https://hamiltonhouse.ie/

Hamilton House - Draft              

NAME                            28 Fitzwilliam Place later Hamilton House.                                      

AREA LOCATION         Corner of Fitzwilliam Place and Lower Leeson Street
​
 
MAP LOCATION         OSI map of1898-1913 place it in the ward of St Stephens in the
                                       townland of Fitzwilliam but it is not annotated.
                                     
GENERAL                     
In October 1854 a lease at the junction of Fitzwilliam Place and Lower Leeson Street was
given by the Pembroke Estate to Hans Henry Hamilton, son of Henry Hamilton of
Ballymacoll, Co Meath.  Hans appointed Dean and Woodward to design the house and Gilbert
Cockburn and Sons were contracted as builders.  It is an end of terrace three bay four storey
over basement polychrome brick built house.  It has a hipped slate roof concealed by parapet.
It has sash widows and decorative cast iron balconettes to the ground, first and second levels.
Mainly in a yellow brick, the chimneystack has a triple-H monogram picked out in red brick. 
The chapel to the rear with projecting oriel windows was added in 1878 and was
commissioned by Christopher Pallas.  The original stables are now 62 Lower Leeson Street.         

YEAR BUILT                  circa 1856 -1861
 
VALUATION                 In 1880 the valuation was 120 pounds and in the 1911 census it is noted as
​                                        having 23 rooms occupied by family.
​         
ARCHITECT                   Deane & Woodward.  Addition of chapel in 1878 by George Coppinger Ashlin
                                        possibly by builder Henry Edward Hall, of Lombard Street and later of
                                        Harrington Street.           
 
SOURCES                       Thom's, contemporaneous newspapers, NAI Census & Wills, OSI Maps, South
                                         Dublin Historical Mapping.
  
OCCUPANTS

1856 - 1875                    Hans Henry Hamilton
1877 - 1905                    Christopher Palles
1903 - 1905                    For Sale
1911 - 1923                    Right Hon Charles Andrew O'Connor, Master of the Rolls
1927 - 1947                    Baron & Lady Mary Hemphill (heiress to Edward Martyn)  
1947 - 1957                    Lord Martin Hemphill (RIP)
1956                                Portion of the rear garden sold for development
1957 - 1972                    IBM Ireland Headquarters (landlord Peter Patrick Hemphill, 5th Baron)
​1973 - 1974                    Confederation of Irish Industry
1974 - 1986                    Smith Group HQ
1986                                Leasehold interest for 35 years from 1981 for sale
1987                                Chemcon Ltd subsidiary of Biocon Biochemicals Ltd
1988                                Sterling Health
1990                                Hibernian Life purchase the 6600 square feet building for 1 Million
1990 - 2005                    Bruce Shaw Partnership
2022                                Serviced offices
                
STAFF
1901                               Possible caretaker installed - Jane Kavanagh
1911                               Mad'lle Marie Poyet - Governess
                                        Mary Power - Cook
                                        Kate Duffy - Housemaid
                                        Joseph Abel - Butler
                                        Mary Fitzgerald - Servant
                                        Ellen Keatinge - Parlourmaid
                                        Delia Kennedy - Nurse​
1913                                Joseph Abel - Stable and coachhouse to rear

CURRENT
STATUS                          Extant

CONTRIBUTOR            ©​ June Bow & Karen Poff
DATE                              November 2022