peat laden carts - presumably outside Dublin) would appear to have enough clues to give-up a location. But I can't seem to put the clues together...
B-59
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland The Croppies were possibly those who escaped at Ballinamuck... It seems to me that the cross would be high enough if the hanging person isn't especially tall (in comparison to the persons on the street). However, this would have been a rather macabre use of a cross....
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected] No problem at all! Sure don't I know that they're unfaithful to us all over the Commons?? :D Will have a look at that allegedly Merrion Square one myself later (if it's not solved in the meantime).
B-59
The Gothic styled chapel in the background was completed in the late 1820s. It was replaced by a new structure in 1960, see Provincial Towns in Early Modern England and Ireland: Change, Convergence ..., page 141 Now it's this: maps.google.ie/maps?q=kells+&hl=en&ll=53.726748,-...
Bernard Healy
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]] - That picture with the peat (turf) carts is Thurles, Co. Tipperary. The following modern 'Street View' matches the Bank building and the drapery store. www.google.com/maps/preview#!q=Thurles%2C+Ireland&dat...
Bernard Healy
http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected] If you go to the pic with the jarveys, you'll see that I think I have that as well - junction of Clonmel Street & Harcourt Street.
guliolopez
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bernardhealy Great! You are spot-on on both counts. Good-eye that man :)
BeachcomberAustralia
It seems to me that it would have been much cheaper to buy the newspapers for the folk in hospital, than to manufacture and install this fabulous "swanky post box". Or is it really a disguised visitor from another time and planet, like the TARDIS?
steenowitz
why the arrow on the top of the post - seems awful high to be a direction sign?
chrisper2009
I am besotted with your ancient images and history. I am desperate to find the origins of my own ancestors in Ireland but your posts and more particularly, your network of very knowledgeable contacts, make this a fascinating site for anyone with an interest in history whether it be your own or others. Your land lay undisturbed far into the 20th century unlike Britain. After visits to Clare, Mayo, Cork, Galway and Dublin, we have found vibrancy, peace, friendship, music (powerful music!) and a curious sense of belonging though the latter is purely selfish and unplaced. Thank you and all of your contributors.
BeachcomberAustralia
There's a grand old house (three-storey italianate hip-roof c. 1880s?) missing or not yet built in the photo, which might drag the date back 20 years or so. This side of the church where that big tree is - streetview goo.gl/maps/mnQ6h
O Mac
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia] The NIAH have Kells Parochial House listed as having being built between 1880-1900. Not very precise except to suggest the photograph is no later than 1900. Their dating of the small monument at the bottom of the street is as vague.
martindevlin
The three nearest gas lamps all are broken, two are missing the complete lantern assembly and the third (beside the post box) is missing it's mantle assembly. Could this be an example of late 1800's vandalism or inaction by a cash strapped local authority ?
John Spooner
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia] The Board of Guardians at Keighley had the same thoughts in 1890. The Leeds Mercury, Thursday, May 29, 1890:
I imagine the discussion before 'eventually it was agreed' included weighing up the ongoing costs of subscription versus the one-off costs of purchasing and fixing the boxes. Meanwhile in Devon (Trewman's Exeter Flying Post or Plymouth and Cornish Advertiser, Saturday, April 26, 1890), Lady Northcote's sympathy for the poorPhotoamble.
You can view an early post box lile this in the Dblin GPO in the back issue stamp shop.
O Mac
Here's another pillar box---- on O Connell Street just after Easter Week 1916. catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000030295
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected] Well spotted.
O Mac
and another beside the Court House/Townhall in Kingstown catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000041064
Peter on the Cape
Great
Thom's 1904
Terrible thought: might the inmates have been intended not to read the papers, but to use them (like Bloom in Ulysses) as toilet paper?
salesgup1
I agree that the Gothic Chapel in the background was completed in the late 1820s. In 1960, it was replaced by a new structure. But why so many failures is this vandalism or just some kind of element has worked. A hurricane or something like that. There is a cool way to improve photographs - it’s not to photograph anything that’s broken, in art photos it’s not what it’s the lot of historical
rpgvlwqt88
I'm very late to this party with these points as I have only started getting into this but the shopfront to the right appears to say "_O'Connor & Sons" or even "D.O'Connor & Sons" at a push, This appears to be 2 or 3 John Street, Kells, County Meath. This may help with timing p.s. - ah i now see you already have it tagged!!
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected] James, you have to be up early around here to record a post ahead of some of the regulars. We have a posting tomorrow that you might be interested in circa 9.00am. Mary
rpgvlwqt88
1939 from the Swedish National Library https://www.flickr.com/photos/swedish_heritage_board/50239228193/in/photostream/
Swedish National Heritage Board
https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected] Thanks for showing Berit Wallenbergs image - and the cross seems to have been moved!? /Anna B.