Tropical Ravine at Rockville, Newtownpark Avenue.
The Bewley Family of Rockville, Blackrock
Samuel Bewley son of Thomas and Susanna Bewley married Elizabeth Fayle daughter of
Nehemiah Fayle of Limerick in 1794. Samuel was a respected silk and tea merchant and the
first in the trade to import tea directly from China. He was a member of the Society of Friends
and a generous benefactor to many charities including the Rathdown Dispensary at Mountpelier
Place, the Kildare Street School and the Cork Street Fever Hospital. Samuel lived at Rockville
from 1812 until his death on Grafton Street while out walking on 8 Oct 1837. Elizabeth died at
Sandford Grove, Ranelagh the home of her son Samuel on 28 Sep 1848.
Samuel Bewley married 17.12.1794 Elizabeth Fayle
born circa 1764 Limerick born 15.12.1771
died 08.11.1837 died 28.09.1848
a Silk Merchant at Sandford Grove
of William Street, Dublin
buried at Cork Street Quaker burial Ground
1 Joseph Bewley eldest son born 04.11.1795 married Elizabeth Pike daughter of Joseph
Pike of Cork on 13.01.1825 at the Friends Meeting House, Cork.
2 Samuel Bewley born 06.07.1797 and died 31.01.1804 aged 6½ years.
3 Huldah Bewley born 27.05.1799 died 09.08.1837 aged 38 years.
4 Charles Bewley born 10.03.1801 married Hannah Todhunter daughter of John
Todhunter on 20.10.1824 at the Friends Meeting House, Sycamore Alley, Dublin.
Charles died 17.02.1835 aged 34 years at his house in William Street. Hannah died of
Typhus Fever on 03.12.1847 aged 43 years at Parnell Place caught while ministering
to the poor.
5 Henry Bewley born 11.11.1802 died 13.01.1804 aged 1¼ years.
6 Henry Bewley born 04.07.1804 married Elizabeth Rowntree of Scarborough on
02.01.1833. Elizabeth died on 19.10.1833 after a long illness. Henry then married Ann
Pike daughter of Jonathan Pike of Beechgrove, Dungannon, Tyrone on 25.11.1835 at
the Meeting House at Grange.
7 Samuel Bewley born 01.01.1806 married Maria Clibborn on 15.03.1837 at Moate.
Samuel died 07.10.1877 of Sandford Grove and Maria died on 25.11.1886 aged 73
years at Sandford Grove.
1 Samuel Bewley eldest son born 08.07.1839 was a tea merchant. He married
Louisa Elizabeth Pim only child of late William Straugman Pim of Belfast on
27.09.1877 at the Friends Meeting House, Monkstown.
2 Huldah Bewley married Samuel Henry Newsom, son of Samuel Newsom of
Sandford Grove at the Eustace Street Meeting House on 23 Apr 1873. Samuel
was chairman of Newson and Sons Ltd and died at Cork on 29 Jul 1927.
8 Thomas Bewley born 13.11.1807 died 23.11.1807 aged 10 days.
9 Susanna Bewley born 20.03.1809 married Samuel Pim on 27.08.1830. Susanna died
08.03.1882 aged 73 years of Annegrove, Mountmellick.
10 Thomas Bewley born 15.05.1810 married Rebecca Hogg in 1835. He was a tea merchant,
importer and successful businessman trading as Thomas Bewley & Co. He imported
tea from Canton, sometimes as many as 4000 chests, on docking these would go for
immediate sale on the Custom House docks. He also imported refined sugar from
Rotterdam, some 300 hundred hogsheads were landed (each hogshead would weigh
between 800 and 1500 pounds). He was a director of The Mining Company of Ireland, a
JP and a member of the Central Municipal Committee. He had a house at William Street
and his county residence was Rockville in Newtown Park. His passion was his plant
collection. He employed a plant hunter, possibly Joseph Dalton Hooker, to collect plants
from Peru, The Himalayas and Java etc. He won numerous prizes from the RHS for
his exotic orchids, flowers and ferns. He was the first person in Ireland to have fruit grow
on the Monstera Deliciosa (Swiss Cheese Plant) and the first person in Ireland to grow
Phalaenopsis schilleriana (Pink Elephant Orchid). He had a tropical ravine built on the
grounds where these plants were cultivated. Rebecca died on 03.09.1863 and Thomas
died on 05.04.1875 aged 64 years both at Rockville. They were buried at Temple Hill. His
plant collection was put up for auction after his death and was sold in 1349 lots. Thomas
left 45K in personal estate.
1 Charles Bewley eldest son born 13.02.1837 died on 11.06.1858 aged 21 years.
2 William Henry Bewley born 20.04.1838 married Elizabeth Mary Ardill (Lillie) daughter
of late Rev R Ardill of Johnstown on 07.03.1871 at Kill Parish Church. William won a
few prises for his ferns at the RHS shows. Lillie died 15 Sep 1885 and was buried at
Temple Hill. William died on 05.07.1886 at 68 Harley Street, London, thus ending the
Bewley 74 year connection to Rockville.
3 Edward Bewley born 09.10.1839.
4 John Frederic Bewley born 28.08.1841 at Rockville and died 15.01.1890 aged 48
years at 12 Crofton Avenue, Kingstown.
5 Thomas Arthur Bewley born 10.07.1843 at Rockville married Emma Marion
Fitzpatrick daughter of Richard Fitzpatrick of Summerhill on 26.04.1877 at the
Friends Meeting House in Eustace Street. Thomas worked at Webb & Bewley
Shipbuilders. He died 28.01.1889 aged 48 years at East Wall when the chemicals
he was working on exploded and was buried at Temple Hill.
6 Anna Bewley born 15.02.1845 at Rockville married Thomas Gilbart Smith eldest
son of Rev Denham Smith on 19.01.1870 at Kill Parish Church.
7 Herbert Bewley born 06.05.1847 at Rockville was a merchant of 17 Cope Street
and died a bachelor at 3 Connaught Terrace, Kingstown on 28 May 1892. He left
under 100 pounds in personal estate.
8 Mary Alexander Bewley, 2nd daughter born 27.10.1848 at Rockville died on
14.03.1866 aged 17 years at Rockville.
9 Elizabeth Bewley born 24.03.1846 at Rockville and died 16.01.1850 aged 3¾ at
Rockville.
10 Susan Elizabeth Bewley born 23.12.1849 at Rockville.
11 Joseph Bewley born 14.08.1851 at Rockville was a stock broker of 17 Cope Street.
He died a bachelor at Mount Street, late of Connaught Place, Kingstown on
21 Apr 1916 and left person estate of 6K.
12 Albert Octavius Bewley born 10.01.1853 at Rockville emigrated to Durban, South Africa
circa 1880.
11 William Bewley born 18.03.1812 at Rockville married Dorothea Jacob daughter of
Joshua Richard Jacob of Waterford on 13.02.1839 at Friends Meeting House, Monkstown.
William died on 20.09.1884 aged 72 years at Illerton, Killiney and Dorothea died on
30.11.1909 aged 89 years at 3 Willow Terrace, Blackrock.
1 Alfred Bewley born 25.11.1839 at Waltham Terrace.
2 Joshua Bewley born 12.02.1840 at Waltham Terrace.
3 Mary Bewley born 11.08.1842 at Waltham Terrace.
4 Isabella Bewley born 08.09.1844 at Waltham Terrace.
5 Charlotte Bewley born 23.04.1848 at Appian Way.
6 Elizabeth Dorothea born 12.12.1849 at Appian Way.
7 Anna Bewley born 27.05.1852 at Appian Way.
8 Florence Bewley born 27.04.1856 at Appian Way.
9 William Bewley born 22.10.1858 at Appian Way.
12 Elizabeth Bewley youngest daughter born 26.10.1813 at Rockville married William
Cooper Clibborn of Moatview, Westmeath on 11.05.1836 at Friends Meeting House,
Monkstown.
13 Joshua Bewley youngest child born 19.01.1819 at Rockville married Margaret Hanks
Fisher, daughter of Joseph Fisher of Youghal, Cork on 18.07.1845 at the Friends Meeting
House, Sycamore Alley, Dublin. Joshua late of Dunore, Bray died 21.09.1900 and
Margaret died on 27.11.1906 aged 83 years at her residence Dunore.
1 Mary Louisa Bewley born 27.05.1846 at Belville, Donnybrook.
2 Emma Bewley born 14.04.1848 at Pembroke Road.
3 Marion Bewley born 13.11.1849 at Pembroke Road.
4 Susanna Helena Bewley born 26.02.1853 at Pembroke Road married George
Ridgeway Goodbody eldest son of Robert James Goodbody of Tullamore on
04.02.1885 at the Friends’ Meeting House, Bray
5 Ada Bewley born 13.10.1854 at Wellington Place.
6 Charles Bewley born 05.07.1858.
7 Eveline Bewley born 05.07.1858.
8 Ernest Bewley born 14.11.1860 at 21 Pembroke Road was the founder of
Bewley's Oriental Cafés. He married Bertha Ann Clark on 16 Dec 1890 at the
Friends Meeting House in Doncaster. They had no issue and Bertha died at
Portobello House, late of Danum, Rathgar on 25 Apr 1908. Ernest secondly married
Susan Clark, a cousin of his late wife in 1909 and they had five children. Ernest
died in 1932
1 Sylvia Susanna Margaret Bewley born 7 Jun 1911 at Zion Road.
2 Victor Ernest Henry Bewley born 24 May 1912 at Danum, Zion Road took over
the family firm on the death of his father.
3 Ralph Joseph Samuel Bewley born 28 Sep 1913 at Danum died from whooping
cough in 1915.
4 Alfred Charles Bewley born 18 Dec 1914 at Danum.
5 Joseph Samuel Bewley born 3 Feb 1920 at Danum married Kathleen
Manico in 1943. Kathleen was the daughter of William Manico.
9 Amy Kathleen Bewley born 12.03.1865 Bray.
©June Bow & Karen Poff – October 2019
Samuel Bewley son of Thomas and Susanna Bewley married Elizabeth Fayle daughter of
Nehemiah Fayle of Limerick in 1794. Samuel was a respected silk and tea merchant and the
first in the trade to import tea directly from China. He was a member of the Society of Friends
and a generous benefactor to many charities including the Rathdown Dispensary at Mountpelier
Place, the Kildare Street School and the Cork Street Fever Hospital. Samuel lived at Rockville
from 1812 until his death on Grafton Street while out walking on 8 Oct 1837. Elizabeth died at
Sandford Grove, Ranelagh the home of her son Samuel on 28 Sep 1848.
Samuel Bewley married 17.12.1794 Elizabeth Fayle
born circa 1764 Limerick born 15.12.1771
died 08.11.1837 died 28.09.1848
a Silk Merchant at Sandford Grove
of William Street, Dublin
buried at Cork Street Quaker burial Ground
1 Joseph Bewley eldest son born 04.11.1795 married Elizabeth Pike daughter of Joseph
Pike of Cork on 13.01.1825 at the Friends Meeting House, Cork.
2 Samuel Bewley born 06.07.1797 and died 31.01.1804 aged 6½ years.
3 Huldah Bewley born 27.05.1799 died 09.08.1837 aged 38 years.
4 Charles Bewley born 10.03.1801 married Hannah Todhunter daughter of John
Todhunter on 20.10.1824 at the Friends Meeting House, Sycamore Alley, Dublin.
Charles died 17.02.1835 aged 34 years at his house in William Street. Hannah died of
Typhus Fever on 03.12.1847 aged 43 years at Parnell Place caught while ministering
to the poor.
5 Henry Bewley born 11.11.1802 died 13.01.1804 aged 1¼ years.
6 Henry Bewley born 04.07.1804 married Elizabeth Rowntree of Scarborough on
02.01.1833. Elizabeth died on 19.10.1833 after a long illness. Henry then married Ann
Pike daughter of Jonathan Pike of Beechgrove, Dungannon, Tyrone on 25.11.1835 at
the Meeting House at Grange.
7 Samuel Bewley born 01.01.1806 married Maria Clibborn on 15.03.1837 at Moate.
Samuel died 07.10.1877 of Sandford Grove and Maria died on 25.11.1886 aged 73
years at Sandford Grove.
1 Samuel Bewley eldest son born 08.07.1839 was a tea merchant. He married
Louisa Elizabeth Pim only child of late William Straugman Pim of Belfast on
27.09.1877 at the Friends Meeting House, Monkstown.
2 Huldah Bewley married Samuel Henry Newsom, son of Samuel Newsom of
Sandford Grove at the Eustace Street Meeting House on 23 Apr 1873. Samuel
was chairman of Newson and Sons Ltd and died at Cork on 29 Jul 1927.
8 Thomas Bewley born 13.11.1807 died 23.11.1807 aged 10 days.
9 Susanna Bewley born 20.03.1809 married Samuel Pim on 27.08.1830. Susanna died
08.03.1882 aged 73 years of Annegrove, Mountmellick.
10 Thomas Bewley born 15.05.1810 married Rebecca Hogg in 1835. He was a tea merchant,
importer and successful businessman trading as Thomas Bewley & Co. He imported
tea from Canton, sometimes as many as 4000 chests, on docking these would go for
immediate sale on the Custom House docks. He also imported refined sugar from
Rotterdam, some 300 hundred hogsheads were landed (each hogshead would weigh
between 800 and 1500 pounds). He was a director of The Mining Company of Ireland, a
JP and a member of the Central Municipal Committee. He had a house at William Street
and his county residence was Rockville in Newtown Park. His passion was his plant
collection. He employed a plant hunter, possibly Joseph Dalton Hooker, to collect plants
from Peru, The Himalayas and Java etc. He won numerous prizes from the RHS for
his exotic orchids, flowers and ferns. He was the first person in Ireland to have fruit grow
on the Monstera Deliciosa (Swiss Cheese Plant) and the first person in Ireland to grow
Phalaenopsis schilleriana (Pink Elephant Orchid). He had a tropical ravine built on the
grounds where these plants were cultivated. Rebecca died on 03.09.1863 and Thomas
died on 05.04.1875 aged 64 years both at Rockville. They were buried at Temple Hill. His
plant collection was put up for auction after his death and was sold in 1349 lots. Thomas
left 45K in personal estate.
1 Charles Bewley eldest son born 13.02.1837 died on 11.06.1858 aged 21 years.
2 William Henry Bewley born 20.04.1838 married Elizabeth Mary Ardill (Lillie) daughter
of late Rev R Ardill of Johnstown on 07.03.1871 at Kill Parish Church. William won a
few prises for his ferns at the RHS shows. Lillie died 15 Sep 1885 and was buried at
Temple Hill. William died on 05.07.1886 at 68 Harley Street, London, thus ending the
Bewley 74 year connection to Rockville.
3 Edward Bewley born 09.10.1839.
4 John Frederic Bewley born 28.08.1841 at Rockville and died 15.01.1890 aged 48
years at 12 Crofton Avenue, Kingstown.
5 Thomas Arthur Bewley born 10.07.1843 at Rockville married Emma Marion
Fitzpatrick daughter of Richard Fitzpatrick of Summerhill on 26.04.1877 at the
Friends Meeting House in Eustace Street. Thomas worked at Webb & Bewley
Shipbuilders. He died 28.01.1889 aged 48 years at East Wall when the chemicals
he was working on exploded and was buried at Temple Hill.
6 Anna Bewley born 15.02.1845 at Rockville married Thomas Gilbart Smith eldest
son of Rev Denham Smith on 19.01.1870 at Kill Parish Church.
7 Herbert Bewley born 06.05.1847 at Rockville was a merchant of 17 Cope Street
and died a bachelor at 3 Connaught Terrace, Kingstown on 28 May 1892. He left
under 100 pounds in personal estate.
8 Mary Alexander Bewley, 2nd daughter born 27.10.1848 at Rockville died on
14.03.1866 aged 17 years at Rockville.
9 Elizabeth Bewley born 24.03.1846 at Rockville and died 16.01.1850 aged 3¾ at
Rockville.
10 Susan Elizabeth Bewley born 23.12.1849 at Rockville.
11 Joseph Bewley born 14.08.1851 at Rockville was a stock broker of 17 Cope Street.
He died a bachelor at Mount Street, late of Connaught Place, Kingstown on
21 Apr 1916 and left person estate of 6K.
12 Albert Octavius Bewley born 10.01.1853 at Rockville emigrated to Durban, South Africa
circa 1880.
11 William Bewley born 18.03.1812 at Rockville married Dorothea Jacob daughter of
Joshua Richard Jacob of Waterford on 13.02.1839 at Friends Meeting House, Monkstown.
William died on 20.09.1884 aged 72 years at Illerton, Killiney and Dorothea died on
30.11.1909 aged 89 years at 3 Willow Terrace, Blackrock.
1 Alfred Bewley born 25.11.1839 at Waltham Terrace.
2 Joshua Bewley born 12.02.1840 at Waltham Terrace.
3 Mary Bewley born 11.08.1842 at Waltham Terrace.
4 Isabella Bewley born 08.09.1844 at Waltham Terrace.
5 Charlotte Bewley born 23.04.1848 at Appian Way.
6 Elizabeth Dorothea born 12.12.1849 at Appian Way.
7 Anna Bewley born 27.05.1852 at Appian Way.
8 Florence Bewley born 27.04.1856 at Appian Way.
9 William Bewley born 22.10.1858 at Appian Way.
12 Elizabeth Bewley youngest daughter born 26.10.1813 at Rockville married William
Cooper Clibborn of Moatview, Westmeath on 11.05.1836 at Friends Meeting House,
Monkstown.
13 Joshua Bewley youngest child born 19.01.1819 at Rockville married Margaret Hanks
Fisher, daughter of Joseph Fisher of Youghal, Cork on 18.07.1845 at the Friends Meeting
House, Sycamore Alley, Dublin. Joshua late of Dunore, Bray died 21.09.1900 and
Margaret died on 27.11.1906 aged 83 years at her residence Dunore.
1 Mary Louisa Bewley born 27.05.1846 at Belville, Donnybrook.
2 Emma Bewley born 14.04.1848 at Pembroke Road.
3 Marion Bewley born 13.11.1849 at Pembroke Road.
4 Susanna Helena Bewley born 26.02.1853 at Pembroke Road married George
Ridgeway Goodbody eldest son of Robert James Goodbody of Tullamore on
04.02.1885 at the Friends’ Meeting House, Bray
5 Ada Bewley born 13.10.1854 at Wellington Place.
6 Charles Bewley born 05.07.1858.
7 Eveline Bewley born 05.07.1858.
8 Ernest Bewley born 14.11.1860 at 21 Pembroke Road was the founder of
Bewley's Oriental Cafés. He married Bertha Ann Clark on 16 Dec 1890 at the
Friends Meeting House in Doncaster. They had no issue and Bertha died at
Portobello House, late of Danum, Rathgar on 25 Apr 1908. Ernest secondly married
Susan Clark, a cousin of his late wife in 1909 and they had five children. Ernest
died in 1932
1 Sylvia Susanna Margaret Bewley born 7 Jun 1911 at Zion Road.
2 Victor Ernest Henry Bewley born 24 May 1912 at Danum, Zion Road took over
the family firm on the death of his father.
3 Ralph Joseph Samuel Bewley born 28 Sep 1913 at Danum died from whooping
cough in 1915.
4 Alfred Charles Bewley born 18 Dec 1914 at Danum.
5 Joseph Samuel Bewley born 3 Feb 1920 at Danum married Kathleen
Manico in 1943. Kathleen was the daughter of William Manico.
9 Amy Kathleen Bewley born 12.03.1865 Bray.
©June Bow & Karen Poff – October 2019