Police Barracks, Portlaw
[graphic]
| Main Creator: | |
|---|---|
| Contributors: | |
| In collection: | The Lawrence Photograph Collection |
| Format: | Photo |
| Published / Created: |
[between 1880-1900].
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| Subjects: | |
| Notes: | Additional information about this photograph is available on the National Library of Ireland's Flickr Commons photostream http://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland/53540297980/ Robert French was the chief photographer responsible for photographing three quarters of the Lawrence Collection. For more information, see the Dictionary of Irish Biography: http://doi.org/10.3318/dib.003369.v1 Physical description: 1 photographic negative glass 16.5 x 21.5 cm. Geographic Coverage: Portlaw, County Waterford, Province of Munster, Ireland. Caption on glassplate reads: Police Barrack's. Portlaw. 1796. W. L. more |
A visit to the Lawrence Collection today and to Portlaw in County Waterford where the street is abuzz with birds and bees, polismen, and apparently nothing else. Given the changes in policing in the meantime, I wonder is there still a station there at all, at all?
Photographer: Robert French
Collection: Lawrence Photograph Collection
Date: Circa 1865 - 1914
NLI Ref: L_ROY_01796
You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at catalogue.nli.ie
Tags:
Robert French, William Lawrence, Lawrence Collection, Lawrence Photographic Studio, Glass Negative, National Library of Ireland, Royal Irish Constabulary, RIC, Police Station, Portlaw, County Waterford, Munster, Pillbox hats, headgear, Lawrence Photograph Collection
Comments
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
That tree grew! And so did a petrol pump. Both gone since 1991 -
catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000355332
Posted: 20.02.2024
Niall McAuley
Pill box hats - before 1900 and the introduction of peaked forage hats.
Posted: 20.02.2024
suckindeesel
C.1845, according to the NIAH, now a private residence
www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/22803...
Posted: 20.02.2024
suckindeesel
Does the headgear indicate a particular period?
Posted: 20.02.2024
Niall McAuley
Wow, an old building - the NIAH says 1845. Same date for the officers house at left.
Posted: 20.02.2024
John Spooner
Things weren't as harmonious and relaxed among the constabulary in 1904. Evening Echo (Cork) - Tuesday 16 August 1904: 
Posted: 20.02.2024
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnspooner]
Eee! There be trouble at t'Bill ...
Posted: 20.02.2024
suckindeesel
It has a fortress like appearance with the gun loops around the top of the tower, even one on the corner.
A little distance outside the town proper, which we have visited previousely
[https://flic.kr/p/2juPbGu]
Being a Quaker model village it probably had little need for a police presence
The house on the left housed the officer(s)
Posted: 20.02.2024
John Spooner
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia] Very good.
Posted: 20.02.2024
Niall McAuley
This is very likely earlier, but here are 2 RIC Constables in the 1901 census.
A current and a former RIC Sergeant
I imagine the sgt recorded as Leacy in the census is the lad who was admonished above [https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnspooner]
Posted: 20.02.2024
Carol Maddock
I love the birdcage! Don't think we've ever had one attached to a police station before. In fact, don't remember a birdcage affixed to any building in this manner. Happy to be corrected though...
Posted: 20.02.2024
John Spooner
There's a lengthy 3-column report of the inquiry in the Waterford Standard on Saturday 30 July 1904. The highlight was Sgt Lacey "said he would break and strike his face with a stick if the head constable tried to bring him back to barracks".
Posted: 20.02.2024
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/47297387@N03] A Jailbird?
Posted: 20.02.2024
Niall McAuley
There are Poole portraits of a District Inspector McDonald, Portlaw (the census says Charles Montague MacDonald) in civvies, and in 3 different uniforms, all from September 1901.
I particularly like the fancy dress uniform: POOLEWP 1195
but the others are good too:
Plain: POOLEWP 1197
Semi-fancy: POOLEWP 1196
Civvies: POOLEWP 1194
Posted: 20.02.2024
Niall McAuley
We were nearby in the catalogue before, I remember some nuns.
Yes, across town, Convent, which we dated to the 1890s: L_IMP_1789, but there is a similar L_ROY_01793 near todays barracks shot in the catalogue.
Posted: 20.02.2024
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
More drama earlier in September 1848, via Trove ...
... " In consequence of an express stating that the police barracks at Portlaw had been attacked, Mr. Coulson proceeded in that direction from Carrick, with a strong force, and Tabuteau from Waterford. The former pursued the rebels, who dispersed. The latter arrived at, and occupied Portlaw, where, however, the Police barrack had been successfully defended by six men — the rebels retired after ten rounds, leaving ten dead. ... ... "
See - trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/163503640?searchTerm=p... (Jan 1849)
Posted: 20.02.2024
John Spooner
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/gnmcauley] Yeas, other accounts of the inquiry give his name as Leacy.
Edit: and the Head Constable is Jestin. Or Gestin
Posted: 20.02.2024
John Spooner
Sgt Leacy's daughter Johanna won an Arithmetic Competition in the Constabulary Gazette in June/July 1898. She is named as Miss Johanna Leacy, R.I.C. Portlaw, Co. Waterford.
Posted: 20.02.2024
Niall McAuley
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnspooner] Sgt Leacy has 8 children in the 1901 census, Johanna (named for her mother) is the eldest at 17, a Monitress
They are living in a house on Brown Street, 3 windows to the front. These houses are still standing in Streetview
Posted: 20.02.2024
Niall McAuley
All that said about Sgt. Leacy and the kerfuffle, I think we are maybe 10 years earlier here.
Posted: 20.02.2024
Niall McAuley
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/47297387@N03] Previously on BirdCageView:
Posted: 20.02.2024
Niall McAuley
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/47297387@N03] In Megazoom, I think I see a second birdcage hanging from the porch, underneath the station badge.
Posted: 20.02.2024
Carol Maddock
@30369211@N00/ I think you're right. Obviously birdcages are like buses. You wait ages, and then two come along at the same time!
Posted: 20.02.2024
Foxglove
in the old "James Cagney" movies the criminals always "sang like canaries" when arrested.... I wonder if there are little yellow birds in there ;-)
Posted: 20.02.2024
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/foxglove] Very good.
Posted: 20.02.2024
suckindeesel
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/47297387@N03/] I was wondering what that was!
Posted: 20.02.2024
suckindeesel
Niall McAuley I had to look that one up, apparently it’s a female monitor, as in keeping order in the schoolroom
Posted: 20.02.2024
