Hartstonge House, Hartstonge St, Limerick. Near The Crescent.
Harris family:
Hartstonge House
was the home temp 1860s-1880s of the wealthy Harris family,
of Harris' bakery, Henry St, Limerick.
Ellen Pigott worked in
Harris' bakery in 1860s, before she married in 1867.
Later she would come to live in Hartstonge House herself.
Richard Harris
is listed at Hartstonge House in
[Bassett's, 1880-81, p.33].
Later from the Harris family came the actor
Richard Harris (born 1930).
O'Mara family:
Stephen O'Mara
bought Hartstonge House from the Harris family
and settled here in 1886.
Letter of
21 May 1886
shows O'Mara are now in Hartstonge House.
Stephen O'Mara
is listed at Hartstonge House in
[Ashe's Directory, 1891-92].
Stephen's wife writes on 18 Nov 1893
from Hartstonge House.
Stephen O'Mara is
listed
in 1901 census at Hartstonge House.
The house has 13 rooms,
10 windows in front of house,
with 2 coal cellars as out-buildings.
See Christmas card
from Hartstonge House, 1904.
From P133/2/19.
Pat Lavelle in
[PAT/1, p.4]
describes from her youth:
"what I saw, the comfort and well-being of Hartstonge House,
the crowds of relations, the stables with carriages and horses,
had all been achieved by the work and energy of two men,
my Grandfather
and his father James".
Stephen O'Mara is living there in 1908.
He left c.1909.
Stephen is
living Strand House as at letter of
25 Jan 1910.
The disposal of
Hartstonge House is discussed in letter of
29 Jan 1910.
No O'Mara is listed on
Hartstonge St in 1911 census.
No O'Mara is listed on the street in
[Guy's directory, 1912, p.72].
Hartstonge House became the office of the
Ancient Order of Hibernians,
Limerick City Division 550.
They are listed there in
[Guy's directory, 1914].
Did Joseph O'Mara live there?
A plaque
to Stephen's brother,
Joseph O'Mara, the opera singer,
was erected on Hartstonge House in 1967.
The plaque
says Joseph lived there.
But it is unclear when.
This may be wrong.
His brother lived there.
Maybe he just stayed with Stephen when he was in Ireland.
(He was mostly based in London, and travelled constantly.)
Modern history:
The house survives today.
Now occupied by the
Mid West Region HQ
of the Irish branch of
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
They re-named it Ozanam House
after their founder
Frederic Ozanam.
The name "Hartstonge House" is now used
by another building on the street,
think across the street.
Ordnance Survey of Ireland map.
Date created: 1870.
From here.
Hartstonge House is to the right of the school, opposite Catherine Place.
Hartstonge House (to the right of the school, opposite Catherine Place) on
1887 to 1913 map.
Richard Harris
is listed at Hartstonge House in
[Bassett's, 1880-81, p.33].
Stephen O'Mara
is listed at Hartstonge House in
[Ashe's Directory, 1891-92].
Letterhead of letter of
17 Aug 1897,
from
Hartstonge House.
Hartstonge House, Limerick, 1908.
See full size.
Hartstonge St in
[Guy's directory, 1912, p.72].
William B. Joyce may be at
Hartstonge House.
No O'Mara listed.
Extract from
[Guy's directory, 1914, p.17].
Hartstonge House is occupied by the Ancient Order of Hibernians.
Hartstonge St in
[Guy's directory, 1914, p.116].
Hartstonge House is occupied by the Ancient Order of Hibernians.
1947 aerial view showing Hartstonge House.
See larger.
From Britain from Above.
Non-commercial use.
Also just about visible in
another 1947 photo.
Detail of above showing Hartstonge House.
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