Kilbeggan Whiskey Distillery, Kilbeggan, Co. Westmeath
[graphic]
| Main Creator: | |
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| Contributors: | |
| In collection: | The Lawrence Photograph Collection |
| Format: | Photo |
| Published / Created: |
[between 1865-1914].
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| Subjects: | |
| Notes: | Additional information about this photograph may be available on the National Library of Ireland's Flickr Commons photostream http://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland/7493018180/ 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://dib.cambridge.org/viewReadPage.do?articleId=a3369 Physical description: 1 photographic negative glass 16.5 x 21.5 cm. Geographic Coverage: Kilbeggan, County Westmeath, Province of Leinster, Ireland. Caption on glassplate reads: Kilbeggan Distillery. 8269. W. L. more |
Presenting the world's oldest continuously licensed whiskey distillery at Kilbeggan, Co. Westmeath! Promised oaktree_brian_1976 a photo of a distillery, and hope this will suffice, although I'm sorry we don't have an interior shot. Happily, the date 1902 appears on one of the barrels, so perhaps 1903 can be our starting date?
Here's some info on the history of the distillery from Kilbeggan's own web site, but be warned, you'll have to enter your date of birth. :)
Date: 1905?
NLI Ref.: L_ROY_08269
Tags:
Whiskey Distillery, Kilbeggan, Westmeath, Ireland, Leinster, Cill Bheagáin, Barrels, Casks, Children, Caps, 1902, 1900s, John Locke, John Locke & Co., Workmen, Water Wheel, Whiskey, Saw, Moustaches, Pipe, Smoking, Chimney, Robert French, William Lawrence, Lawrence Collection, Glass Negative, Distillery, River Brosna, Brosna, Water Tower, James Locke, James Harvey Locke, Cooper, water, mill, Wheels, National Library of Ireland
Comments
heady school
Great photo.
Took me a while to see the guys on the roof.
Is that a black man on the far right of the group?
Those water wheels are moving at a pretty good rate. I know it's a long exposure, but even so.
My family were involved in the "http://www.offalyhistory.com/articles/83/1/Tanyard-Lane-Its-place-in-the-economic-history-of-Tullamore/Page1.html" target="_blank">brewing and distilling business in nearby Tullamore back in the 18th century.
The Manlys were the predecessors of the Goodbodys and were in Tullamore from at least the 1740s. Members of the family are recalled in Thomas (Manly) Street and Henry (Manly) Street.
I know they also owned a brewery in Moate, but can't find any other information. It's possible they also had involvement in Kilbeggan.
Posted: 03.07.2012
Phil du Valois
émotions....
Posted: 03.07.2012
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
@eyelightfilms No, it's not. He's holding what looks like a massive wrench type thing (technical term), so would imagine he was involved with engine maintenance, etc.
And lovely that you can track family back to the 18th century!
Posted: 03.07.2012
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
@gnmcauley And there you are! Running a little late this morning? Thought I'd actually have to get the location myself... :)
P.S. Thanks
Posted: 03.07.2012
Niall McAuley
Datewise, I'll say at least 1905. Whiskey is distilled, then it's barreled and the date written on the barrel, then it's aged for at least 3 years, then it's bottled, and then the barrel ends up outside in a heap.
I think that in 1902, 03, and 04, that barrel would have been neatly stacked indoors.
Posted: 03.07.2012
Swordscookie
It looks as though the streetview is from the other end of the building with the second water wheel in this being the water wheel nearest the road. You can also see some people up on the roof at or near the same place as those in this photograph. Nice one Carol, may not attract quite the same fever of excitement as yesterday but very good shot all the same. No! Wait! Where's Danny? He could put the cat amongst the pigeons yet or even the bottles amongst the barrels! I'm inclined to agree that we do not have a black man or "fear gorm" in the photo, he seems to be holding his head down somewhat and the peak of his cap is cutting off the light.
Posted: 03.07.2012
DannyM8
Locke Distiller Census 1911 and 1901 Not Married living with lots of servants. Surely the owner of the distillery?
Posted: 03.07.2012
heady school
@nlireland Thought it unlikely.
He looks to have the same walrus moustache as his mates.
As for family, 1657 used to be as far back as we could find, but due to recent internet searching, I've gone back 2 generations and found the current oldest traceable ancestor, who was born in 1580. Hopefully I can get to visit Library Towers next time I'm in Dublin, and try and fill in some gaps.
Posted: 03.07.2012
abandoned railways
The guys on the roof are really stood on a water tower.
Posted: 03.07.2012
economic quiet
Strange to see the chrildren among the barrels. See all the barrels have the hole in the middle of them, can't help thinking of all the cartoons that show one of these barrels with an eye looking out of it.
Posted: 03.07.2012
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
@swordscookie Well, I don't know if my blood pressure could take that level of excitement every day... That's a hoot - you say "Where's Danny?" and he appears as if you magicked him! :)
Posted: 03.07.2012
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
@79549245@N06 Would imagine so! James Harvey Locke (51 in 1911 and 40 in 1901 - for once, no "disparity" in age in the intervening years).
Posted: 03.07.2012
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
@eyelightfilms Jeebus, 1580! That is pretty good going. Welcome in Library Towers any time...
Posted: 03.07.2012
Swordscookie
@nlireland I did, I did! Well....not really but you just knew he would be there with something worthwhile to contribute! I have to say that I am amazed at the apparent speed of the water wheel.
@69751036@N08 Yes Kevin or rolling down a hill with one of the three stooges in it;-)
Posted: 03.07.2012
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
@69751036@N08 Well, I didn't have a particularly mis-spent youth, more's the pity, but I'd have been drawn to empty barrels like a moth to a flame...
Posted: 03.07.2012
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
@swordscookie Presumably the wheel was engine (as well as?) water driven by this stage, rather than just water powered?
Posted: 03.07.2012
Niall McAuley
??? No point in driving a water wheel with a motor, the point is to have the wheel power machines, not splash water for the fun of it!
Posted: 03.07.2012
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
@gnmcauley Didn't think for a moment it was water splashing for fun - just that the Brosna is hardly a raging torrent, so was wondering how the wheel was powered. Guess I'd been assuming that a little bit of "altitude" and water "power" were necessary
Posted: 03.07.2012
Cuddly Nutter
" Opened back in 1757, the Old Kilbeggan Distillery is the oldest licensed whiskey distillery in the world"
Just curious as Bushmills claims this too and they claim their license to distil dates from 1608?
Posted: 03.07.2012
Cuddly Nutter
Does the 1902 barrel say anything else? Whiskey is matured in second hand barrels for example Black Bush is matured in sherry barrels. So these barrels could be "new" to the distillery waiting to be filled or waiting for disposal. So with out knowning which the 1902 on the barrel could mislead.
BTW During the maturing process up to 20% of the sprit can evaporate this is know as "The Angels Share" .....................I've got my halo and wings booked !!
Posted: 03.07.2012
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
@shanekillen From top to bottom:
1902
Blur Blur 4?76
Blur Blur 9?81 or 9?84
John Locke & Co
Kilbeggan
Posted: 03.07.2012
Niall McAuley
I can't google up a really good picture, but it looks as though there is about a six foot drop on the river just at the bridge, which is what gives the power for the wheels:
www.whiskymerchants.co.uk/#/lockeskilbeggan/4521541583
The vast majority of the water in that shot of Ballinrobe is going straight over the weir, only the small amount that flows through the mill race matters for the waterwheel.
Posted: 03.07.2012
DannyM8
@nlireland
Bushmills 1608 (not!)
by Iain » Sat Apr 26, 2008 9:31 pm
To return to an old chestnut - what is it with Diageo and this pretend foundation date for Bushmills? It was all over the UK press and media last week.
The distillery wasn't founded in 1608. It is not the oldest in the world. In that respect it is a phoney.
As Jim Murray has written, in his usual forthright style, ""the Bushmills Old Distillery Co was not formed until 175 years later."
There are those who believe it wasn't even founded in 1784. Charles Craig could find no evidence of a distillery on the site prior to 1833.
Jim Murray points out (Classic Irish Whiskey, p55) that Middleton Distillery has exactly the same right to claim a 1608 foundation date. In other words, a spurious one.
Posted: 03.07.2012
Niall McAuley
This distillery didn't actually do any distilling for 50 years up to 2007, but apparently the owners kept paying the £5 license fee during that time, so it was continuously licensed as a distillery, so the claim is a bit less fake informal than the claim of 1608 by Bushmills.
Posted: 03.07.2012
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
Have hastily amended description to "... world's oldest continuously licensed whiskey distillery... "
Do I hear the sound of angels dancing on the head of a pin (high on the "angel's share" obviously)? :)
Posted: 03.07.2012
Cuddly Nutter
@79549245@N06 @gnmcauley I'm on my second or third bottle, not just today I hasten to add, of Bushmils fake informal 400th anniversery Whiskey and I'm not sharing with you two :-}
Posted: 03.07.2012
Cuddly Nutter
@79549245@N06 BTW don't blame Diageo for the claim as it predates their ownership of Bushmills. The former owner Pernod Ricard now owns Midleton distillery.
Posted: 03.07.2012
economic quiet
Has to be motion blur from a slow shutter speed. No water could make it spin that fast.
Posted: 03.07.2012
BlueisCoool
Very nice capture - congrats!
Posted: 03.07.2012
blackpoolbeach
The bloke with the mucky face is probably the stoker for the boiler furnace. He is holding a long shovel. The boiler is for the brewing process.
The undershot water wheels are fed from the Mill Race where water can be held back until needed, then released with a whoosh (technical term).
Posted: 03.07.2012
Swordscookie
@blackpoolbeach/ glad we have somebody besides Carol to interpret technical jargon for us;-)))))
Posted: 03.07.2012
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
@swordscookie Whatever can you mean? Whoosh, as @blackpoolbeach points out is a widely accepted "technical term", as is toughie and smiliest in my tecnical lexicon...
Posted: 03.07.2012
martindevlin
After the Pig Ale (mash) was heated to produce steam, copper pipes ran into the riverbed to condense the spirit which was then returned inside the distillery building. To the best of my knowledge Kilbeggan was the only distillery in Ireland to use the river bed as a condenser.
Posted: 03.07.2012
oaktree_brian_1976
I'll have another round for me and me boys! All together now: "When Irish eyes are smiling..." :)
Posted: 04.07.2012
Slow Loose Chippings
Apparently, the technical term, LOCKED derives from this establishment!
Posted: 04.07.2012
Swordscookie
@73371644@N04 Excellent and its great to have experts to help us benighted non-techies;-0
Posted: 04.07.2012
National Library of Ireland on The Commons
@60329026@N07 Thanks very much for "river bed as condenser" comment - fascinating!
Posted: 04.07.2012
katalix
se ve frio como si tan solo tuviera colores
Posted: 06.07.2012
Giuseppe's
My first shot of Irish Whiskey ever was at this distillery. Me mate and I were driving from Dublin to Galway when the jet lag hit him sudden like and decided to pull over for a nap. Not tired myself noticed the striking watermill from the car and decided to investigate... what followed was the best rest stop adventure to date. A closer look at the watermill led to a tour into the history of not only the distillery itself but Irish whiskey on the whole. Little did I know that the tour ended with a most delicious shot of Locke's Whiskey... truly the best rest stop ever:)
Posted: 27.07.2012
Niall McAuley
There is a sequence of L_ROY shots of Kilbeggan here. These are not necessarily on the same date, but looking through them for dateable stuff:
L_ROY_08263 has a Kilbeggan Races poster, Monday May something something.
L_ROY_08264 has a clear poster for a Sale of a farm, Monday the 1st May 1905, and a Muster of the Clans, Old Offaly, Sunday 30th April 1905.
Both consistent with the barrel evidence above.
08257 shows the same posters as 64, less legibly.
Posted: 05.07.2021
